Insider Brief:
- Vast announced their plans to launch the world’s first commercial space station, called Haven-1.
- Haven-1 is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to low-Earth orbit no earlier than August 2025.
- The mission will be quickly followed by Vast-1, the first human spaceflight mission to Haven-1 on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
PRESS RELEASE — Long Beach, California / May 10, 2023 — Vast, a pioneer in space habitation technologies, announced today their plans to launch the world’s first commercial space station, called Haven-1. Scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to low-Earth orbit no earlier than August 2025, Haven-1 will initially act as an independent crewed space station prior to being connected as a module to a larger Vast space station currently in development. The mission will be quickly followed by Vast-1, the first human spaceflight mission to Haven-1 on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The vehicle and its four-person crew will dock with Haven-1 for up to 30 days while orbiting Earth. Vast also secured an option with SpaceX for an additional human spaceflight mission to Haven-1.
This represents the first time in history that a commercial space station company has both a contracted launch for its space station and a visiting human spaceflight mission.
“Vast is thrilled to embark on this journey of launching the world’s first commercial space station, Haven-1, and its first crew, Vast-1,” said Jed McCaleb, CEO of Vast. “We are grateful to SpaceX for this exciting partnership that represents the first steps in Vast’s long-term vision of launching much larger, artificial gravity space stations in Earth orbit and beyond.”
“A commercial rocket launching a commercial spacecraft with commercial astronauts to a commercial space station is the future of low-Earth orbit, and with Vast we’re taking another step toward making that future a reality,” said Tom Ochinero, Senior Vice President of Commercial Business at SpaceX. “The SpaceX team couldn’t be more excited to launch Vast’s Haven-1 and support their follow-on human spaceflight missions to the orbiting commercial space station.”
Vast’s long-term goal is to develop a 100-meter-long multi-module spinning artificial gravity space station launched by SpaceX’s Starship transportation system. In support of this, Vast will explore conducting the world’s first spinning artificial gravity experiment on a commercial space station with Haven-1.
Vast is selling up to four crewed seats on the inaugural mission to Haven-1. Expected customers include domestic and international space agencies and private individuals involved in science and philanthropic projects. Visit vastspace.com/reserve for more details.
SpaceX will also provide crew training on Falcon 9 and the Dragon spacecraft, emergency preparedness, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial and full mission simulations including docking and undocking with Haven-1 for return to Earth.
HAVEN-1 FEATURES:
- Compatible docking with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft
- Extend the on-orbit duration of commercial Dragon spacecraft human spaceflight missions for up to 30 days for four astronauts
- Science, research, and in-space manufacturing opportunities – 1000 W of power, 24/7 communications, and up to 150 kg of pre-loaded cargo mass in Haven-1. Opportunities for lunar artificial gravity by spinning.
- Fully independent space station providing life support functions and consumables for the full mission’s duration.
- Privacy and control of your crew schedule
- Large window dome for viewing and photography
- Always-on internet via onboard Wi-Fi
- Room to stretch and rest
VAST-1 – OUR FIRST EXPEDITION TO HAVEN-1
- Fly to Haven-1 in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched by the Falcon 9 rocket
- For space agencies and private individuals
- Fly four crew members to Haven-1 for up to 30 days
- Be the first crew to visit the world’s first commercial space station
- Available per seat or as a full, four-person crew mission
- Advanced science, research, and in-space manufacturing opportunities
Contact Information:
+1 949 608 0276
SOURCE: Vast
Featured image: Illustation – SpaceX Dragon approaching Haven-1 to dock. Credit: Vast
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