Axiom Space has awarded a contract to Redwire to supply solar arrays for the initial module of its commercial space station. On September 25th, the companies announced that Redwire will provide its Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) for Axiom Station’s Payload Power Thermal Module (AxPPTM).
AxPPTM, the first module destined for Axiom's commercial station, will initially dock with the International Space Station (ISS). It will remain there until Axiom launches a second module, Hab1, after which AxPPTM will undock from the ISS and connect with Hab1. This arrangement will form the foundation of the station, supporting four-person crews. Future expansion is planned.
Tejpaul Bhatia, Axiom Space's CEO, stated in an interview that selecting Redwire’s ROSA aligns with the company’s “derisk approach,” leveraging the existing ISS infrastructure. “Their 100% success rate with ROSA is very much a selling point for us,” he said. The ROSA technology, initially developed for the ISS, has been utilized on other spacecraft, including the lunar Gateway and Blue Origin’s Blue Ring. Mike Gold, president of civil and international space at Redwire, added, “Now we’re able to literally bring this technology full circle where it will be used on a commercial space station, and that shows how the investment from NASA can pay off for the agency, for the private sector and the world.”
While the contract's financial details and technical specifications remain undisclosed, both companies indicated potential for future collaboration. Bhatia confirmed AxPPTM's development remains on schedule, with Thales Alenia Space completing its primary structure in July. Delivery to Axiom's Houston facilities is expected early next year, with an ISS launch slated for late 2027.
This partnership unfolds amidst NASA's revised strategy for supporting commercial space stations. A July policy directive mandated a shift in the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development (CLD) program's second phase, opting for multiple Space Act Agreements instead of a single contract. This allows for broader participation in station development and includes a 30-day demonstration mission.
Bhatia acknowledged that NASA’s directive surprised Axiom, but it won't drastically alter their plans. “You’re not seeing any massive changes coming out of us,” he stated, highlighting the alignment between Axiom’s revised plan and NASA’s new approach. “The recent directive aligns pretty well and offers us a lot more optionality.” Gold believes the revised CLD strategy will expedite progress. “We must proceed with alacrity,” he said. “I think that the effort in the past has been lethargic.” He further emphasized, “Anything that accelerates that moment where private sector firms are put under contract, where NASA is making commitments to fly astronauts, as well as committing to a path, at least, for a continuous crewed presence in low Earth orbit is vital.” “I have been thrilled with the decisive leadership that we have seen coming from Secretary Duffy.”
Both Bhatia and Gold highlighted the significance of competition with China's Tiangong space station. Bhatia mentioned Pakistan's collaboration with China, contrasting it with Axiom’s partnerships with countries like Hungary, India, and Poland for private astronaut missions to the ISS. Gold underscored this point: “We will and must avoid a space station gap in LEO to ensure that America is at least equal to Chinese capabilities in this incredibly important field of endeavor.” He further stated, “The countries and companies that excel in microgravity research and development, and manufacturing, will be not only the economic leaders but also the national security giants of tomorrow.” Bhatia concluded by stating, “The one first principle that we know to be true is that the ISS is coming down. The second one is that the Chinese station is up,” Bhatia said. “Those constraints are there.”