As NASA approaches a pivotal moment in its operations, the future of human activity in low-Earth orbit (LEO) hangs in the balance. The International Space Station (ISS), NASA's flagship orbital laboratory, is nearing the end of its operational life. The question looming large is whether the agency will be able to transition smoothly to a private space station, or face the possibility of a gap in human presence in orbit for the first time in decades. With NASA’s focus shifting toward deeper space exploration through its Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and eventually reach Mars, LEO remains a critical frontier for scientific research and technological development.