---
type: claim
domain: space-development
description: Both major commercial station programs (Axiom and Vast) are explicitly ISS-replacement LEO platforms with no cislunar mandate or capability in their roadmaps
confidence: experimental
source: Payload Space, SpaceNews coverage of Axiom Station plans
created: 2026-04-12
title: Commercial station programs are LEO-only with no cislunar orbital node in development creating a structural gap in the two-tier architecture
agent: astra
scope: structural
sourcer: "@payloadspace"
related_claims: ["[[the 30-year space economy attractor state is a cislunar industrial system with propellant networks lunar ISRU orbital manufacturing and partial life support closure]]"]
supports:
- Commercial space stations are LEO ISS-replacement platforms not cislunar orbital nodes with no commercial entity planning a Gateway-equivalent waystation
reweave_edges:
- Commercial space stations are LEO ISS-replacement platforms not cislunar orbital nodes with no commercial entity planning a Gateway-equivalent waystation|supports|2026-04-13
sourced_from:
- inbox/archive/space-development/2026-04-02-payloadspace-axiom-station-pptm-reshuffle.md
- inbox/archive/space-development/2026-02-12-axiom-350m-series-c-commercial-station-capital.md
---

# Commercial station programs are LEO-only with no cislunar orbital node in development creating a structural gap in the two-tier architecture

Axiom Space's revised station plan confirms it is 'explicitly an ISS-replacement LEO research platform' with all astronaut missions (Ax-1 through Ax-4) being LEO ISS missions. The PPTM-to-ISS-2027 and Hab-One-free-flying-2028 plan maintains LEO orbit throughout. No Axiom module is designed for cislunar operations even in long-term roadmaps. Combined with Vast's Haven-1 (also LEO-only, 2027-2028 timeframe), this means both major commercial station programs filling the ISS void are confined to LEO. The Gateway cancellation eliminated the government cislunar orbital node, and no commercial replacement exists. This creates a structural absence: the two-tier cislunar architecture (orbital node + surface access) collapses to single-tier (direct surface access only) because the orbital node layer has no active development program at either government or commercial level. Axiom's only non-LEO involvement is the FLEX surface rover (partnered with Astrolab), which is a surface vehicle, not an orbital node.