Airbus Loop space station, illustration

Illustration of the Airbus Loop space station, with a connected Spartan Space inflatable module and a docked Orion European Service Module. Airbus has proposed a multi-purpose orbital module called the Airbus Loop space station. This space platform is designed to be flown into orbit as a ready-to-use module. The LOOP is 8 metres in size and is designed to fit into the upcoming generation of superheavy launchers, such as SpaceX's Starship. It can thus be deployed with a single launch and become habitable immediately after reaching orbit. LOOP features a habitation deck, a science deck and a centrifuge deck producing artificial gravity, where inhabitants could receive temporary relief from zero-gravity conditions. The Loop could be ready to fly in the early 2030s., by AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY