new NASA partnership

Houston company accelerates plans to launch first commercial space station

A rendering illustrates the future Axiom Station.

Courtesy of Axiom Space

Houston-based Axiom Space is accelerating its development of a commercial space station.

NASA awarded Axiom a contract in January 2020 to develop a space station for commercial use. Initially, the station was supposed to be attached to the International Space Station. Later, it was supposed to become a free-flying space station in low-earth orbit before retirement of the current space station in 2030.

In coordination with NASA, Axiom Space has modified the plan.

Initially, Axiom planned to attach its first module, Habitat 1, to the space station, followed by three additional modules. Under the new scenario, the payload, power, and thermal modules will be launched first. This will enable the modules to join the current space station as early as 2028, becoming a free-flying station called Axiom Station.

“The International Space Station has provided a one-of-a-kind scientific platform for nearly 25 years,” says Dana Weigel, manager of the International Space Station program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

“As we approach the end of [the] space station’s operational life," she continues, "it’s critically important that we look to the future of [low-earth orbit] and support these follow-on destinations to ensure we continue NASA’s presence in microgravity, which began through the International Space Station.”

In free flight, Axiom will continue assembling the commercial destination, adding the Habitat 1 module, an airlock, the Habitat 2 module, and a research and manufacturing lab.

“We were ready to answer the call when NASA asked us to relook at our space station development plan,” Mark Greeley, Axiom Space COO and Axiom Station program manager, says in a statement from Axiom. “Our ongoing assessment of the assembly sequence revealed opportunities for flexibility and enhancements. With the International Space Station needing to protect for the ability to accommodate a deorbit vehicle on station, we were able to accelerate this work to support the program’s requirements.

“NASA has been extremely collaborative and supportive of the new plan as it addresses its deorbit operational concerns and preserves critical capabilities currently utilized on the International Space Station,” he adds. “This revised approach not only aligns with U.S. objectives but also delivers immediate value for our customers and investors.”

The Axiom's Payload Power Thermal Module primary structure is being constructed by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, and then moved to Houston by fall 2025, where the rest of the internal structure and systems will be integrated at Axiom Space facilities.

“Working with leading experts like Thales Alenia, who have a proven record in module development and a strong relationship with NASA, is integral to our operations and vision," Tejpaul Bhatia, Axiom Space chief revenue officer, says.

“By engaging and integrating with a network of partners from around the world, we access cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions that enhance our capabilities and supply chain,” Bhatia adds. “Our customer base is truly global, including governments, private entities, and research institutions. This diversity enables us to meet a wide range of needs and reinforces our belief that space exploration is a collective endeavor for the benefit of all of humanity.”

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The story originally was published on our sister site, InnovationMap.

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2026 jobs forecast

Houston's health care sector will drive job growth in 2026, report predicts

Photo by simonkr/Getty Images

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Buoyed by the growing health care sector, the Houston metro area will add 30,900 jobs in 2026, according to a new forecast from the Greater Houston Partnership.

The report predicts the Houston area’s health care sector will tack on 14,000 jobs next year, which would make it the No. 1 industry for local job growth. The 14,000 health care jobs would represent 45 percent of the projected 30,900 new jobs. In the job-creation column, the health care industry is followed by:

Construction: addition of 6,100 jobs in 2026
Public education: Addition of 5,800 jobs
Public administration: Addition of 5,000 jobs

At the opposite end of the regional workforce, the administrative support services sector is expected to lose 7,500 jobs in 2026, preceded by:

Manufacturing: Loss of 3,400 jobs
Oil-and-gas extraction: Loss of 3,200 jobs
Retail: Loss of 1,800 jobs

“While current employment growth has moderated, the outlook remains robust and Houston’s broader economic foundation remains strong,” GHP president and CEO Steve Kean said in the report.

“Global companies are choosing to invest in Houston — Eli Lilly, Foxconn, Inventec, and others — because they believe in our workforce and our long-term trajectory,” Kean added. “These commitments reinforce that Houston is a place where companies can scale and where our economy continues to demonstrate its resilience as a major engine for growth and opportunity. These commitments and current prospects we are working on give us confidence in the future growth of our economy.”

The Greater Houston Partnership says that while the 30,900-job forecast falls short of the region’s recent average of roughly 50,000 new jobs per year, it’s “broadly in line with the muted national outlook” for employment gains anticipated in 2026.

“Even so, Houston’s young, skilled workforce and strong pipeline of major new projects should help offset energy sector pressures and keep regional growth on pace with the nation,” the report adds.

The report says that even though the health care sector faces rising insurance costs, which might cause some people to delay or skip medical appointments, and federal changes in Medicare and Medicaid, strong demographic trends in the region will ensure health care remains “a key pillar of Houston’s economy.”

As for the local oil-and-gas extraction industry, the report says fluctuations and uncertainty in the global oil-and-gas market will weigh on the Houston sector in 2026. Furthermore, oil-and-gas layoffs partly “reflect a longer-term trend as companies in the sector move toward greater efficiency using fewer workers to produce similar volumes,” according to the report.

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This story originally was published on our sister site, InnovationMap.