NASA changes the rules of the game for commercial space stations

NASA has moved the goalposts for companies seeking to replace the aging International Space Station (ISS) and changed the minimum capability required to four crew for one-month "increments." The change means that the permanent occupation of the ISS will be a thing of the past, at least as far as the US space agency is concerned.

The new directive [PDF] reflects an unfolding reality at NASA. The US space agency's budget is unlikely to be as big as it was when NASA kicked off the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations Program, the ISS has only a few years left before it is to be de-orbited by a SpaceX vehicle, and priorities within the agency are changing.

NASA bosses have long known that time was running out for the ISS, and agreements have been signed with companies such as Axiom Space for crewed modules that could be attached and then ...