As NASA gears up for its post-ISS era, set to begin in 2030, the agency is shifting its focus toward lunar and Martian explorations. Meanwhile, private companies are stepping up to fill the gap in near-Earth orbit with innovative projects like Thunderbird from U.S. startup Max Space. This venture is working on developing compact and expandable modules that can be launched into space with a single Falcon 9 rocket. In contrast, the construction of the ISS required over 40 launches and took more than a decade to complete. Thunderbird will feature a design made from multilayer, reconfigurable synthetic fibers rather than traditional materials like titanium or aluminum. Once in orbit, the station is expected to expand to 350 cubic meters, which is approximately one-third the volume of the ISS. However, the founders of Max Space assert that this new station will offer more space and functionality. It is designed to support a crew of four for extended missions and accommodate up to eight for shorter durations. The estimated cost to launch Thunderbird could be as low as $100 million, with production expenses reaching up to $300 million. For context, the ISS has an overall cost of $150 billion, earning it a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive man-made object. Looking ahead, Max Space plans to test a small prototype of Thunderbird in early 2027, with aspirations to establish expandable habitats on the Moon, Mars, and even further into space.
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