ESA Initiates European Space Station Feasibility Studies with Airbus and OHB

The European Space Agency (ESA) has commissioned parallel studies by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to assess the feasibility of a future European-led space station in low Earth orbit. This initiative is part of ESA's preparations for the post-International Space Station (ISS) era. Currently, this does not signify a decision to develop a new station.

These two studies, launched in June 2026 under the European Exploration Envelope Programme, will each run for approximately nine months. Airbus Defence and Space and OHB, through their German divisions, are leading these efforts. Each consortium includes six other European industrial and institutional entities, though ESA has not publicly named them.

The core objective is to analyze the technical and programmatic viability of a European orbital outpost capable of supporting astronauts, scientific research, and technological demonstrations. The teams will examine potential station architectures, necessary transport systems, operational services, and technologies requiring European development or continued maintenance.

These contracts cover Pre-Phase A studies, among the earliest stages in developing space missions or infrastructure. This phase focuses on analyzing and comparing potential architectures, requirements, necessary technologies, and key program risks, rather than defining a construction project.

The study outcomes will primarily provide ESA member states with information for future decision-making. Consequently, the renderings released by the agency should not be viewed as the definitive design for a future European station.

ESA aims to build upon the expertise European industry has gained through its participation in the ISS. Europe's primary contribution to the current station is the Columbus laboratory, and it also builds the European Service Module for Orion, which provides propulsion, power, and essential systems for NASA's crewed missions.

In recent years, European industry has also been developing new capabilities in orbital transport, life support systems, robotics, and in-orbit services. The Exploration Company's Nyx, selected by ESA for a demonstration cargo mission to the ISS in 2028 under the ALADDIN program, is one such development.

A European-led station is just one of several options ESA is considering to maintain a European presence in low Earth orbit after the ISS ceases operations. Concurrently, the agency is collaborating with companies developing future commercial space stations.

In September 2026, ESA signed preliminary agreements with Axiom Space and Starlab to explore future European astronaut missions, the use of their laboratories, and the potential integration of European infrastructure. These are preparatory agreements, not yet contracts for purchasing flights or services.

These two pathways are not mutually exclusive. A potential European-led outpost could still involve cooperation with international institutional or commercial partners. A key task for the Airbus and OHB studies will be to determine the capabilities and infrastructure needed for its long-term creation and operation.

ESA's upcoming months will be dedicated to establishing whether a European-led orbital station is a technically and programmatically realistic option for the post-ISS period. Any decisions regarding the project's future will be made by the agency's member states only after these studies are completed.