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By NASA
3 Min Read NASA Seeks Industry Input on Next Phase of Commercial Space Stations
The aurora australis appears over the Earth in this photograph taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 269 miles above the Indian Ocean southwest of Australia. Credits: NASA NASA is requesting feedback from American companies on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy to ensure a seamless transition of activities in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
The agency released a draft Phase 2 Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) Friday, asking for feedback from industry partners by 1 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 12. NASA will hold an informational industry briefing on Monday, Sept. 8, to provide a top-level summary of the documents and expectations.
Under the direction of acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, the agency reassessed the commercial space stations acquisition strategy to ensure mission continuity, affordability, and national alignment, and to reduce the potential for a gap of a crew-capable platform in low Earth orbit.
“NASA has led in low Earth orbit for 25 years and counting. Now, as we prepare for deorbiting the International Space Station in 2030, we’re calling on our commercial space partners to maintain this historic human presence,” Duffy said. “The American space industry is booming. Insight from these innovative companies will be invaluable as we work to chart the next phase of commercial space stations.”
In Phase 2, NASA intends to support industry’s design and demonstration of commercial stations through multiple funded Space Act Agreements, selected through a full and open competition.
“NASA is committed to continuing our partnership with industry to ensure a continuity in low Earth orbit,” said Angela Hart, manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The work done under our Phase 1 contracts and agreements have put us in a prime position to be successful for this next funded Space Act Agreement phase. By leveraging these agreements, we provide additional flexibility to our commercial partners to define the best path forward to provide NASA a safe and affordable crewed demonstration.”
The Phase 2 agreements are expected to include funded milestones leading to critical design review readiness and an in-space crewed demonstration of four crew members for a minimum of 30 days. Agreements are expected to include up to a five-year period of performance.
The agency’s phased approach will culminate in a follow-on Phase 3 using Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract(s) to purchase station services through a full and open competition. This final phase will also provide formal design acceptance and certification, ensuring the commercial stations meet NASA’s safety requirements.
NASA remains committed to fostering innovation and collaboration within the American space industry.
The agency’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on the next step in humanity’s exploration of the solar system while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as an ideal environment for training and a proving ground for Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about commercial space stations at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialspacestations
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By NASA
The Roscosmos Progress 92 cargo spacecraft approaches the International Space Station on July 5, 2025, for an automated docking to the orbital complex’s Poisk module.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft carrying about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station.
The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 93 resupply spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 11:54 a.m. EDT (8:54 p.m. Baikonur time), Thursday, Sept. 11, on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Live coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
After a two-day journey to the station, the spacecraft will dock autonomously to the aft port of the station’s Zvezda module at 1:27 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. NASA’s rendezvous and docking coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more.
The Progress 93 spacecraft will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months before departing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew. Ahead of the spacecraft’s arrival, the Progress 91 spacecraft will undock from the Zvezda Service Module on Tuesday, Sept. 9. NASA will not stream the undocking.
The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation enabling research not possible on Earth. For nearly 25 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, where astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in human exploration at the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and crew, at:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
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Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
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By Amazing Space
Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
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