NASA Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) [post-ISS commercial space stations]

[Dr Mordrid]

Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) solicitation

CLD = NASA uses commercial space stations after ~2030.

This is in addition to the Lunar Gateway station in lunar orbit, the first 2 modules going uphill on Falcon Heavy in 2024, and the Axiom Space station starting assembly attached to ISS the same year.

https://sam.gov/opp/2f2eacc157274cd6a3d134f25b1c4505/view

Marcia Smith @SpcPlcyOnline
NASA just released the final announcement soliciting proposals for phase I of the Commercial LEO Destinations project.
Proposals due August 26.

https://sam.gov/opp/2f2eacc157

https://twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1414701818333077504

Kathy Lueders @KathyLueders [NASA]
Do you want to build a space station? For 20+ years, the @Space_Station has been our destination for exploration. Our vision for the future includes commercial space stations in low-Earth orbit, and our final solicitation for the first phase is out now: https://go.nasa.gov/36wM0GK

https://twitter.com/KathyLueders/status/1414728110097018884

[Dr Mordrid]

NASA: Starship Space Station

Makes sense; the lunar Starship will have nearly the same internal volume is the international Space Station, two airlocks, a huge cargo bay, a medical bay, and several decks for crew functions.

Full list of companies

• Blue Origin, Kent, Washington
• Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Dulles, Virginia
• Space Exploration Technologies, Hawthorne, California
• Sierra Space Corporation, Broomfield, Colorado
• Special Aerospace Services, Boulder, Colorado
• ThinkOrbital Inc., Lafayette, Colorado
• Vast Space LLC, Long Beach, California

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1669454025580859392

Eric Berger @SciGuySpace (Ars Technica)

Interesting: NASA says it is working with SpaceX on potentially turning Starship into a space station. "This architecture includes Starship as a transportation and in-space low-Earth orbit destination..."
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To add a bit of context: A couple of years ago SpaceX considered working with one of the four current providers of commercial space stations for NASA. But when it came time to decide Musk pulled back, saying SpaceX needed to focus on getting Starship into orbit first.