# Does NASA have a space tug project to bring a habitable module to the ISS? Tags: iss, nasa, orbital-assembly, logistics, space-tug - Score: 8 - Views: 738 - Answers: 3 - Answered: yes - Asked by: user54 - Asked: 2013-07-18 - Edited: 2015-12-17 - Site: space ## Question The habitable modules of US sector of the ISS didn't have any propulsion systems to rendezvous the ISS by themselves. They were intended to be brought there by the Space Shuttle. Most of the Russian heavy modules of Mir and the ISS have arrived to the stations by themselves. To bring 11 tons Kvant-1 module to Mir, Russia has used the disposable FSM space tug, based on TKS. Has NASA announced any realistic space tug projects to be able to bring a habitable module, such as, say, Node 4 or a similar payload to the ISS? ## Answers ### Answer by Erik (score: 7 [ACCEPTED]) At NASA, the type of vehicles you are describing go by the name Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs). While none are currently funded or planned for, there were studies underway as recently as the 80s. Upper stages are sometime considered "space tugs" but I don't think that is a good description as they are only used once and are really just, w

Previous concepts of the space station had included multiple modules, such as two B330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station was a private orbital space station under conceptual development by Bigelow Aerospace in the 2000s and 2010s. Previous concepts of the space station had included multiple modules, such as two B330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node, propulsion, solar arrays, and attached crew capsules. However it was also suggested t The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station was a private orbital space station under conceptual development by Bigelow Aerospace in the 2000s and 2010s. Previous concepts of the space station had included multiple modules, such as two B330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node, propulsion, solar arrays, and attached crew capsules. However it was also suggested that each B330 can operate as an independent space station. Attaching a B330 to the International Space Station or flying a B330 alone have been suggested by Robert Bigelow. On 8 April 2016, NASA launched a Bigelow inflatable module and attached it to the ISS, where it has been tested for over four years.