Nanoracks is the leading provider of commercial access to space with a global customer base
Created: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2023-02-26
Product/Service - NanoLab, Bishop
- Classification
- Miscellaneous
- Category
- ISS Utilization Service
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Commercial ISS Airlock
Microgravity Research Payloads
- Fields
- Commercial ISS Module
- Status
- Active
- First launch
- 2012
NanoLab
Core payload hardware is the NanoLab, a powerful box in the CubeSat form factor, measuring 10 cm by 10 cm by 10 cm. Every NanoLab has a circuit board that activates the experiment, turns it off and can be functioned for other activities. Customers have also deployed video cameras and a wide range of sensors inside NanoLabs.
BLACKBOX
Remotely Commanded In-space Research Platform
We love working with the crew onboard the International Space Station (ISS) – but sometimes researchers want to use materials, chemicals, or biological agents that NASA deems just a bit too risky for the astronauts for manoeuvre themselves. So that’s why we built BlackBox!
BlackBox is a remotely commanded platform that has research fully integrated on the ground and completely contained from the astronaut crew. All the astronauts have to do is plug the entire locker-sized platform in on-orbit for power and data. BlackBox allows for multiple experiments to occur simultaneously.
PLATE READER & REACTOR MICROPLATES
In-space Chemistry and Life Science Research Hardware
Nanoracks’ Plate-Reader-2 (2nd generation) is a reconfigured Molecular Devices SpectraMax M5e – one of the most reliable, durable, feature-rich microplate readers on the market.
Plate Reader-2 features a wide range of high-performance multi-mode reader capabilities ideal for life science research on the International Space Station (ISS) including absorbance, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, and fluorescence polarization modes with full spectral range detection.
ZERO G OVEN
What Will You Cook Up in Space?
The Zero G Kitchen Oven is the first-ever oven in space! Before the Zero G Oven, no food item had ever been cooked from the raw in space. The oven is a cylindrical-shaped insulated container designed to hold and bake sealed food samples in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS).
The oven allows food samples to be placed in a tray where they will be held steady inside the oven while baking occurs. A cooling rack is also integrated into the outside of the oven. The insulation and venting mechanisms allow the oven to operate safely in the controlled environment of the ISS.
MIXSTIX
Mixture Enclosure Tubes for Chemical and Biological Research
Nanoracks’ Mixstix are mixture enclosure tubes for fluids, materials, chemicals and biological substances – all kept separate until they are ready to be mixed in space. Single, double, or triple experiment sample segments are available.
The International Space Station (ISS) crew release the block on the chambers and shakes the tube to mix the materials. All Mixstix are 10 ml parylene coated silicon tubes. Mixstix can be stowed cold (+4°C), or ambient on launch, berth, pre/post operations, and on payload return to Earth.
ISS External Payload Platform
Standard / Economy Option
The Nanoracks External Platform (NREP) provides turnkey communication, power, and operations to hosted payloads mounted on the outside of the ISS.
ISS Bishop Payload Platform
Advanced / Large Option
The Nanoracks Bishop Airlock expands capabilities for larger, more advanced hardware, including an array of pointing options such as Ram, Wake, Zenith and Nadir.
Airlock Module (Bishop)
Product/Service - Starlab, Outpost
- Classification
- Space Stations & Habitats
- Category
- Commercial Space Station
- Status
- Development
- First launch
- 2028
Space Station (Starlab)
Nanoracks commercial low-Earth orbit destination, in collaboration with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, is called “Starlab.”
Nanoracks’ commercial low-Earth orbit destination, in collaboration with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, is called “Starlab.” Starlab is targeted for launch in 2027 on a single flight as a continuously crewed, commercial space station dedicated to conducting advanced research, fostering commercial industrial activity, and ensuring continued U.S. presence and leadership in low-Earth orbit. Starlab is designed for four astronauts and will have power, volume, and a payload capability equivalent to the International Space Station.
