NASA has signed an order with Voyager Technologies for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, with a targeted launch date no earlier than 2028 from Florida.
The mission, designated VOYG-1, marks the first time Voyager Technologies has been chosen for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory. The crew is expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the station, though a specific launch date will depend on spacecraft traffic at the outpost and other planning considerations.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said private astronaut missions are driving growth in low Earth orbit and helping build toward a future with multiple commercially operated space stations. With three providers now selected for private missions, Isaacman said the agency is working to send more astronauts to space and develop a sustainable orbital economy.
Voyager will submit four proposed crew members to NASA and its international partners for review. Once approved, the astronauts will train with NASA, international partners, and the launch provider ahead of the flight.
Under the arrangement, Voyager will purchase mission services from NASA including crew consumables, cargo delivery, storage, and other in-orbit resources. NASA, in turn, will purchase the capability to return scientific samples that must remain cold during transit back to Earth.
Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO of Voyager, said the award reflects decades of partnership with NASA and validates the company’s long-term vision for low Earth orbit as a foundation for deep space exploration. He also referenced Voyager’s work on the International Space Station’s first commercial airlock as part of the company’s broader commitment to American human spaceflight.
NASA made the selection from proposals submitted in response to a March 2025 NASA Research Announcement.
Private astronaut missions aboard the station are intended to advance scientific research and demonstrate new technologies in the microgravity environment. NASA says these commercial efforts help develop capabilities that could support the agency’s long-term exploration goals, including lunar missions under the Artemis program and eventual crewed missions to Mars.
The agreement with Voyager Technologies reflects NASA’s broader strategy of expanding private industry’s role in low Earth orbit as the agency looks toward the eventual transition of space station operations to commercial operators.
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