The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) entered into a major agreement with three aerospace companies for the development of future commercial space stations. The contract worth approximately 367 million Euros. The goal is to expand the range of services in space, which are increasingly in demand. In addition, they could one day replace the International Space Station (ISS), set to retire at the end of the decade. 

"We are partnering with US companies to develop space destinations where people can visit, live and work, enabling Nasa to continue to forge a path in space for the benefit of humanity, while promoting commercial activity in space", said Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson. 

These are the three companies. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will get 115 million and is already working with Sierra Space to develop the Orbital Reef space station that will house up to 10 people in the second half of the decade. Nanoracks, specialized in space hardware and electronics, will get 141 million and is working on an orbiting station for 2027 with labs for biology, physical sciences and materials research. It will go 111 million to defense and aerospace group Northrop Grumman, which has already developed the Cygnus spacecraft that makes cargo deliveries to the Iss and plans to build an orbiting station with services for science, tourism and industry.