Axiom Space LLC

[guckyfan]

There is a new player in the Space Station business. Headed by Mike Suffredini, so it may be worth taking them seriously.

http://spacenews.com/former-nasa-iss-manger-planning-commercial-space-station-venture/

Suffredini should know if it is even conceivable to add a private module to the ISS. I had not thougt this could be an option.

That's their plan and then rent out for space agencies, private research and manufacturing  and space tourism. Later when the ISS is decomissioned they could operate it independently.

Suffredini said he wants to fly the module “as early as we can,” which he estimates to be in 2020 or 2021. The company has an unspecified amount of seed funding, and plans to start discussions with investors in the fall. He said he hopes to have a preliminary design review of the module done by December and a contractor selected to build it by January 2017, a schedule he acknowledged was “aggressive.”

[sdsds]

Here's Alan Boyle's take on it:
http://www.geekwire.com/2016/private-space-station-nasa-suffredini/

According to Boyle Axiom would launch, "space station components that could be attached to the ISS and used for NASA research or commercial activities as long as the station is operational. At the proper time, the commercial ventures would pull the components off the station and use them for separate orbital platforms."

[Beittil]

I think it is a pretty steep path of progression btw, going from initialization (not sure how long they have been at it yet tho) to a launch of operational hardware within the next 5 years.

I wonder if they would pursue this idea further if NASA says no to! Going by this quote from the Alan Boyle piece:

Axiom already has seed funding, Suffredini said. If NASA gives the go-ahead, the venture would raise additional money from investors to finance the construction of the module and get it launched to the station in the 2020-2021 time frame.

This makes it seem like a "were going to pin our hopes on NASA or just fold" type of deal. Clearly much difference with a partly like Bigelow (other than the structure type obv) whom also hope NASA will take a line of their bait, but if they don't then there is still going to eventually be a free flying BA-330 or two.

[manboy]

http://spacenews.com/nasa-seeking-ideas-for-use-of-space-station-docking-port/

[TrevorMonty]

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[BrightLight]

How will the Axiom module get power - will they parter with orbital ATK for a modified Cygnus service module? Will they need a robotic arm for berthing? How will they dump the thermal loads, they need radiators. Its one thing to have a manned module, its another to have a free flying system.
If there are two berthing ports for a Cygnus like logistics module for power, cooling and station keeping, how much power can the solar panels collect and how large will the batteries be when in shade?

[meberbs]

I am glad this is happening. I had been wondering if we could get some competition going for commercial space stations, just about everything else we are planning on doing in space has multiple providers.

It would be nice if they could also get into inflatables eventually, since I think those have a lot of promise, but that would take a lot of R&D, and I believe Bigelow has exclusive rights to the research NASA had done on inflatable materials.

[Archibald]

I do hope they'll fare better than Space Industries and their ISF. Some ideas and concepts never die
https://www.google.fr/?client=firefox-b#q=industrial+space+facility

You said Axiom ? http://pixar.wikia.com/wiki/Axiom

[TrevorMonty]

I think there is large aerospace company (eg Boeing, LM, OA ) backing Axiom. Any one of these companies could provide service module for this station. All three of these companies are competing for DSH, which will most likely provide basis for SM and ECLSS.

[bad_astra]

If you don't expect to stay at the station very long why bother at all? No commercial station is going to use the ISS's inclination.

[ChrisWilson68]

I think there is large aerospace company (eg Boeing, LM, OA ) backing Axiom. Any one of these companies could provide service module for this station. All three of these companies are competing for DSH, which will most likely provide basis for SM and ECLSS.

If one of those big companies was backing Axiom, why wouldn't they just propose it themselves?  Such proposals from the big companies aren't rare.  Why would they need Axiom?  The proposal would have much more credibility coming from a big company.

And, even if, for some reason, they were backing Axiom, why wouldn't that backing have been announced at the same time Axiom was announced?  Again, that would give the whole thing more credibility.  Why back Axiom and then undercut them by keeping it a secret?

It's certainly possible that at some point in the future Axiom will make a partnership with one of the big companies, but it doesn't make any sense to me that they would already have such a relationship and be keeping it a secret.

[BrightLight]

I think there is large aerospace company (eg Boeing, LM, OA ) backing Axiom. Any one of these companies could provide service module for this station. All three of these companies are competing for DSH, which will most likely provide basis for SM and ECLSS.

If one of those big companies was backing Axiom, why wouldn't they just propose it themselves?  Such proposals from the big companies aren't rare.  Why would they need Axiom?  The proposal would have much more credibility coming from a big company.

And, even if, for some reason, they were backing Axiom, why wouldn't that backing have been announced at the same time Axiom was announced?  Again, that would give the whole thing more credibility.  Why back Axiom and then undercut them by keeping it a secret?

It's certainly possible that at some point in the future Axiom will make a partnership with one of the big companies, but it doesn't make any sense to me that they would already have such a relationship and be keeping it a secret.

