Voyager Space and Airbus deepen tie-up on new space station

U.S. space venture company Voyager Space and Airbus said on Wednesday they will co-operate more closely in the race to build a private version of the International Space Station.
The two companies announced plans in January for Airbus to provide design support for Voyager’s Starlab, one of three projects pre-selected by NASA to draw up plans for a potential commercial successor to the ISS.
On Wednesday, they said Airbus would become a core partner in a newly planned venture to develop, build, and operate the orbital research post, expanding Europe’s role in the project.
The size of the shareholdings and financial details were not disclosed. Voyager Space also declined to discuss funding plans.
Starlab is one of three private concepts designed to replace the aging ISS, a football field-sized orbital laboratory that has continuously housed crews for more than 22 years.
The original blueprint for Starlab included an inflatable habitat designed by Lockheed Martin.