Two ambitious space projects are moving forward, as Voyager Space and Airbus announced that their partners have chosen SpaceX’s Starship rocket to launch their Starlab space station into orbit long before the International Space Station (ISS) is abandoned.

ISS, which is planned to be decommissioned in 2030, will not be replaced by ISS II. Instead, the plan is to transition to a fleet of smaller, privately owned and operated orbital outposts. Starlab is one of them and is being developed by Starlab Space, a partnership between Voyager Space and Airbus, with technical support from ESA.

SpaceX’s choice of Starship means that a rocket capable of carrying up to 150 tonnes could launch Starlab into low Earth orbit (LEO) as a single, complete unit that could be deployed before the four-person crew arrives.

This is also an indication of how far Starship has come in development. While Starship is primarily known for its test flights that ended in spectacular explosions, it’s easy to forget that the Falcon family went through the same phase. They now plan to complete 148 orbital launches in 2024. This selection for Starlab demonstrates increased confidence that Starship will be approved for commercial operation in the foreseeable future.

“SpaceX’s track record of success and reliability motivated our team to choose Starship to enter Starlab orbit,” said Dylan Taylor, president and CEO of Voyager Space. “SpaceX is the undisputed leader in high-rotation launches, and we are proud to have launched Starlab into orbit with a single Starship flight.”