Nebex CEO: NASA wants a commercial space economy. Here’s how it can enable one

In July, SpaceX stopped accepting new rideshare bookings beyond late 2028. In October, NASA released its request for proposals for commercial space stations to succeed the soon-to-be de-orbited International Space Station (ISS). Taken together, the ISS's retirement and the squeeze on launch availability creates a real problem for many "new space" startups that built their venture business plans on continued cheap rides to orbit. While alternatives to SpaceX exist, they are limited and spotty: Rocket Lab's Electron offers dedicated small-satellite launches, while ULA's Vulcan and Blue Origin's New Glenn serve larger payloads (although both are temporarily grounded: Vulcan since February and New Glenn since April).