Private Companies Want Commercial Space Hubs To Boost Cosmic Economy

An astronaut claimed that it "smells great" inside the space station. The International Space Station is pictured on May 23, 2011 in Space. Paolo Nespoli - ESA/NASA via Getty Images

Several private companies including aerospace industry giants Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have submitted proposals to NASA regarding the creation of different commercial hubs in space. According to the companies, these commercial space facilities could serve as a new economic source for the country.

Details of the various proposals were unveiled by NASA in a new report. The initiative is part of the space agency’s efforts in making future commercial spaceflights more viable for the country.

Aside from the companies mentioned earlier, some of the other private firms that entered their proposals include Northrop Grumman, Maxar Technologies, Space Adventures Inc., Axiom Space and Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Based on NASA’s report, the companies intend to establish their own commercial facilities in low-Earth orbit, which is the same region where the International Space Station (ISS) operates in. Some of the companies are willing to use discarded and old shuttle components from previous space missions while others want to create new facilities that are capable of docking with the ISS.

Through these facilities, the private entities aim to establish various types of space destinations that can be used as habitats, manufacturing facilities and even video production studios for films, sporting events and marketing materials. Despite being owned by private companies, NASA will still have access to the space facilities in order to continue its research in space.

According to NASA, the venture could be very beneficial for the space agency. By partnering with industry leaders that can supply its space-related needs, NASA will be able to easily carry on with its future endeavors.

“The agency’s ultimate goal in low-Earth orbit is to partner with industry to achieve a robust ecosystem in which NASA is one of many customers purchasing services and capabilities at a much lower cost than today,” the space agency said in a statement.

Even though NASA has already started accepting proposals from potential industry partners for the commercialization of space, it is not yet certain if the agency will proceed in this direction. For now, NASA has not yet taken the necessary initial steps in the development of commercial facilities in low-Earth orbit.