NASA has published documents with requirements for the design of private space stations. The text was published on the US government website Sam.gov.
One of the documents is devoted to the resource that the station should have. The private successor to the ISS is expected to provide 3,000 to 4,000 work hours per year for astronauts, which would require two people on board. At the same time, the agency does not mind that part of the work was performed by members of a private crew. In total, it is planned to conduct from 130 to 230 experiments per year, using up to 24 cubic meters of storage. To ensure the operability of internal equipment, 42 kilowatts of power will be required, and external equipment – 5-8 kilowatts. It is planned to transfer 5,000 kg of cargo to the station and return 2,000 kg of cargo.
The second document is devoted to a general description of the technical capabilities of the future station. Most surprising is the lack of an airlock requirement for spacewalks. However, it is added that such capabilities can be useful for repair and recovery of external payloads. In addition, if the station does not have a gateway, the commercial contractor will have to offer an alternative way to place equipment and payloads outside the station. Probably, we are talking about robo-hands that are able to independently take the cargo from the ship and install it on the hull. In addition, the document provides for the simultaneous presence on board of private and state crew, and the private crew, most likely, will be engaged in the maintenance of the station.
You can read more about the plans for the construction of the private space station Axiom in the material of Gazeta.Ru.
