"The International Space Station is scheduled to be retired in 2030, bringing an end to three decades of cutting-edge space research. What comes next remains to be seen, as several private companies compete for NASA funding to once again establish an outpost in our planet's orbit - outside of China's existing Tiangong space station, that is. As part of Phase 2 of its Commercial Space Stations program, NASA has been seeking feedback from its industry partners."
"As Ars Technica reports, space startup Vast has opted to build a smaller and more feasible interim station, dubbed Haven-1, which will serve as the precursor for much larger outposts capable of continuous habitation in the more distant future. Vast first showed off flashy renders of the capsule in October 2024, including luxuriously plush beds, enormous domed glass windows, and a minimalist interior layout."
International Space Station operations will end in 2030, prompting commercial replacement plans. NASA's Phase 2 program seeks industry partners. Space startup Vast is building Haven-1, a smaller interim capsule as a precursor to larger continuously inhabited outposts. Early renders showed large domed windows and minimalist interiors, though final designs may differ. Vast says it has completed the primary and some secondary structure and has begun clean-room integration ahead of testing with NASA. The company aims to launch Haven-1 in early 2027 on a Falcon 9 and dock with a Crew Dragon. The inaugural mission will verify pressurization and attitude control before carrying people.
Read at Futurism
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