Nanoracks Bishop Airlock
The Nanoracks Bishop Airlock is a commercially-funded airlock module launched to the International Space Station on SpaceX CRS-21 on 6 December 2020. The module was built by Nanoracks, Thales Alenia Space, and Boeing. It will be used to deploy CubeSats, small satellites, and other external payloads for NASA, Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), and other commercial and governmental customers.
Internal ISS Services
Nanoracks facilities on the International Space Station (ISS) include the Plate Reader-2 – a Molecular Devices SpectraMax M5e modified for space flight and the microgravity environment. This spectrophotometer analyzes samples by shining light (200-1000 nm) either on or through the top or bottom of each sample in the well of a microplate. The Nanoracks Plate Reader-2 can accommodate cuvettes in special microplate holders as well as 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, 96-, and 384-well microplates. It can operate in absorbance, fluorescence intensity, or fluorescence polarization modes. Laboratory space on the ISS is provided to Nanoracks by NASA under a contractual lease arrangement.
External ISS Services
Nanoracks deploys small CubeSats into orbit from the ISS through the Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer via the airlock in the Japanese Kibō module, after the satellites are transported to the ISS on a cargo spacecraft. When released, the small satellites are provided a push of about 1 m/s (3.3 ft/s) that begins a slow process of satellite separation from the ISS.
External Platform (NREP)
The Nanoracks External Platform (NREP), installed in August 2016, is a commercial gateway-and-return to the extreme environment of space. Following the CubeSat form factor, payloads experience the microgravity, radiation and other harsh elements native to the space environment, observe earth, test sensors, materials, and electronics, and can return the payload to Earth.
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The Nanoracks Kaber Microsat Deployer is a reusable system that allows the International Space Station to control and command satellite deployments. It can deploy microsatellites up to 82 kg into space. Microsatellites that are compatible with the Kaber Deployer have additional power, volume, and communication resources, which allows for deployments of higher scope and sophistication.
External Cygnus Deployer (E-NRCSD)
The satellite deployment service enabled satellites to be deployed at an altitude higher than the ISS via a Commercial Resupply Vehicle. These satellites are deployed after the completion of the primary cargo delivery mission and can fly at 500 kilometers above Earth and ca. 100 kilometers above the ISS and extends the life of CubeSats already deployed in low-Earth orbit. The Cygnus Deployer holds a total volume of 36U and adds approximately two years to the lifespan of these satellites.
E-NRCSD missions:
The Cygnus CRS OA-6 mission was launched 23 March 2016 at 03:05:52 UTC. Inside the Cygnus was the Saffire scientific payload. Mounted outside of the Cygnus was a CubeSat deployer by Nanoracks. Both of these systems remained inactive during the Cygnus docking at the ISS. After the CRS OA-6 resupply mission was completed, and the Cygnus was unberthed from the station and performed scientific experiments. The Saffire's purpose was to study combustion in microgravity, which was done once Cygnus left the ISS. Likewise, in between the CRS OA-6's initiation and its reentry into Earth's atmosphere, numerous Cubesats were deployed into orbit for the commercial entities that built and operate them.
The Cygnus CRS OA-5 mission was launched 17 October 2016 at 23:45 UTC. On 25 November 2016, during the CRS OA-5 resupply mission, Nanoracks deployed four Spire LEMUR-2 CubeSats from the Cygnus Cargo Vehicle from a 500-kilometer orbit.
The Cygnus CRS OA-7 mission was launched 18 April 2017 at 15:11:26 UTC. On Cygnus' eighth resupply mission, Nanoracks deployed four Spire LEMUR-2 CubeSats at a nearly 500-kilometer orbit.
The Cygnus CRS OA-8E mission was launched 12 November 2017, 12:19:51 UTC.
Cygnus CRS OA-9E mission was launched 21 May 2018, 08:44:06 UTC.
Mars Demo-1
Mars Demo-1 (OMD-1) is a self-contained hosted payload platform to demonstrate the robotic cutting of second stage representative tank material on-orbit.
Starlab
Starlab is a LEO space station jointly developed by Nanoracks, Voyager Technologies and Airbus. It was originally proposed for the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program, and in December of 2021 it was one of three concepts selected to continue their work with grants from NASA, i.e. $160 million. The station is proposed to serve as a weightlessness research laboratory, particularly for the pharmaceutical industry, and the plan is also to have it open to American and European astronauts, but not to space tourism. Initial concept used an inflatable structure for the main habitation area, while a later redesign shifted to a rigid construction (necessitating a larger launcher).
Unrealized proposals
Ixion was a proposal for a wet workshop extension to the ISS. Initial concept was based on the Centaur rocket stage combined with a "mission module" (providing an airlock and a radial docking port), while later variations (renamed to Outpost) were to use ULA's ACES, depicted with radial docking ports on the side and conformal solar arrays.
The Lightweight Urthecast NanoRacks Alcove (LUNA) was to be a small experimental module built jointly with Urthecast, installed on a docking port on Node 3 currently used by BEAM. It was to provides experimental space for NanoRacks and earth observation instruments for UrtheCast.
