Fireside chat. Beyond the ISS: the commercial case for new space stations @WithTheEconomist

Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 30 minutes ago

Supported by Voyager Technologies

As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches retirement, commercial successors are emerging with government support and private investment. Europe must decide whether it participates through European Space Agency (ESA) programmes, national partnerships or private projects. What roles could commercial space stations play in microgravity research and development (R&D), manufacturing and tourism, and how might they support European security and resilience? Is the global market large enough to sustain multiple platforms?

Moderated by: Oliver Morton, The Economist
Marshall Smith, Starlab, Voyager Technologies

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