Low Earth Orbit Economy - NASA

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What is the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Economy?

One of NASA’s strategic goals is to “Develop a human spaceflight economy enabled by a commercial market.”

Commercial Destinations in Low Earth Orbit

NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program is supporting the development of commercially owned and operated low Earth orbit destinations.

This view of Earth was captured from a window on the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft as it approached the International Space Station. Pictured below is the Strait of Gibraltar that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, which separates the continents of Europe and Africa.

Private Astronaut Missions

In 2019, NASA kicked off a strategy to enable a vibrant low Earth orbit economy which included offering flight opportunities for commercial providers to utilize the International Space Station (ISS) as a destination for private astronaut missions.

female astronaut floats into the space station shortly after arrival

Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Commander Peggy Whitson enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft. Welcoming her inside the vestibule between the station’s Harmony module and Dragon is NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio.

Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Commander Peggy Whitson enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft.
NASA

Commercial Use of the International Space Station

NASA is laying the foundation for America to maintain a human presence in low Earth orbit in which one day NASA will become one of many customers in a robust commercial marketplace.

International Space Station with Earth in the background

In Space Production Applications

NASA’s In Space Production Applications portfolio will leverage more than two decades of results from the International Space Station by continuing to demonstrate the benefits of microgravity for the development of new commercial technologies and products that have the potential to strengthen national security and improve the quality of life on Earth for people everywhere.

image of red bubbles in experiment hardware

View of a CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment – 2) Interior Corner Flow – 8 (ICF-8) vessel set up during a test run. Liquids behave differently in space than they do on Earth, so containers that can process, hold or transport them must be designed carefully to work in microgravity.

NASA

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program People

Angela Hart

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Manager

A smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a black blouse stands in front of large images of Earth as seen from space. The images display satellite views of the planet's continents, oceans, and cloud formations.

Christy Hansen

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Deputy Manager

Mark Sonoda

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Acting Associate Program Manager

Hector Chavez

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Systems Integration Team Lead

Two women wearing knit hats and t-shirts pose for a photo at a lakeside campsite.

Stephanie Duchesne

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Project Executive

A woman with long, wavy hair and a bright smile poses in front of a U.S. flag and a NASA flag. She is wearing a black blazer with white trim over a white blouse. The background is a gradient blue.

Lakita Lowe

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Project Integrator

Eleasa Kim is a payload project integrator in Marshalls Human Exploration Development and Operations Division.

Eleasa Kim

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Payload Operations Lead

Misty Snopkowski

Misty Snopkowski

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Program Executive

Jesse Bazley

International Space Station/Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program Integration Team Lead

Opportunities and Announcements

NASA Seeks Feedback on Requirements for New Commercial Space Stations

NASA Aims to Boost In Space Production Applications

NASA Seeks Input for Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations

NASA Announces Second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities Opportunities

NASA Wants to Open Space to More People, Supports Private Missions

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Contacts & Multimedia

Find media contact information and a multimedia library with downloadable images, informative podcasts, and videos.

capsule connected to robotic arm during docking maneuvers at the space station

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about low Earth orbit, legal, private astronaut missions, and commercial low Earth orbit partnerships.

The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship

Helpful Links

Useful reference information about the Low Earth Orbit Economy.

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