In April 2026, for almost ten days, the whole planet once again looked with awe and fascination towards the Moon. The Artemis II mission took off on the first day of the month and headed towards the satellite to approach and circle it, studying, photographing and filming its far side. It was the first manned mission around the Moon. At several times, it was also possible to see live on NASA’s YouTube channel what was being broadcast from the Orion spacecraft.
The collective imagination once again asked itself what both government agencies and private companies have been studying and developing for decades: what would it be like to live or spend time on the Moon or on some planet or in space? How can the design of a space station be intended for research, tourists or residents? We reviewed some of the projects underway.
Starlab: Beyond the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is now more than a quarter of a century old. Its retirement is planned for 2030, so NASA and several private companies are already thinking about its successor. One of the projects is Starlab, developed by a consortium made up of companies such as Airbus, Mitsubishi or Hilton and designed for both research operations and space tourism.
The Journey studio is in charge of the interior design of the ship, which, with comfortable rest areas, common areas and digital support, will seek for the first time the well-being of the crew.
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Orbital Reef: Human Spatial Architecture
Orbital Reef, another commercial project seeking to fill the space left by the ISS, also wants its crew members to feel comfortable on board. The idea, promoted by Blue Origin and Sierra Space (and also with the collaboration of NASA), is to create a kind of space industrial park where up to ten people can spend time.
The interior design of the LIFE Habitat and Node modules will be the work of the Hassell architecture studio, which wants to move away from the industrial aesthetic and cluttered with cables of the ISS. To achieve this, they have proposed improving the experience of humans on board, with initiatives such as a central table to promote socialisation or large windows facing the Earth to facilitate contemplation of the views.
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Axiom Station: A Nest in Space
“I work with nothing but my brain and paper and pen”, said French designer Philippe Starck in 2023. “It can be anything, from NASA’s Axiom Space Station to a megayacht, from a medical device to a motorcycle. Every day I create very complex things, but without any particular specialised experience”. What is that space station like, designed pen in hand and without any technical knowledge about life in space orbit?
What Starck conceived was the initial concept for Axiom’s habitable module, which he designed to create a kind of comfortable and cosy nest with materials and colours that seemed to emerge from a “fetal universe”. His vision includes walls covered in nanoLEDs that aim to become a continuation of what is seen through the large windows. This station, which will even include an entertainment module for tourists, is scheduled to be operational before 2030.
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