Vast Space, a U.S.-based aerospace company focused on commercial space habitation technologies, is developing Haven-1, a next-generation commercial space station designed to support private astronaut missions, government operations, and microgravity research in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The station is being positioned as a precursor to larger modular orbital habitats intended to succeed the International Space Station (ISS) and expand long-duration human presence in space.

Haven-1 is a single-module, human-centric space station engineered for short-duration crewed missions with support for up to four astronauts. The platform is designed to function as a commercial orbital habitat for astronaut operations, microgravity research, and technology demonstrations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Haven-1 features a habitable volume of 45 m³ and a total pressurized volume of 80 m³, providing dedicated space for crew accommodations, workstation deployment, and onboard mission activities. The station is designed to operate in a 425 km orbit at a 51.6° inclination, aligning with commonly utilized ISS-class orbital parameters for crewed access missions. Structurally, the spacecraft measures 10.1 m in height with a 4.4 m diameter and has a total launch mass of approximately 14,600 kg.

The station integrates several technologies focused on improving crew operations and mission functionality. Haven-1 incorporates personal crew quarters, a deployable communal workspace, and a 1.1-meter domed observation window designed to support crew habitability and operational productivity during extended orbital stays. The spacecraft also integrates SpaceX Starlink laser-based communications systems, enabling high-speed, low-latency onboard connectivity for crew operations, scientific payloads, and mission communications. 

Power generation for Haven-1 is provided through deployable solar array wings, with the station designed to deliver approximately 13.2 kW of onboard power to support life support systems, payload operations, communications infrastructure, and onboard computing systems. The company is currently conducting full-scale testing of its in-house environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS), including atmospheric management and astronaut habitation technologies intended for long-duration orbital operations. 

A key technical aspect of the platform is Vast’s focus on vertically integrated hardware development and rapid manufacturing cycles. The company has emphasized in-house development of structural systems, life support technologies, and station subsystems to accelerate qualification timelines and reduce dependency on traditional multi-vendor aerospace supply chains. Haven-1 is intended to serve as a flight-proven technology platform for the future Haven-2 architecture, a larger modular station concept designed to support continuous human presence in orbit following the retirement of the ISS. 

The planned Haven-2 platform expands on the technologies demonstrated in Haven-1 through larger modular architectures, increased habitable volume, robotic servicing capability, external payload hosting, EVA support systems, and multi-module station configurations. Vast plans to deploy Haven-2 modules incrementally beginning in 2028, targeting a fully operational commercial orbital outpost by the early 2030s. 

About Vast Space

Vast Space is a U.S.-based aerospace company headquartered in Long Beach, California, focused on developing commercial space stations and long-duration space habitation technologies. Founded in 2021, the company specializes in human-rated orbital infrastructure, modular space station architectures, environmental control and life support systems, and artificial-gravity habitation concepts. Its development roadmap is centered around the Haven platform family, including the Haven-1 commercial space station and the larger Haven-2 orbital infrastructure program intended to support government, commercial, and private astronaut missions in Low Earth Orbit. The company’s long-term objective is to develop scalable space habitation systems that enable sustained human presence beyond Earth orbit. 

Click here to learn more about Vast Space's Haven-1 Commercial Space Station