Every crewed orbital habitat in history and the next generation being built today — from Salyut 1 (1971) to the commercial stations that will replace the ISS after 2030.
Last updated: · · Sources: NASA, ESA, CNSA, Roscosmos
Space stations represent humanity's continuous presence beyond Earth. Since the Soviet Union launched Salyut 1 in 1971, eleven crewed orbital stations have operated in low Earth orbit, supporting thousands of experiments, hundreds of crew members, and decades of scientific discovery.
As of 2026, two space stations are permanently crewed: the International Space Station (ISS) and China's Tiangong. The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000 — over 25 years — making it the longest-running continuous human presence in space. However, the ISS is approaching its structural end of life, with planned retirement around 2030.
A new generation of commercial space stations is in development to succeed the ISS. These include Axiom Station (building modules already attached to ISS), Orbital Reef (Blue Origin and Sierra Space), Starlab (Voyager Space and Airbus), and Russia's ROSS. This transition will shift low Earth orbit operations from government-led to commercially operated, with NASA becoming a customer rather than an owner.
| Station | Country | Years | Mass | Crew | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salyut 1 | Soviet Union | 1971 | 18.9 t | 3 | De-orbited Oct 1971, crew lost on return (Soyuz 11) |
| Skylab | United States | 1973–1979 | 77 t | 3 crews of 3 | Uncontrolled re-entry Jul 1979 over Australia |
| Salyut 3–5 | Soviet Union | 1974–1977 | ~19 t each | 2–3 | Military (Almaz) and civilian stations, all de-orbited |
| Salyut 6–7 | Soviet Union | 1977–1991 | 19–20 t | 2–6 | Long-duration missions, international crews, de-orbited |
| Mir | Russia | 1986–2001 | 129.7 t | 3–6 | De-orbited Mar 2001, 15 years of continuous operation |
| ISS | International | 1998–present | 420 t | 3–13 | Continuously crewed since Nov 2000, retirement ~2030 |
| Tiangong 1 & 2 | China | 2011–2019 | 8.5 t each | 3 | Test stations, both de-orbited |
| Tiangong (CSS) | China | 2021–present | ~100 t | 3–6 | Permanently crewed, 3 core modules, expanding |
Axiom Station: Axiom Space is building commercial modules that will initially attach to the ISS before separating to become an independent station. The first module (Axiom Hab 1) is under construction. Axiom has already flown four private astronaut missions (Ax-1 through Ax-4) to the ISS.
Orbital Reef: A joint venture between Blue Origin, Sierra Space, Boeing, and others. Designed as a "mixed-use business park in space" with 830 m³ of habitable volume. Intended to support research, manufacturing, tourism, and media production.
Starlab: A joint project by Voyager Space and Airbus Defence and Space, supported by a NASA CLD (Commercial LEO Destination) contract. A single-launch station with a large inflatable habitat module providing 340 m³ of volume.
ROSS (Russian Orbital Service Station): Russia's planned replacement for its ISS segment, announced after geopolitical tensions over Ukraine. Designed to orbit at higher inclination (97°) for better coverage of Russian territory. Timeline and funding remain uncertain.