SpaceX rocket will launch private space station into orbit

The US private space station, about 100 meters long, consisting of many modules and artificial gravity, will operate in Earth orbit in two years.

Simulation of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft flying to Haven-1 station. Photo: Vast Space LLC — Simulation of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft flying to Haven-1 station. Photo: *Vast Space LLC*

California startup Vast Space announced on May 10 that it plans to launch Haven-1 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no later than August 2025. That will be followed by a Vast-1 mission carrying a crew to the new station for a 30-day stay. Vast-1 will also launch on a Falcon 9 rocket and the astronauts will be in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.

“Vast will launch the world’s first commercial space station Haven-1 and its first crewed mission, Vast-1,” said Jed McCaleb, the company’s CEO. “Partnering with SpaceX is the first step in a long-term goal of launching multiple, larger artificial gravity space stations in low Earth orbit and beyond.”

Vast is a young company founded two years ago. It aims to operate a 100-meter multi-module artificial gravity space station launched using SpaceX’s transportation system. Vast will explore how to conduct the world’s first artificial gravity experiment with Haven-1. The company is selling four seats on the Vast-1 mission. SpaceX will provide astronaut training, spacesuits and other services, similar to Ax-1, a private flight to the International Space Station (ISS) that Houston-based Axiom Space will launch in April 2022.

If all goes according to plan, Haven-1 will be one of several private stations in development. Axiom Space, for example, plans to launch several modules to the ISS in the coming years that will eventually detach and become a free-flying station. In late 2021, NASA also awarded a total of $415 million to teams at Blue Origin, Nanoracks, and Northrop Grumman, with the hope that at least one private station will be operating in low Earth orbit before the ISS is decommissioned in late 2030.

An Khang (According to Space )

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