Vast Space LLC, the aerospace startup founded by former cryptocurrency executive Jed McCaleb, announced Thursday a significant partnership with SpaceX to launch two private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS), Bloomberg reports.
The deal, contingent upon Vast securing a NASA contract, positions the company as a key player in the burgeoning commercial space sector.
Since 2019, NASA has facilitated private astronaut missions to the ISS, providing valuable experience for companies aiming to commercialize low-Earth orbit. Vast’s partnership with SpaceX, using the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, would represent the fifth and sixth missions under this NASA program.
Vast is competing with several other companies, including Axiom Space and Blue Origin, to develop commercial space stations. Axiom, already a frontrunner, has completed three ISS missions with SpaceX, planning a fourth for 2025. If selected by NASA, Vast’s missions would represent a significant step toward its own ambition to create a successor to the ISS, slated for retirement in 2030.
In October, Vast unveiled plans for Haven-2, a specialized orbital lab, which is vying for selection as a potential ISS successor in 2026. This latest announcement further solidifies Vast’s partnership with SpaceX, which is also scheduled to launch Vast’s initial commercial space station, Haven-1, no earlier than August 2025. SpaceX will also launch a crew to Haven-1 once it’s in orbit. Furthermore, Haven-1 will leverage SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service for connectivity.
The agreement highlights the close collaboration between Vast and SpaceX, signaling a significant step toward a future where private companies play a leading role in human space exploration and commercialization of space.
