Vast Has Big Orbital Space Station Plans and is Backed by a Crypto Billionaire

By 2025, Space Startup Vast plans to launch its first space station module. Vast, a pioneer in space habitation technologies, plans to launch the world’s first commercial space station, called Haven-1. It is 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.

Jed McCaleb is the founder of Vast. His wealth comes from selling much of the original 9 billion XRP he pocketed as a Ripple cofounder. He sold his last coins in July 2022. Forbes estimates his net worth at $2.4 billion.

In 2028, they plan a much larger module that can fit inside a SpaceX Starship.

Max Haot will join as the President of Vast to help execute the company’s vision. In this new role, Max Haot will oversee the Orbiter, E-2 and space station programs as well as engineering, manufacturing, marketing, finance, and facilities teams.

In the 2030s, Vast wants 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.

By 2040, Space Startup Vast plans to be operating dozens of artificial gravity and zero gravity space stations across our solar system, optimized for human physiology and psychology, as well as off-planet business. These will enable every endeavor imaginable as humanity expands across the solar system.