NASA ISS Commercialization

[yg1968]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1374409475616960523

NASA has posted the slides for its industry briefing later today on commercial LEO destinations. Key takeaway: they now plan to award several funded Space Act Agreements for initial concept studies, then purchase “destination services” when available.
https://procurement.jsc.nasa.gov/CLD/

I have created a new thread for the Commercial LEO Destinations Development since these habitats are free-flyers and thus will not be attached to the ISS:

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=53450.0

[yg1968]

NASA increases prices for ISS private astronaut missions:
https://spacenews.com/nasa-increases-prices-for-iss-private-astronaut-missions/

[yg1968]

The new pricing policy can be found here:
https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/commercial-use/pricing-policy

[yg1968]

The research opportunities for ISS utilization document was updated on April 29th, especially as it relates to private astronauts missions: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=817183/solicitationId=%7B21E0270C-BC1F-EFC4-3D87-30713B5FF373%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/2012%20Research%20Opportunities%20for%20ISS%20Utilization%20NRA%20April%202020_04.29.2021.pdf

[yg1968]

See below for the achived video of the Axiom-NASA teleconference which discussed commercialization of the ISS:

Media Teleconference: 1st Private Astronaut Mission with Axiom Space:

[AnalogMan]

NASA has posted a new solicitation for proposals for further Private Astronaut Mission Flight Opportunities.

https://sam.gov/opp/3e1ed8eaa5004955a44f675b7c390d37/view

"NASA is soliciting proposals for two independent flight opportunities with launch dates between November 2022 through the end of December 2023 for Phase II of Focus Area 4A. The maximum number of private astronauts per mission shall not exceed four (4), and the maximum planned docked duration shall not exceed 14 days.

Note that specific launch dates are dependent on ISS vehicle traffic and on-orbit activity planning and constraints. No white papers will be accepted as a part of this solicitation. Proposals are due July 9, 2021, at 5 PM Eastern Time.

NASA will host a pre-proposer’s conference to field industry questions related to this announcement on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 3:30 PM EDT."

------------

Copy of updated "Research Opportunities for International Space Station Utilization" NASA Research Announcement: NNJ13ZBG001N is attached.  The section on private astronaut missions has been amended.

[AnalogMan]

NASA has updated the Private Astronaut Mission Flight Opportunities synopsis with postings of Pre-Proposal presentation charts, attendees & interested parties list, and Q&As.

https://sam.gov/opp/5b970d59bbe848fb89d88502e1d74b2a/view

Copies of documents attached.

[jebbo]

For commercialisation, ISS capacity seems important (long duration rather than visiting vehicle).

At present, capacity is 7, with 4 in Harmony, 2 in Zvezda and 1 in Crew Dragon.

Once Nauka docks (fingers-crossed), 1 moves from Harmony into the Nauka, and the person in Crew Dragon can move into Harmony.

Each Axiom Hub will provide 4 crew quarters, so there's an obvious roadmap from 7 now, to 11 around 2024, then to 15 around 2026 as these launch.

But I wonder about use of Crew Dragon. Was that merely a temporary thing until Nauka, or is it sustainable?

If it is sustainable, and if crew rotation changes to have both Crew Dragon and Starliner docked (giving both providers 2 flights a year, which I'm sure they want), capacity could be increased by 2.

--- Tony

[Rik ISS-fan]

Jebbo sorry but in my opinion you are looking at the wrong thing. You look at sleeping quarters, while the thing you have to look at is ECLSS systems capability. To show you graphically I've updated the system rack topology.
You only looked at the orange racks, direct crew utility racks like the crew quarters, CASA, Galley rack, T2 treadmill and most likely the lavatory (WHC).
What you're overlooking is all the green and blue racks. This is what is limiting the ISS crew for longtherm at 7 astronauts. I don't have the full picture of the ECLSS system capabilities. I expect Water recovery is the most limiting.

Indeed the Axiom Hab modules will provide all facilities for four crew members. So they require:
- 4x Crew quarter
- Lavatory
- most likely another Galley
- a OGS (Oxygen Generation System)
- a CO2 scrubber / ARS (Air Revitalization System) [also humidity control / water condenser]
- a TCS (Thermal Control System)
- most likely a water recovery system
As a result of all these required systems, these modules can only accommodate the equivalence of two ISPR/ER-xB (Basic Express Racks) for science.

I think the important thing to do in the ISS is micro gravity research/science/production. Not accommodating for as many as possible visiting and micro-G ruining astronauts/tourists.
In my opinion space tourism and microG science can't be combined in the same station.

[jebbo]

Jebbo sorry but in my opinion you are looking at the wrong thing. You look at sleeping quarters, while the thing you have to look at is ECLSS systems capability. To show you graphically I've updated the system rack topology.

Thanks! Actually, I agree ... not quite sure how I managed to ignore the rest of the life support and thermal control needed.

The topoloigy diagrams are great, BTW. Very useful.

