Designing Space for Humans
This week I spoke at the Starlab Discovery Day, an event exploring what comes after the International Space Station, and how we can build the next generation of space habitat.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, Starlab is a commercial space station being developed by Voyager Space and Airbus, set to launch later this decade. It will replace the ISS and support long-duration missions in low Earth orbit. What really stood out to me was how thoughtfully it’s being designed for the people who’ll live and work on board.
While a lot of space infrastructure is built around technology first, Starlab is doing something different: it’s starting with humans in mind.
Here are just a few of the human-centred design features they’ve shared so far:
🌱 Greenhouse and natural elements
A full wraparound greenhouse in the habitat core brings life, colour, and routine into daily life. Beyond research, it’s a source of psychological stability, giving astronauts something to care for and connect with nature.
🛌 Private crew suites (designed with Hilton)
Every astronaut will have a personal cabin, more like a cosy hotel pod than a utilitarian sleep station. With custom lighting, sound insulation, and space for personal items, this supports proper rest, privacy, and emotional recovery.
🤝 Communal areas built for bonding
Shared dining, relaxing, and recreation spaces have been designed to feel warm and inviting. Think less “space lab” and more “crew living room.” It’s about preserving connection, especially on long missions with small teams.
🧘♀️ Dedicated wellness spaces
Starlab will feature a dedicated mental health and recovery zone, potentially including VR-guided relaxation pods and areas to decompress after intense work. This reflects the growing recognition that psychological health is critical to long-term performance in space.
🏋️♀️ Exercise and artificial gravity
In addition to traditional fitness equipment, designers are exploring a centrifuge-based gym… a rotating section to simulate gravity for short periods, offering massive benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing.
🧠 Smart systems to reduce cognitive load
With help from partners like Palantir and MDA, the station will include AI-powered data management, predictive maintenance, and a digital twin to support crew decision-making. Automation will take care of repetitive or risky tasks, freeing humans to focus on higher-level thinking, problem-solving, and science.
I am not affiliated with Starlab, but as someone who’s spent the past 15+ years training astronauts in Human Factors and Human Behaviour & Performance, I find this shift incredibly exciting. It’s not just about safety (though that’s a BIG part of it). It’s about designing systems that help people perform at their best in extreme environments.
Prioritising crew wellbeing, team dynamics, and cognitive performance won’t just make missions more crew-friendly, they will make them more successful.
Which of these human-centred features stands out to you most, or do you think something’s missing?
Let me know what you think,
Susan
