I think the era of government-only outposts in orbit just ended. Starlab Space LLC finished its Commercial Critical Design Review with NASA this past Monday. Blueprints are now becoming metal. But the shift from computer models to the assembly line is where the manufacturing begins. I’m partial to the idea that we are seeing the hardware for the next human habitat being born right now.

This marks the start of physical construction for the Houston-based team.

The meeting finalized the 28th milestone of the Space Act Agreement. Engineers in Houston spent the last few days showing NASA officials every single line of code and every bolt specification to prove that this commercial station can support a crew without the constant oversight of a government agency.

And the team cleared the hurdle. Upon closer analysis, this move to systems integration means the station moves from a vision to a product. I merit the progress because it keeps the American presence in low Earth orbit steady as the International Space Station approaches its retirement date. The project is moving fast.

Yahoo Finance reports that the team is now moving into manufacturing.

This isn’t just a prototype or a render on a website anymore. It is a series of pressure vessels and docking ports and life support racks. I think the speed of this transition suggests that private companies are finally catching up to the legacy agencies. The schedule stays on track. And the hardware will soon sit in clean rooms waiting for a heavy-lift rocket.

Physical Production Commences on Starlab

Starlab engineers shifted focus to the factory floor this past Tuesday. Machines roar.

I suspect the arrival of the aluminum-lithium panels marks the end of the conceptual phase for the primary habitat structure. But the assembly of the docking adapters requires a level of precision that aerospace manufacturing rarely encounters outside of satellite production. Let’s be real for a second: the pressure is on to meet the 2028 launch window before the legacy station loses its orbit.

I assume the technicians in the Houston clean rooms are working in shifts to integrate the fluid systems into the internal racks. Tools hit metal.

The software suite completed its final diagnostic tests during the review process. Code lives. In my estimation, the transition to a commercial operating system allows for faster updates than the antiquated processors currently orbiting the planet.

And the inclusion of Mitsubishi Corporation ensures that the logistics chain for hardware replacements remains unbroken across the Pacific. I imagine the flight computers are undergoing heat cycles right now to simulate the transition from shadow into sunlight. Logic flows.

Behind the Scenes at the Assembly Plant

Workers use friction stir welding to join the hull segments without melting the base metal.

Strength increases. This technique creates a seam that handles the expansion and contraction of orbital cycles better than traditional bolts. I speculate that the floor layout in the Ohio facility mirrors the internal volume of the station to help the crew practice movement in a confined space. But the real secret is the modularity of the science bays.

Technicians can swap an entire chemistry lab for a biology suite in less than an hour. Speed matters.

The air scrubbers are currently undergoing endurance runs in a vacuum chamber. Fans spin. I find the move toward autonomous life support fascinating because it removes the need for constant ground control intervention during routine maintenance.

Let’s be real for a second: if a pump fails, the station needs to tell the crew how to fix it before the oxygen levels dip. I assume the AI integration will provide real-time repair schematics through augmented reality headsets. Vision clears.

Voyager Space Starlab Project
NASA Commercial LEO Destinations
Airbus Space Exploration

People Also Ask

How does the Mitsubishi partnership affect the construction timeline?
Mitsubishi provides the expertise in automated cargo transfer vehicles.

I assume their contribution will shorten the time needed to develop the resupply interface. This means the station can receive fresh supplies and experimental samples without waiting for a specific type of rocket. The supply chain gains a layer of certainty.

What rocket will carry the Starlab station into orbit?
The station is designed to fly on a single heavy-lift launch vehicle.

In my estimation, the diameter of the hull suggests a launch on a vehicle with a wide fairing like Starship or New Glenn. This avoids the need for multiple launches and complex orbital assembly. One shot works.

Will the station have a dedicated area for plant growth?
The blueprints include a bioregenerative life support section.

I speculate that the engineers are prioritizing hydroponic bays to supplement the diet of the four-person crew. But these plants also serve as a secondary carbon dioxide scrubber. Greenery grows.