NanoRacks

What NanoRacks does

NanoRacks is a U.S.-based commercial space infrastructure company that provides hardware and services enabling access to low-Earth orbit for government agencies, academic institutions, and commercial customers. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Webster, Texas, the company operates as a subsidiary of Voyager Space (now Voyager Technologies) and focuses on three core product lines: the Starlab commercial space station being developed to replace the ISS by 2030, the Bishop Airlock (the first and only permanent commercially owned module on the ISS offering 5x the capacity of government airlocks), and commercial suborbital research mission platforms including CubeSat deployment and microgravity biology experiments.

The company's revenue is anchored in NASA contracting, with over $415M in cumulative agency awards across the Starlab development program and other commercial space station initiatives, making NanoRacks one of only three selected participants in NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program. Additional revenue streams derive from managed access services through the Bishop Airlock, payload integration, mission management, and end-to-end mission support spanning planning, safety certification, launch booking, crew training, and on-orbit operations. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-government or direct-to-institution with no disclosed third-party channel partners.

The go-to-market is enterprise sales-led, targeting government agencies (NASA, international space agencies) as primary customers and academic and research institutions as secondary buyers. Pricing is negotiated on a per-project basis with no publicly disclosed rates, and revenue recognition follows the multi-year, milestone-driven structure typical of government space contracts. The company employs 51-100 people and announced a planned 2026 commercial suborbital research mission featuring a primate subject, signaling continued product-line diversification beyond pure station services.

Name

NanoRacks

Legal name

NanoRacks

Website

https://nanoracks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NanoRacks is a U.S. commercial space infrastructure subsidiary of Voyager Technologies that develops the Starlab space station, operates the Bishop Airlock on the ISS, and provides suborbital research and CubeSat deployment services to NASA and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Space Infrastructure & Services

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control (IMABACAF), Space Power Systems (Solar Arrays, Batteries, EPS) (IMABACAH), Space Defense & Missile Warning (BPAIAHAF)

Keywords

• Commercial space services
• Orbital infrastructure
• Space station development
• Microgravity research missions
• CubeSat deployment

Headquarters

HQ city

Webster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Space Contracts: NASA and government agency contracts for commercial space station development and space research services. NanoRacks received over $400 million in NASA awards for Starlab development.
2. Space Station Services: Commercial access to space through the Bishop Airlock module, providing research and operational services to customers.
3. Research Mission Services: Commercial suborbital and orbital research missions including payload integration and mission management for scientific experiments.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

NanoRacks provides commercial access to space through the Bishop Airlock module on the International Space Station and is developing the Starlab commercial space station to replace the ISS by 2030. The company delivers end-to-end mission management services — including planning, payload design, safety, launch booking, crew training, and on-orbit operations — for government agencies, academic institutions, and commercial customers. It also conducts commercial suborbital research missions, such as biological and microgravity experiments for space biology research.

Product overview

NanoRacks is a Voyager Space company offering commercial space infrastructure and services. Its primary products include Starlab, a commercial space station developed in partnership with NASA to replace the ISS, and the Bishop Airlock, the first permanent commercially owned module on the ISS. The company provides mission management services enabling access to space for academia, government agencies, and commercial industries, including payload design, safety, launch booking, crew training, and on-orbit operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starlab: Commercial space station being developed to replace the International Space Station, part of Starlab Space joint venture

Products and services

• Starlab Commercial Space Station A US-led commercial space station being developed by NanoRacks (as part of the Starlab Space joint venture) to ensure continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit and to replace the International Space Station by 2030. Target customers include NASA, government agencies, and research institutions.
• Bishop Airlock

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x more airlock capacity than government alternatives

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Voyager Space (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNanoRacks operates as a subsidiary of Voyager Space, a Voyager Technologies company. Voyager Space provides the parent platform for aerospace and defense operations including NanoRacks' commercial space station development and space infrastructure services.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA awarded over $415 million in contracts to develop commercial space stations, including Nanoracks' Starlab. This is part of NASA's strategy to leverage private industry for orbital infrastructure development as ISS approaches retirement.
• Max SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to advance expandable habitat technology for lunar and deep-space operations, integrating NanoRacks' space infrastructure capabilities with Max Space's expandable habitat technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sierra Space: Sierra Space is developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane and the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) inflatable habitat as part of the Orbital Reef station, making it a direct competitor in commercial space station and orbital habitat technology.
• Blue Origin: Founded by Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin is developing the Orbital Reef commercial space station in partnership with Sierra Space and was awarded NASA CLD Phase 1 funding alongside NanoRacks, making it the most direct competitor for the Phase 2 award.
• Northrop Grumman: Defense prime with a long-standing NASA relationship, Northrop Grumman is developing a commercial space station module as a CLD Phase 1 awardee and competes head-to-head with NanoRacks for the next phase of NASA commercial LEO funding.
• Axiom Space: Axiom Space is building commercial modules that will initially attach to the ISS before separating into a free-flying station, directly competing with NanoRacks for commercial access to low-Earth orbit and NASA-sponsored research customers.

Broad incumbents

• Boeing: Boeing operates ISS sustaining engineering and the Starliner crew vehicle, giving it overlap with NanoRacks in government-funded space station operations and crew transport infrastructure.
• Lockheed Martin: Major aerospace and defense prime with deep NASA experience across Orion, satellite systems, and space exploration. A broad incumbent in the space domain where NanoRacks competes for government and research-driven contracts.
• SpaceX: Dominant launch provider and operator of crewed Dragon missions that service the ISS and could ferry customers to future commercial stations. SpaceX is a broader incumbent whose launch and transportation capabilities are complementary to NanoRacks' station business.

Others

• Voyager Space: NanoRacks' parent company and the broader Voyager Technologies platform, which includes Starlab as a joint venture. Comparable as a portfolio entity sharing capital, strategy, and synergies with NanoRacks.

Emerging players

• Bigelow Aerospace: Pioneer in expandable habitat technology (BEAM module currently on the ISS), Bigelow competes with NanoRacks in the orbital habitat niche and is a comparable player in commercial space infrastructure.
• Max Space: Partnership partner of NanoRacks focused on expandable habitat technology for lunar and deep-space operations. Comparable as an emerging player in commercial space habitats that intersects with NanoRacks' infrastructure roadmap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NanoRacks
• Facebookfacebook.com/200575856650610
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanoracks-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NanoRacks