Thunderbird Station
Single-launch expandable space station with about 350 cubic meters of pressurized room for four full-time crew, planned to fly on a Falcon 9 in 2029.
Why it matters
An expandable shell packs into a normal rocket fairing and then grows several times larger in orbit, so a private station could get ISS-class room per crew member from one mid-size launch.
How the technology works
The module launches compressed and is expanded in orbit. Max Space lists 60+ reconfigurable payload lockers, room for up to eight people on short stays, crew flights on SpaceX Dragon, and a signed SpaceX launch contract.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction