MATT ONDLER: 'WE WILL SEE IDEAS AND PRODUCTS WE CAN'T IMAGINE TODAY'

Axiom Space’s chief technology officer Matt Ondler on life after the International Space Station

- Mike Wall

How quickly can humanity get another low Earth orbit (LEO) station up and running post-International Space Station?

Are we likely to see a gap between the ISS’ retirement and a new station coming online? Axiom Space is on schedule to deliver our first privately developed module of the Axiom Station to the ISS in September 2024. We will deliver three additional modules by the end of 2027 to complete our initial space station. With the delivery of the fourth module, Axiom Station will have the capability to be independent of the ISS and can then separate to become an independent next-generation space station with upgraded crew quarters, increased payload capacity and a dedicated manufacturing and research lab module.

This timeline supports the current planned end of the ISS’ life, so there should be a seamless transition with no gaps in human continuous presence in LEO. This approach was built from the wealth of ISS and human spaceflight experience at the core of our team.

BIO Matt Ondler