Starlab Space LLC has reached a significant milestone in its ambitious commercial space station project, successfully completing the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in partnership with NASA. This achievement marks a crucial step toward full-scale production, validating the station’s architecture, systems, and integration plans as technically sound and safe for future astronaut operations. The PDR, coupled with a rigorous Level 1 safety review, confirms that Starlab’s design is on track for certification, positioning the company to compete for future NASA contracts for astronaut activity and station utilization.
The private Starlab space station will consist of a service module and a habitat for four astronauts. Image credit: Starlab
“Our successful PDR is a testament to the expertise and dedication of our team,” said Tim Kopra, CEO of Starlab. “This milestone confirms that our space station design is technically sound and safe for astronaut crewed operations. Now, with our partners, we shift our focus to the full-scale development of the station, including the manufacturing of critical hardware and software integration.”
With the PDR now complete, Starlab is moving into the next phase: detailed design and hardware development. This stage will culminate in a Critical Design Review (CDR), expected in 2026, to verify the station’s readiness for construction and eventual launch. During this period, the company plans to establish a System Integration Lab, which will serve as the central hub for testing avionics, computing, sensors, and software. Starlab will also begin procuring long-lead materials for critical subsystems and develop a high-fidelity mockup to support astronaut training and systems testing. The mockup is set to be assembled at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston this summer.
As part of its development strategy, Starlab is advancing key life-support technologies, including an Advanced Urine Processor—a next-generation water-recovery system designed to be more compact and reliable than the one currently in use on the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, the company is continuing work on the Optical Link Demo Mission, aimed at enhancing future deep-space communication capabilities. Construction of Engineering Design Units and Protoflight hardware is also set to begin, accelerating the path toward full-scale production.
The Starlab space station, spanning 12,000 cubic feet (340 cubic meters), will be equipped with a robotic arm and specialized racks for microgravity experiments. These facilities will enable private companies and researchers to develop new products and technologies in space, fostering scientific and commercial innovation. Starlab’s primary shareholder, Voyager Technologies, is optimistic about securing a future contract with NASA to host agency astronauts aboard the station, ensuring U.S. leadership in low-Earth orbit (LEO) operations.
"Starlab's progress underscores our collective commitment to ensuring U.S. leadership in low-Earth orbit with investment and partnership from key allied international organizations and agencies," said Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO of Voyager Technologies. "We are ready to advance human spaceflight, ensure a continuous human presence in LEO, and build a thriving commercial space ecosystem."
To support its expanding operations, Starlab is also scaling up its facilities in Bremen, Germany, through its European subsidiary, Starlab Space GmbH. The expansion will strengthen the company’s capabilities in assembly, integration, and testing, while also reinforcing its collaboration with international partners across Europe, Japan, and Canada.
The Starlab project has already secured significant financial backing, receiving $217.5 million from NASA through the Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 1 program, along with $15 million from the Texas Space Commission. Additional funding from joint venture partners across the globe further strengthens the company’s financial foundation.
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