A vast space based in California have big ambitions. The company aims to launch the commercial space station “Haven-2” into low Earth orbit by 2028, which will allow astronauts to remain in space even after the International Space Station (ISS) is decommissioned in 2030. You will be able to do it. While NASA’s plan to work with partner organizations to develop a commercial low-orbit space station is a focus, the most ambitious of all is Vast Space’s goal for what it will eventually put in space: the station. . It has its own artificial gravity.

“We know that we can live in zero gravity for about a year, but the situation is not easy. But perhaps the gravity of the Moon or Mars is enough to live comfortably for a lifetime. The only way to know is to build a station with artificial gravity, which is our long-term goal,” says Vast CEO Max Haot.

Vast Space was founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb, a 49-year-old programmer and businessman who was the founder of peer-to-peer networks eDonkey and Overnet and the early, now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange Mt.Gox. In mid-December, Vast Space announced a partnership with SpaceX to launch two missions to the ISS. This marks a milestone in the company’s plans to launch its first space station, Haven-1, in late 2025. The mission does not yet have an official launch date. will fall within NASA’s Commercial Astronaut Mission Program, through which the space agency hopes to foster the development of a space economy in low Earth orbit.

Graphical representation of Haven 1 in orbit.

Photo: vast space

For Vast, this is part of a long-term business strategy. “Building an outpost that artificially mimics gravity would take 10 to 20 years and an amount of money that we don’t have right now,” admits Haot. “However, we plan to use the resources of our founders to launch with four people in order to win the most important contract in the ISS replacement space station market.” [SpaceX] Dragon of 2025. They will stay on Haven 1 for two weeks, then return safely and demonstrate our capabilities to NASA before any of our competitors. ”

Is there space for another person?

What Vast Space is trying to do by demonstrating its capabilities is to engage with NASA activities. Commercial destinations in low earth orbit (CLD) program is a $415 million grant the space agency launched in 2021 to support the development of civilian low-Earth orbit stations.

The funding was initially allocated to three different projects. One is by aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman, which has now withdrawn from the program. A joint venture called Starlab. And Orbital Leaf from Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Vasto doesn’t have a contract with the U.S. space agency, but it aims to outdo its competitors by showing NASA it can put a space station in space before anyone else can. The agency will choose which project stations to support in the second half of 2026.

By doing this, Vast is borrowing from SpaceX’s playbook. Not only has Vast Space poached some of its employees and equipment and vehicle designs from Elon Musk’s company, but it is also trying to replicate its approach to the market. That means having technology and processes that are already certified and tested in orbit to be ready before anyone else. . “We’re behind the curve,” Haot said. “What can we do to win? Our answer is to launch Haven-1 in late 2025.”

Haven-1 has a habitable volume of 45 cubic meters, a docking port, a corridor with consumables for the crew’s personal quarters, a laboratory, and a deployable communal space next to a dome window approximately 1 meter high. Prepare a table. The station, located approximately 425 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, uses a Starlink laser link to communicate with satellites in low Earth orbit. The technology was first tested during the Polaris Dawn mission in fall 2024.



Source

Share.

TOPPIKR is a global news website that covers everything from current events, politics, entertainment, culture, tech, science, and healthcare.

Leave A Reply

Exit mobile version