Voyager Space, Airbus crank up work on new space station to challenge ISS

Voyager Space, a US space venture company, and Airbus Wednesday announced their strengthened collaboration in the competitive pursuit of constructing a private version of the International Space Station (ISS), Reuters reported.

Back in January, the two companies had already revealed their initial plans, with Airbus offering design support for Voyager's Starlab.

 This project was among three initiatives hand-picked by NASA to develop proposals for a potential commercial successor to the current ISS.

Now, in an exciting development, they have decided to elevate their partnership, with Airbus becoming a core partner in a newly envisioned venture aimed at the development, construction, and operation of the orbital research post. This move will enhance Europe's involvement in the ambitious project.

While the specific details regarding the size of the shareholdings and financial arrangements have not been disclosed, both companies have refrained from discussing their funding plans at this stage.

Starlab, one of the three private concepts vying to replace the ageing ISS, aims to create an orbital laboratory that can accommodate crews, following in the footsteps of the current ISS, which has been a continuous home for astronauts for over 22 years.