OUTPOST
Commercial Platforms in Orbit
The future of in-space infrastructure has arrived. Leveraging 10+ years of providing commercial in-space services, the Outpost program will transform used launch vehicle upper stages into controllable platforms across multiple orbits.
Imagine a future where Nanoracks-built hardware allows the empty fuel tank of any rocket to come back to life after its primary mission, but this time as a facility for robotic manufacturing, satellite servicing, a greenhouse, and more. Outposts are pillars of infrastructure-as-a-service in space, democratizing access while prioritizing orbital sustainability – what would otherwise become a discarded hunk of metal will live on as a versatile platform.
Created: 2022-01-01
Updated: 2023-02-26
Product/Service - Outpost Mars Demo-1
- Classification
- In-Space Manufacturing
- Category
- In-Space Manufacturing
In-Space Assembly
- Fields
- Large Space Structures
- Status
- Demonstrated
- First launch
- 2022
In-Space Manufacturing
Nanoracks just made space construction and manufacturing history with the first demonstration of cutting metal in orbit.
Outpost Mars Demo-1
Voyager and Nanoracks are excited to announce that our first Outpost demonstration mission (Outpost Mars Demo-1) is expected to launch this month aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare flight. This mission is part of our Outpost Program, which is focused on transforming used launch vehicle upper stages into uncrewed, controllable platforms. Nanoracks designed a self-contained hosted payload platform to demonstrate on-orbit, debris-free, robotic metal cutting.
- Our partner in this demonstration, Maxar Technologies, developed a new robotic arm with a friction milling end-effector. Friction milling uses a cutting tool operating at high rotations per minute to melt the metal in such a way that a cut is made, and no debris is generated. Maxar’s robotic cutter is equipped with thermal sensors and cameras, and once in space,
- Nanoracks and Maxar will have up to one hour to complete the cutting of three metal pieces, made of corrosion resistant steel (the same material that is used on the outer shell of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur) without creating any debris in the process. The demonstration itself will occur about 9 minutes into flight and will be finished approximately 10 minutes later. The rest of the time the team will downlink the photos and video to the ground stations until the vehicle and hosted payloads de-orbit over the Pacific.
- The experiment was performed back in May by Nanoracks and its parent company Voyager Space, after getting to orbit aboard the SpaceX Transporter 5 launch. The company only recently released additional details on Friday.
- The goal of Outpost Mars Demo-1 mission was to cut a piece of corrosion-resistant metal, similar to the outer shell of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur and common in space debris, using a technique called friction milling.
- It was conducted in partnership with Maxar Technologies, who developed the robotic arm that executed the cut. That arm used a commercially available friction milling end effector, and the entire structure was contained in the Outpost spacecraft to ensure that no debris escaped. Indeed, one of the main goals of the demonstration was to produce no debris — and it worked.
- Using a technique called friction milling, the robotic arm used a commercial cutting tool at a high speed to soften the metal while cutting it and reducing debris. The enclosure that held the robotic arm and metal samples was on a Nanoracks circuit.
Created: 2022-09-24
Updated: 2023-02-26
Sources
Most sources should be linked in the texts and headings as revealed by mouse-over, but here are they listed for visibility.
