That’s correct! Vast Space is planning to launch Haven-1, which they tout as the world’s first commercial space station, with a target launch date in May 2026.

Key details about the mission include:

• Launch Vehicle: It is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

• Initial Missions: It is a single-module station designed to host short-duration crewed missions. The first mission, Vast-1, is planned to carry a crew of four astronauts via a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for a stay of about two weeks (or up to 30 days total).

• Purpose: Haven-1 will serve as a commercial platform for research, in-space manufacturing, and private/government astronaut missions.

• Design: It’s designed to be a human-centric habitat and a testbed for future, larger commercial space stations like Vast’s planned Haven-2.

A minimalist lab in orbit

According to Vastspace.com, Haven-1 is modest by space station standards. The cylindrical module offers about 45 cubic meters of interior space, roughly the size of a tour bus. It includes four small crew quarters and lockers for science gear, plus a common area for dining and experiments.

Four astronauts will visit for about ten days at a time, flown up by SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. Life support runs on proven shuttle-era tech in an “open-loop” design.

Haven 1 type space stations will help in future space exploration

Yes, the Haven-1 private space station is intended to be a crucial step in enabling and shaping the future of space exploration and long-term human habitation.

Here is how Haven-1 is designed to help:

1. Commercializing Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

• Pioneering a Private Model: As one of the first standalone private space stations, Haven-1 will validate the business model for commercial space habitats. This is essential for the transition away from the government-funded International Space Station (ISS).

• Proof of Concept for Future Stations: Haven-1 is explicitly designed as a testbed and an evolutionary step toward Haven-2, which Vast intends to propose as a large, modular commercial replacement for the ISS. Proving the technology and operations on a smaller scale is critical.

• Reducing Cost and Increasing Access: A commercial station creates competition and new efficiencies, potentially lowering the cost and increasing the opportunities for nations, private companies, and individuals to conduct research and send astronauts to space.

2. Research and Development

• Microgravity Lab: Haven-1 features a dedicated microgravity research and manufacturing facility, the Haven-1 Lab, with slots for various scientific payloads. This platform will be used for:

• In-Space Manufacturing: Developing materials, fibers, and products in a microgravity environment.

• Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals: Conducting advanced research on drug discovery, protein crystallization, and cellular studies.

• Fundamental Science: Research into human health, plant growth, and other physical sciences in space.

3. Testing Next-Generation Habitation Systems

• Human-Centric Design: Vast is focusing on a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing “human-centric” design, with features like a large domed viewing window, a communal area, and custom sleep systems. Testing these design elements on Haven-1 will inform the architecture of future, long-duration habitats for lunar, Martian, and deep-space missions.

• Life Support and Operations: Operating the station will provide real-world data and experience for its life support, propulsion, thermal control, and communication systems. For example, NASA is supporting the testing of its critical air filter system, and the experience gained will directly aid the development of the larger Haven-2.

• Artificial Gravity Experiment: Vast’s long-term vision is a spinning artificial gravity station. Haven-1 may be used to explore conducting the world’s first spinning artificial gravity experiment on a commercial station, a crucial technology for protecting crew health on long-duration deep-space travel.

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