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Hugo HENRY
Apr 29, 2024
125
Racing to Orbit : The Rise of Private Space Stations.
- Thomas URGON
- May 1
- 6 min read
Updated: May 2
Space is supposed to be the future of housing and tourism. But today we will further develop the financial means to be put forward and the inequalities of access in a second phase we will be more interested in the ecological impacts, space debris and its impact on the long term. American billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are developing their latest luxury launch modules, propelling us to the gates of space "Airbnb." This comes at an environmental and financial cost that only the elite can afford.
The Financial Dimension of Private Space Stations
Reaching orbit has never been cheap. It still isn’t. Anyone hoping to set up infrastructure in low Earth orbit (LEO) faces not only steep technical hurdles, but also a brutal financial climb. Look at Axiom Space : back in 2023, it secured $350 million from investors. Not bad especially when you add over $2 billion in contracts, mostly for missions linked to the ISS.
Still, Axiom isn't working alone in this race. Others want a piece of the orbital future too. Blue Origin has teamed up with Sierra Space. Their idea ? Orbital Reef a commercial station, sort of a hub for research and industry in space. NASA chipped in : $130 million. On a similar track, Voyager Space and Airbus are collaborating on Starlab, another modular station, with $160 million in early support from the U.S. government.
There’s no shortage of announcements in the commercial space sector. Every few months, a new player enters the scene with bold designs and distant timelines. But looking past the polished press releases, the gap between vision and reality is striking. If we take Vast Space. A few years ago, anyone had heard of them. Now they’re aiming to launch Haven-1, a new prototype space station, for 2025. The mission is backed by SpaceX for the ride to orbit. It’s an exciting prospect but let’s be honest, the schedule feels optimistic. Other companies like Space Development Corporation are even more speculative. They’ve floated concepts for not just one, but two stations. But so far, nothing solid. No working prototypes. No visible infrastructure. And, in add they have no secured funding. In this sector, vision isn’t enough. Company need serious financing, proven technology, and a clear strategy. NASA does step in to help its Commercial LEO Destinations program offers early support and some funding. But the heavy lifting ? That still falls on private firms. Which means they’re under constant pressure to show progress, attract investors, and deliver on promises that, for now, live mostly on paper.
Much has been said about the “democratization” of space. But for now, that idea feels more like a slogan than a shift. Behind the futuristic designs and slick marketing lies an uncomfortable truth: access remains as exclusive as ever. Even with launch prices falling, getting to orbit is still far out of reach for most. Seats aboard future private stations won’t go to schoolchildren or amateur scientists. They’ll go to corporate clients, governments, or the ultra-rich. Whether it’s Vast, Axiom, or Blue Origin, the cost of participation is measured in millions. This new space age, built on private capital and commercial goals, risks repeating the inequalities of Earth. What began decades ago as a shared endeavor between nations is slowly morphing into a high-stakes market. Without stronger public frameworks or international oversight, orbital space could become just another elite playground this time, floating above us all. Sounds like serious backing. And it is. But the truth is, even these hefty investments are just opening bids. They're nowhere near enough to carry these stations to full-scale operation. Add development costs, safety certifications, delays... The budget swells fast.
In 2024, the price tag for a private seat to the International Space Station can hit around $55 million. That’s not speculation it’s the reality seen with Axiom’s Ax-2 mission in May 2023. The crew? Entirely made up of privately financed individuals. They stayed in low Earth orbit for about ten days, and each of them reportedly paid tens of millions to make it happen.
This kind of cost says a lot. Not only about how exclusive space tourism still is, but also about where it’s heading. Who gets to be part of this new space age ? Who’s calling the shots ? Is it just the billionaires ? Or will space one day be open to something more than private wallets and corporate deals ?
The Environnemental Impact
Space is beautiful. It has also become, little by little, a new economic space. But as the number of launches increases, another reality is emerging environmental impact. We often talk about progress, but rarely about the consequences. Yet they are real, and they are accumulating. Three aspects in particular stand out: rocket-related emissions, the debris piling up around the Earth, and that slightly awkward dilemma between saving our planet... or escaping from it.
Every space flight has a real impact on the local environment and, indirectly, on the global environment. It's important to differentiate between the white vapors and trails, which can be impressive but represent a minimal part of the pollution; the largest part is carbon, methane, and sometimes kerosene injected at very high altitudes and imperceptible to the naked eye, which have a real impact on the environment, including on the ozone layer. Although rockets take off less frequently than airplanes, their footprint is much larger, especially in the stratosphere. Some companies, like SpaceX, are trying to improve the situation with cleaner engines (like methane), but the problem remains the same.
Space is becoming a real space dump. The damage seen from Earth is minimal, but in reality, there are thousands of objects, lost, broken, or damaged. These are mainly old satellites, pieces of rockets, and even tools lost during space missions. Space agencies and billionaires such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are aware that with each launch, the risk of collision between the debris continues to increase considerably. Astrophysicist Donald Kessler developed a theory called the Kessler syndrome, in which he explains that the risk behind an excess of space debris can cause a chain reaction rendering the orbit unusable.
Beyond the engineering feats and financial races, a more uncomfortable question lingers: is our push into space just a way of looking away from Earth’s own problems ? While billions pour into orbital hotels, private missions, and futuristic stations, the climate crisis continues here below, largely unfixed. Some say space is the next step essential, even for our survival as a species. A lifeboat, in case things go really wrong on Earth. But others see it differently. To them, it feels like a luxury detour. A shiny, ambitious project that soaks up money, attention, and energy that could be spent fixing what’s right in front of us.
Maybe the truth is more nuanced—somewhere in the grey zone. But at this stage, the momentum seems tilted. Toward exploration, yes. But also toward prestige, profit, and ambition. Responsibility, for now, plays catch-up.
According to a 2022 study published in Earth's Future, a single rocket launch using kerosene fuel can emit up to 1 ton of black carbon (soot) directly into the stratosphere a layer where this type of pollution persists for years and amplifies atmospheric warming far more than at ground level.
This means that although rocket launches are relatively rare, their climate impact per unit is orders of magnitude higher than that of commercial aviation.
Sources
ABOVE is Axiom Space’s concept for expanding orbital living space : ABOVE - Providing More Space in Space
Axiom Space is building the world’s first commercial space station : Axiom Space — World’s First Commercial Space Station
Thales Alenia Space has completed the primary structure of Axiom’s crew module : Thales Alenia Space Marks Major Milestone in Space Station Construction
Orbital Reef is a private space station project by Sierra Space and Blue Origin : Récif orbital | La nouvelle station spatiale | Sierra Space
Space Development Agency : Space Development Agency – Increasing Warfighters' Lethality, Maneuverability, and Survivability
Voyager Space and Airbus form joint venture for Starlab : https://spacenews.com/voyager-space-and-airbus-form-joint-venture-for-starlab-station/
Vast Space to launch Haven-1, first commercial space station module : https://www.space.com/vast-haven-1-commercial-space-station-2025-launch
NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) Overview : https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/commercial-low-earth-orbit-development-program/
KeyWord : Private Space Stations, Space Tourism, Rocket Emissions, Orbital Debris, Space Economy, Environmental Impact, Access Inequality, New Space Industry, Low Earth Orbit.
Thomas URGON