US Commercial Space Stations Expand to Europe

As the ISS enters its later chapter, Europe’s access to low Earth orbit is starting to shift toward commercial providers. This week, Vast and Axiom Space each announced new European footprints—Vast in France and Axiom in Switzerland—to deepen relationships with future customers across the region.

For Vast, the France agreement is tied directly to astronaut opportunities, with French ESA astronauts slated for upcoming missions connected to the company’s plans. Axiom, meanwhile, positioned Switzerland as a practical gateway to Europe, pointing to the combination of ESA participation and the flexibility of being outside the EU.

Both moves underscore a broader trend: commercial station builders need international partners, research demand, and government-backed astronaut flights to help make private stations economically sustainable—especially as they pursue NASA support while expanding revenue beyond the US market.

Read the full article on the original source (Payload).