I think the important thing to do in the ISS is micro gravity research/science/production. Not accommodating for as many as possible visiting and micro-G ruining astronauts/tourists.
In my opinion space tourism and microG science can't be combined in the same station.

While I largely agree with you, it feels inevitable that the ISS will have to accomodate both. Not just the (for example) AX-1 / 2 / 3 / 4 flights but Russian passengers as well.

I'm hoping there will be multiple stations soon: not just for tourism, but some industrial protoyping stuff (e.g. fibre optics)

--- Tony

[lykos]

....I'm hoping there will be multiple stations soon: not just for tourism, but some industrial protoyping stuff (e.g. fibre optics)
--- Tony

Let the SX-Starship fly! Each SS in orbit can and will be a big spacestation for many weeks!

[RonM]

....I'm hoping there will be multiple stations soon: not just for tourism, but some industrial protoyping stuff (e.g. fibre optics)
--- Tony

Let the SX-Starship fly! Each SS in orbit can and will be a big spacestation for many weeks!

Like the Spacelab missions carried on Space Shuttles. SpaceX could build a SS version with a crew compartment and a cargo bay. Depending on what's in the cargo bay, it could be used for experiments or tourism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacelab

[yg1968]

Interestingly at 37 minutes of the SpaceX Crew-3 post launch press conference, Frank de Winne of ESA said that some ESA countries will be interested in flying some short-duration private astronaut missions and that ESA would train the astronauts for these missions.

[yg1968]

The Research Opportunities for ISS Utilization document which discusses namely ISS private missions was updated on December 8th (attached):
https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?solId=%7B21E0270C-BC1F-EFC4-3D87-30713B5FF373%7D&path=&method=init

[yg1968]

NASA Selects Second Private Astronaut Mission to Space Station (the Axiom-2 mission):
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-second-private-astronaut-mission-to-space-station

[yg1968]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1483539247906926594

https://twitter.com/genejm29/status/1483807254797340678

[yg1968]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1483810653894815755

[su27k]

This is from an engineer at the ISS Payload Operations Center: https://twitter.com/space_mace/status/1516449498574336006

Fun fact: 20 percent of the research payloads on ISS, for the entire history of the station, have been flown and operated in the last 2 years.

Question: Oooh, that is a fun fact! What accounts for that increase?


Answer: Being a ground systems guy, I'm not the best positioned to know, but from the discussions I am part of:
1. Commercial Crew allows additional crew time for payload ops = more payloads
2. Commercial cargo capabilities are helping us fly more payloads, especially sorties.
3. Continuing push of ISS as research platform/commercialization/commercial partners
4. we're getting a lot of new payloads, rather than repeats/refly/tweaks to existing payloads.

For the team here at ISS Payload Ops, the big story is that we've been able to support this huge increase while supporting in our pandemic posture.

[yg1968]

NASA has updated the Private Astronaut Mission Flight Opportunities synopsis with postings of Pre-Proposal presentation charts, attendees & interested parties list, and Q&As.

https://sam.gov/opp/5b970d59bbe848fb89d88502e1d74b2a/view

Copies of documents attached.

A permanent link to this presentation and other documents related to the solicitation can be found here:
https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/pams

Looking at the Q&A, a couple of the questions were interesting:

4) Question: This NRA [NASA Research Announcement] requires a USOS ride - can a proposal address an alternative or propose a vehicle other than a Crew Dragon?

Answer: Yes. Proposals may address alternatives or propose vehicles other than a Crew Dragon. If the PAM Provider contracts with a Transportation Provider other than a certified USCV additional NASA assessment and agreement may have to be negotiated and finalized prior to execution of a contractual instrument or agreement. Prospective proposers that propose a transportation vehicle, such as a Crew Dragon, alternative or otherwise, must meet the requirements of Section 2.2 of PACE Annex 1, and any additional expense for NASA to verify that the vehicle meets requirements will be incurred by the PAM Provider.

5) Question: If SpaceX chooses not to engage with anyone on the procurement of a ride other than their already announced agreement and Boeing doesn't have a certified vehicle available, how would you suggest anyone other than Axiom propose to this NRA [NASA Research Announcement]?

Answer: NASA cannot address any questions associated with proposal partnerships or competition sensitive data. Proposals will be evaluated based on capability to meet requirements as outlined in the NRA solicitation. For any areas that are still in work, proposers should outline their future plans to meet requirements.

https://sam.gov/opp/fa0c2d4dafb14f8088b9533a0ee78cd0/view

It seems from the text of question 4 that SpaceX has an exclusive deal with Axiom for private astronaut missions to the ISS.

[yg1968]

Axiom has already won the award for this solicitation (i.e., the Axiom-2 mission) but seeing who the interested parties were for this private astronaut mission is still interesting:

Ecology Mir Group
Axiom Space
Sierra Space
STAR HARBOR Space Academy
Nanoracks
SpaceX
Adeco LLC
Space Hero
Shuttle.io
Ecoatoms
KBR
Blue Origin
MAXAR
Aurora Flight Sciences
Space Adventures
Space.com
Boeing

https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/pams