NASA has signed an order with a Denver-based aerospace contractor for a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, to experiment with technologies that would likely be used in housing a future moon base.

According to a NASA statement, the mission set for as early as 2028 will be Voyager Technologies’ first contract for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory. Voyager provides space science and mission management services and lists itself as the largest commercial user of the ISS.

‘Paving the way’

“Private astronaut missions are accelerating the growth of new ideas, industries, and technologies that strengthen America’s presence in low Earth orbit and pave the way for what comes next,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a news release. Voyager, he added, was one of three providers chosen to carry out private missions.

A NASA spokesperson would not disclose the value of the contract and neither NASA nor Voyager provided mission specifics. However, in February Voyager was awarded a NASA contract with a ceiling value of $24.5 million for mission management services to the ISS.

Nora Ellish, a company spokesperson, confirmed that the new order would put private astronaut researchers aboard the ISS, for up to 14 days. Their experiments could relate to a future moon base or other missions beyond low Earth orbit. NASA’s statement noted that commercial projects would be used in mission support, including to the Moon and eventually to Mars.

Ellish noted that Voyager is involved as an investor in Max Space — a technology creating expandable structures that can be launched, then expanded into habitats as much as 20 times their stowed volume — a capability that might be important in creating a moon base.

As part of the new VOYG-1 mission, Voyager would provide four astronaut candidates for review and NASA and its international partners would train the crew, the space agency said. NASA did not announce a launch date.

The statement noted that private astronaut missions would “advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies in the unique microgravity environment.”

Voyager would purchase crew consumables, cargo delivery, and other resources for use during the astronauts’ time aboard, acccording to NASA. In turn, NASA would purchase scientific samples after the crew returns. These samples, the statement noted, would need to remain cold.

Isaacman said NASA’s efforts were to further an orbital economy.

“Each new partner brings fresh capabilities that move us closer to a future with multiple commercially operated space stations and a vibrant, sustainable marketplace in low Earth orbit,” Isaacman said in the statement.

In a statement, Voyager Chairman and CEO Dylan Taylor said the contract was the result of a history of partnering with NASA. He cited the company’s involvement in providing ISS’s first commercial airlock among those efforts.

Space experiments

According to its website, Voyager has been involved in deploying 330 satellites and large numbers of space-related experiments, including biopharma and agriculture research aboard ISS.

Voyager, on the NYSE at VOYG, is estimated to have a current market capitalization of $1.87 billion. According to Reuters, the company had a peak valuation of $3.8 billion when it debuted on the exchange last year.

The upcoming trip would be the 7th private mission to the ISS, but the first for Voyager. Company officials said it would help establish a framework for commercial partners to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective human spaceflight services, including for NASA’s Artemis lunar surface missions.

Earlier this week The Denver Gazette reported that Voyager Technologies had doubled its propulsion systems production capacity by acquiring a Littleton facility as part of the acquisition of ExoTerra Resource.