News, Research, Projects and Patents
Similar Organizations
Bartolomeo
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Active
MISSE
ISS Utilization Service
Active
Universal Glass Optics Manufacturing Module
In-Space Manufacturing, ISS Utilization Service
Early stage
Bioreactor Express
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service
Active
CraigX Flight Test Platform
ISS Utilization Service
Active
Microgravity Workspaces, Microgravity Science, ISS Utilization Service, Medical Support
Early stage
SpaceLAB
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Research Payloads, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
In-Space Manufacturing, ISS Utilization Service
Active
Life Sciences Platform
Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
Exolab
ISS Utilization Service
Active
Spacecraft TPS AM (STAM)
ISS Utilization Service
Development
Faraday
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Research Payloads
Demonstrated
ICE Cubes
ISS Utilization Service
.jpg "Space Applications Services`(ICE Cubes)"){kind=logo}
Active, Development
In-Space Production, In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Active
REV1
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
Space-CU
In-Space Manufacturing, ISS Utilization Service, Space-Flown
Demonstrated
Space Pocket
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Demonstrated
TangoLab, CubeLabs
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Active
ST-42
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Early stage
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Science
Demonstrated, Active
MUSES (Multi-User System for Earth Sensing)
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Hardware
Active
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Active
ScienceTaxi
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service, Hardware, Microgravity Science
Demonstrated
Bartolomeo
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Active
The Port
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), In-Space Assembly
Development
Bioreactor Express
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service
Active
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
ELS-R
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite), Transport Service (Re-Entry)
Development
Carousel Spacelab
Active Debris Removal (ADR), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Science
Early stage
Foton Spacecraft
Foton
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Transport Service (Re-Entry)
Retired
SpaceLAB
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Research Payloads, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
FSW
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite), Reusable Satellite, Recoverable Satellite, Returnable Satellite
Development
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Dormant
Microgravity Flight Service (Suborbital), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Development
SpaceLAB
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Space Laboratory Equipment
Early stage
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
Ray, Arc
Transport Service (Re-Entry), In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
HSRC (HTV Small Re-entry Capsule), HTV, HTV-X
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Transport Service (Earth-LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Demonstrated
Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator (IAD), Space Return Service
Transport Service (Re-Entry), In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
Life Sciences Platform
Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
Radian One
Transport Service (Earth-LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite), Human Spaceflight, Transport Service (Re-Entry)
Development
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
In-Space Manufacturing, Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Development
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), In-Space Manufacturing
Development
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Microgravity Flight Service (Suborbital)
Development
In-Space Assembly, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
In-Space Production, In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Active
REV1
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
BARNACLE DOT, INDY DOT
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
ForgeStar
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
Space Pocket
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Demonstrated
Space Rider
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
TangoLab, CubeLabs
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Active
ST-42
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Early stage
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Science
Demonstrated, Active
RED-25, RED-DATA2
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Launched, Demonstrated, Development
DragonLab
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Dormant
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads
Dormant
Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Development
MUSES (Multi-User System for Earth Sensing)
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Hardware
Active
Nyx
Transport Service (Earth-LEO), Transport Service (LEO-Moon), In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite), Commercial Lander, Commercial Lunar Lander
Development
ThinkPlatform-1
Commercial Space Station, Space Construction Company, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), On-Orbit Servicing, Space Tug
Development
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service
Active
VSI-LAB
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Transport Service (Re-Entry), Microgravity Flight Service (Reusable Satellite)
Early stage
Space-Lab
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Commercial Space Station
Early stage
ScienceTaxi
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), ISS Utilization Service, Hardware, Microgravity Science
Demonstrated
BAM-FX
In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Dormant, Development
Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
Bioreactor Express
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service
Active
Miscellaneous, Microgravity Research Payloads
Active
KURO
Microgravity Workspaces, Microgravity Science, Microgravity Simulation, Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
SpaceLAB
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Research Payloads, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
ISAAC
Microgravity Flight Service (Suborbital), Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
SpaceLAB
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Space Laboratory Equipment
Early stage
Life Sciences Platform
Microgravity Research Payloads, ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Flight Service (LEO)
Early stage
MUSA
Microgravity Flight Service (Suborbital), Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
Faraday
ISS Utilization Service, Microgravity Research Payloads
Demonstrated
3D BioFabrication Facility (BFF)
In-Space Manufacturing, Microgravity Research Payloads
Demonstrated
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Microgravity Flight Service (Suborbital)
Development
Microgravity Science, Microgravity Research Payloads
Demonstrated
BARNACLE DOT, INDY DOT
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads
Development
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads
Dormant
Space-Lab
Microgravity Flight Service (LEO), Microgravity Research Payloads, Commercial Space Station
Early stage