Liverpool to be Involved in New Axiom Space Station?
Space. The final frontier. So says Captain Kirk at the beginning of the Star Trek films, and the idea has remained true ever since.
Although man went to space at the end of the 1960s, and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the extent to which we’ve developed our understanding of it and how we’ve used it is perhaps not as widely considered as any might have thought it might be.
Now, though, it looks as though Liverpool may have a part to play in a new space station that is being built by a company called Axiom Space.
Who are Axiom Space?
Founded in 2016, Axiom Space is a company created by Michael T. Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian, with the former having been involved with the International Space Station between 2005 and 2015. The pair decided to launch the company in order to target the market of commercial spaceflight, making use of Ghaffarian’s engineering skills alongside Suffredini’s knowledge base.
It was chosen by NASA as the company to provide the first commercial destination module for the International Space Station, then in March of 2020, a contract was signed with SpaceX.
The Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, built for the space shuttle, is being transferred to Axiom for use on their commercial space station. Meaning, Axiom space station is shuttle derived!
— Andrew 🚀🛰️ (@cosmic-andrew1.bsky.social) 18 November 2024 at 21:24
That contract saw the company fly commercial astronauts to the ISS via Falcon 9 and the Crew Dragon, launching on the 8th of April 2022 and returning 17 days later. Axiom Space offers human spaceflight to corporations, people, and space agencies, including 10-day missions to the International Space Station after 15 weeks of training.
Employees of the company include the likes of former NASA astronauts Michael López-Algería and Peggy Whiston. The company’s long-term aim is to be able to commercialise microgravity research and development.
A New Space Station
The original plan for the International Space Station was that it was to be a 15-year mission. Given the fact that it launched in 1998, however, the truth is that it has lasted much longer than that. Russia has said that it will stop being part of the program in 2025, albeit still offering orbital station-keeping modules until 2028.
The plan is for the Space Station to be decommissioned in 2030, with a possible extension to that timeline available in case commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations are not ready to replace the ISS within that time frame.
The Axiom Station is a modular space station that is being planned as one of the possible replacements for the International Space Station. Designed by Axiom Space, it will be used for commercial space activities and was given the go-ahead for the venture by NASA in 2020.
It is likely to be one of numerous Commercial LEO Destinations sent up to replace the ISS, with numerous modules on board that will each serve a different purpose. There may be, for example, a lab module that will allow for Low Earth Orbit research and manufacturing.
The Deal Between Axiom Space and Liverpool
Towards the middle of March 2025, a handshake took place that might well put Liverpool at the forefront of the development of Axiom Space’s planned commercial space station.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham, the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and Axiom Space following long-term discussions between Rotherham and Tim Peake, the British astronaut who once served on the ISS and now works as an advisor for Axiom Space.
#ICYMI | Last week Liverpool City Region Mayor @MatroMayorSteve and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham signed a landmark agreement with the Houston-based Axiom Space, developer of the first commercial space station.
To find out more👇 pic.twitter.com/poh8vB8m1H
— Liverpool City Region (@LpoolCityRegion) March 24, 2025
Mr Peake was reportedly impressed with the universities in Liverpool, as well as the bio-engineering expertise on offer.
Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Rotherham said that Peake had come to his office to chat about the various possibilities, resulting in the Liverpool City Region being ‘identified as an area of real interest’ to Axiom. The hope is that the MOU will be the start of establishing a ‘framework of collaboration’ over space-based research, manufacturing, and development that may result in countless jobs being created here.
@freethinkmediaInside Axiom Space’s crew capsule
The interesting thing is that some of the research and experimentation developed at the University of Liverpool has already been applied on the ISS, so there is some real-life evidence of the worthiness of collaboration between the city and Axiom Space.
Rotherham said, “Let’s face it, when we were growing up as kids, people going into space was the ultimate, wasn’t it? And all of a sudden, you can get people from the Liverpool City Region who will be part of the development of a new space station. I think that’s brilliant, and it just shows you the journey that we’ve been on as a city region when we’re attracting these global brands”.
