SpaceX is preparing a habitable space station much larger than the ISS


SpaceX plans to build a habitable space station placed in orbit around the Earth. It would be larger than the ISS and could grow in size over time.

Credit: 123RF

There space conquest is multi-faceted. You can aim to create an engine that connects Earth to Mars in 60 days. Or launch a rocket using a new type of fuel. Also stay the construction of a station in which humans can live for long periods of time. On this last point, you will say that there already exists theISSthere international space stationand indeed, it is still active today.

But that does not prevent the competition from wanting propose its own solutions for living in space. Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is one of those who want to position themselves in the medium term. In a series of documents sent to NASA, the company gives a provisional calendar with the various objectives set for the years to come. This is where we learn that SpaceX wants to develop a habitable space station that it would place in orbit around the Earth.

SpaceX wants to launch a habitable and scalable space station around the Earth

Derived from the Starship, whose second launch is fast approaching, the SpaceX station would have an initial habitable volume of 1000 m3 approximately. Much more than the 388m3 from the ISS. And why “initial”? Because the idea is to be able to eventually convert fuel tanks into living space for the crew. When all have been transformed, it will mean that the entire station will be habitable.

Also read – 22 people are enough to found a colony on Mars, according to a new study

Obviously, designing, testing and launching such a project will take time. In his estimates, SpaceX talks about a preliminary review in the second quarter of 2028. It will be used to confirm the feasibility of the whole. The firm seems confident since it indicates that it will be finished in the 4th quarter of the same year. We can therefore imagine, if all goes well, that a launch will take place in the 2030s.





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