Europe's Bold Leap into Commercial Space: Preparing for a Paradigm Shift with SpaceX and Voyager

ESA, Airbus, and Voyager Space have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Starlab space station, outlining their intention to foster science and technology development in low Earth orbit. The collaboration will focus on exploring opportunities for access to space for Europe through the Starlab space station, including astronaut missions, research activities, and commercial business development. The agreement reflects ESA's ambition for a smooth transition from the International Space Station towards sustained exploitation of human and robotic infrastructures in low Earth orbit after 2030. Starlab is expected to launch in 2028, with commercial operations starting in 2029.