NASA opens ISS for commercial business

Since NASA’s aerospace agency is shiftingthe US space agency decided to open up access to the International Space Station for commercial business, Space.com reports that its work focuses on active renewal of the lunar space research program, in which private space companies will also be directly involved.

From now on, private companies can apply forconducting short-term commercial manned missions to the ISS to conduct their commercial operations related to the production and promotion of their goods.

Despite the fact that astronauts-private traders will notassigned directly to the state of NASA itself, before being sent to the ISS, they will be required to undergo long-term space flight training at the Agency’s training grounds. The agency notes that SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Boston CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will be used for commercial missions.

What will happen to the ISS in the future?

According to current US agency plans,it is set to complete support for the International Space Station project by 2024. That same year, NASA astronauts should return to the moon. With or without support from NASA, the International Space Station has been in Earth orbit for almost 20 years. Her work time in any case smoothly comes to an end.

NASA does not want to just leave it to the mercyfate of the aging space laboratory, in the construction and support of which many billions of dollars were invested (the agency spends $ 3-4 billion annually on just one service), so the agency decided to transfer it to commercial rails, allowing the private sector to conduct on board its commercial tasks. NASA believes that in this way it will be possible to stimulate a business to develop a space economy. In addition, this will allow companies that will take part in the preparation of lunar manned missions to provide a place that they can use to demonstrate the technologies they have developed for these manned missions.

"The commercialization of the ISS will allow to concentrateAgency resources for preparing the landing of the crew of a man and a woman on the moon by 2024, ”said Jeff DeWit, Chief Financial Officer of NASA, at the press conference of the agency

After 2024, NASA plans to transfermanagement of the ISS segment in the hands of its international partners, however, the agency, at least for the time being, does not intend to completely abandon the use of the station. According to DeVita, most likely, the department itself will take the role of one of the clients who are currently provided with the services of using the ISS as a test platform for new technologies. But in any case, this will save a huge pile of money.

Currently, more than 50 different companies have alreadyused or continue to use the services of the ISS for various scientific and technological research. Thanks to the new NASA policy on the ISS, the range of available commercial services will expand significantly.

You can discuss the news in our Telegram-chat.