Chris, while i agree with you that I too think Axiom is proposing the module as the prime contractor - consider all the "stuff" that has to go inside and out to make this a manned or man-tended free flyer - how could Axiom do this without one of the big first-tier companies?

[Robotbeat]

I think there is large aerospace company (eg Boeing, LM, OA ) backing Axiom. Any one of these companies could provide service module for this station. All three of these companies are competing for DSH, which will most likely provide basis for SM and ECLSS.

If one of those big companies was backing Axiom, why wouldn't they just propose it themselves?  Such proposals from the big companies aren't rare.  Why would they need Axiom?  The proposal would have much more credibility coming from a big company.

And, even if, for some reason, they were backing Axiom, why wouldn't that backing have been announced at the same time Axiom was announced?  Again, that would give the whole thing more credibility.  Why back Axiom and then undercut them by keeping it a secret?

It's certainly possible that at some point in the future Axiom will make a partnership with one of the big companies, but it doesn't make any sense to me that they would already have such a relationship and be keeping it a secret.

Chris, while i agree with you that I too think Axiom is proposing the module as the prime contractor - consider all the "stuff" that has to go inside and out to make this a manned or man-tended free flyer - how could Axiom do this without one of the big first-tier companies?

How did SpaceX manage it? SNC?

[BrightLight]

I think there is large aerospace company (eg Boeing, LM, OA ) backing Axiom. Any one of these companies could provide service module for this station. All three of these companies are competing for DSH, which will most likely provide basis for SM and ECLSS.

If one of those big companies was backing Axiom, why wouldn't they just propose it themselves?  Such proposals from the big companies aren't rare.  Why would they need Axiom?  The proposal would have much more credibility coming from a big company.

And, even if, for some reason, they were backing Axiom, why wouldn't that backing have been announced at the same time Axiom was announced?  Again, that would give the whole thing more credibility.  Why back Axiom and then undercut them by keeping it a secret?

It's certainly possible that at some point in the future Axiom will make a partnership with one of the big companies, but it doesn't make any sense to me that they would already have such a relationship and be keeping it a secret.

Chris, while i agree with you that I too think Axiom is proposing the module as the prime contractor - consider all the "stuff" that has to go inside and out to make this a manned or man-tended free flyer - how could Axiom do this without one of the big first-tier companies?

How did SpaceX manage it? SNC?

Private funds - true, maybe Axiom has deep pockets?

[BrightLight]

The image was taken from "The Space review" http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3033/1
It shows basically the DSH concept for the 500 day mission that MSFC proposed using ISS modules, Axiom is adding their module to the stack (I believe its the bottom module).

a quote by Sufferdini:
["What we would like to do is fly a module that begins its life at the International Space Station,” Suffredini said in an interview after his conference. “That will help us transition from research and manufacturing and everything else done on ISS on a future platform.”

When attached to the station, it would be available for use by NASA and as well as companies. One the ISS reaches the end of its life, he said, the module could be detached and used as the core of an independent, commercial space station that is part of Axiom Space’s long-term plans.

Axiom Space, co-founded by Suffredini and SGT chief executive Kam Ghaffarian, is still in its earliest phases. Suffredini said the company has raised a seed round of funding and is talking with investors now about raising a larger round of funding this fall. He added the company is also is discussions with companies to build that module, and hopes to select a company to build it by early next year, shortly after the module completes a preliminary design review."]

I hope to come back to this thread next year and see this built.

[BrightLight]

I interpret what Sufferdini said and this images as:
1. Axiom is proposing a module that will use "other" power and thermal control from a system not built by Axiom,
2. They are seeking funding for design and build, they don't have internal funds to build this system,
3. They are proposing a module that is in competition with several others - Sufferdini was in a position to know the viability of some of the other competitors and feels its possible to formulate a winning package (I have my suspicions about companies with pretty power points and "floor models" that are problematic to actually build).

[TrevorMonty]

I interpret what Sufferdini said and this images as:
1. Axiom is proposing a module that will use "other" power and thermal control from a system not built by Axiom,
2. They are seeking funding for design and build, they don't have internal funds to build this system,
3. They are proposing a module that is in competition with several others - Sufferdini was in a position to know the viability of some of the other competitors and feels its possible to formulate a winning package (I have my suspicions about companies with pretty power points and "floor models" that are problematic to actually build).

Axiom biggest asset is Sufferdini he gives this company credibility.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

[Tony Stark in a Cave]

Looks like they have a website up that details their mission, plan, and marketing ambitions http://axiomspace.com/

The station looks slightly different--almost as if has its own life support now?

[Ragmar]

Looks like they have a website up that details their mission, plan, and marketing ambitions http://axiomspace.com/

The station looks slightly different--almost as if has its own life support now?

If it's a station, then it's going to need to have its own life support

Nevertheless, the gold thing on the bottom is new (here's what it used to look like http://www.geekwire.com/2016/private-space-station-nasa-suffredini/).

Anxious for more details about it.

[Ragmar]

Website (axiomspace.com) has been updated again with a new picture of a module (with what looks like propulsion) attached to ISS.

So that module leaves ISS to form a new station?