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NASA released its final request for proposals for commercial low Earth orbit destinations on October 9, 2026. Companies have until December 8 to submit proposals, and NASA expects to make contract awards in spring 2027. The solicitation seeks more than station designs: NASA wants commercial destinations and end-to-end transportation services for human spaceflight as part of its planned transition from the International Space Station (ISS).
What NASA is asking companies to provide
NASA says contractors would design, build, test, certify and operate commercial destinations in low Earth orbit (LEO). The required offering also includes end-to-end transportation services for human spaceflight. In practical terms, NASA is seeking a service it can use—not just a station concept or a piece of hardware.
The agency says it intends to use firm-fixed-price, multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. That structure combines set-price contract terms with the possibility of multiple selected contractors and work ordered over time. NASA’s October 9 announcement describes its intended approach; the final solicitation and any amendments govern the binding requirements.
How the proposed procurement is expected to work
NASA outlined a staged selection and development process. It intends to select two or more contractors for early development, then use a competitive task order for later work. Certification and services could ultimately come from one or more contractors.
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| Stage | NASA’s announced intent |
|---|---|
| Early development | Select two or more contractors. |
| Later design, test and evaluation | Compete a task order for final design, testing and evaluation. |
| Certification and services | Obtain these from one or more contractors. |
This is NASA’s stated procurement architecture, not a list of selected companies or a guarantee that every stage will proceed on a fixed timetable.
Why NASA wants commercial destinations
NASA’s goal is to preserve a U.S. human presence and research capability in LEO after the ISS retires, while relying on commercial providers so the agency can focus more resources on exploration beyond LEO. NASA’s commercial destinations program describes a model in which the agency buys services from commercially owned and operated stations, helping develop a broader microgravity marketplace.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency wants “credible plans, strong technical execution, and companies prepared to invest in destinations that can serve NASA while developing additional customers and markets of their own.” The emphasis on customers beyond NASA reflects an important part of the plan: providers are expected to pursue a commercial market, not depend solely on government demand.
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How this connects to the ISS transition
NASA’s commercial-station effort is part of a planned transition away from the ISS. NASA and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) have described 2030 as the planned retirement and deorbit date. That is a plan, not a guaranteed date. GAO reported in 2026 that NASA had not assessed the likelihood or potential duration of a gap in continuous human presence in LEO.
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That uncertainty matters because an award is only one step toward an operational destination. A provider would still need to develop and test its system, meet NASA’s certification and crew-safety requirements, and have transportation available. NASA’s October 9 announcement does not establish when a commercial station will be ready to host astronauts or whether continuous U.S. presence will be maintained through the transition.
What earlier NASA activity does—and does not—tell us
NASA’s program overview describes several earlier phases of work. These included an Axiom Space contract for a module initially attached to the ISS, Space Act Agreements supporting station designs, and a 2023 commercial capabilities initiative involving Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, SpaceX, Special Aerospace Services, ThinkOrbital and Vast.
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Those organizations participated in prior NASA activities; that history does not establish which companies submitted proposals for the October 2026 final request or which will receive awards. NASA’s announcement does not name offerors or awardees.
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Station concepts have also differed. In its 2026 review, GAO described Starlab Space’s plan for a large metallic habitat launched with its docking node and power and propulsion element. GAO also described Axiom’s plan to attach its station module to the ISS before detaching it. These are plans reported by GAO, not completed hardware or guaranteed designs for the final procurement.
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What the funding and schedule figures mean
GAO reported that NASA had anticipated approximately $1 billion to $1.5 billion over fiscal years 2026 through 2031 for agreements or contracts. GAO also said NASA officials clarified in March 2026 that the available amount might support only one commercial station. This is an earlier planning estimate, not a confirmed ceiling for the final request. NASA’s October 9 announcement did not specify a dollar amount.
GAO’s 2026 analysis found that NASA projects launched since 2010 took a little over five years on average from development start to launch. GAO contrasted that historical average with the roughly four years companies would have if Phase 2 agreements were awarded in 2026 and crewed capability in orbit were required by 2030. That comparison signals schedule risk; it is not a forecast for any particular station or a firm deadline stated in the final announcement.
Why the research mission matters
The ISS supports a substantial research workload. GAO reported that NASA officials described about 100 NASA investigations per six-month mission increment, plus another 100 investigations by the ISS National Laboratory. These figures describe the workload reported for the ISS, not a forecast of how much research a commercial station will accommodate. They help explain why the transition involves more than replacing a place for crews to live: researchers will also need access to facilities and services in orbit.
What to watch as the procurement moves forward
- Proposal and award milestones: proposals are due December 8, 2026, and NASA expects awards in spring 2027.
- Which providers are selected: prior program participation does not confirm submission to, or selection under, this request.
- Capability and readiness: station architecture, transportation, certification, crew safety and schedule all affect whether a proposed service can meet NASA’s needs.
- Customers beyond NASA: the agency’s stated model depends on providers developing additional customers and markets.
- ISS transition continuity: the planned 2030 retirement is not a guarantee that a commercial destination will be ready by then.
The October announcement establishes a procurement and a timetable for proposals—not a funded, built, certified or operational replacement for the ISS.
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