Mojave, California – Vast has reached a significant milestone in the development of its first commercial space station, Haven-1, by successfully testing a key qualification model. However, the company has pushed back the station’s planned launch from 2025 to no earlier than May 2026.
Vast’s Haven-1 main structure prototype undergoing testing in Mojave, California. Credit: Vast
The company announced that it has begun testing the primary structure qualification article for Haven-1 at a facility in Mojave, California. These tests included a proof test—pressurizing the module to 1.8 times its normal pressure—as well as a 48-hour leak test.
“On the first try, we passed that critical test,” said Max Haot, Vast’s chief executive, in an interview. The company reported that the leak rate was so minimal it was described as “indiscernible.”
Vast plans to conduct additional structural load tests and simulations in the coming weeks to assess how the module will endure the stresses of a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. Despite the successful early tests, the company has revised its launch schedule based on the insights gained from the qualification article.
Originally set for an August 2025 launch, Vast had reaffirmed a late 2025 target as recently as October 2024. However, after completing the qualification article, the company now anticipates a May 2026 launch.
“It’s a big milestone for us that also reduces risk across the rest of the program,” Haot said. “We now understand the timeline for building the flight article, and we’ve confirmed there are no fundamental issues with the pressure system. This allows us to set a more realistic schedule that we expect to hold.”
Next Steps: Assembly, Testing, and Launch
Under the updated plan, Vast expects to complete the primary structure of the flight-ready Haven-1 module by July 2025. Integration and further testing will follow in the latter half of the year, with environmental testing scheduled at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. Afterward, the module will be shipped to Florida for its anticipated May 2026 launch. The first crewed mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon is now expected no earlier than June 2026.
Haven-1 serves as a stepping stone for Vast’s broader ambitions, particularly the larger Haven-2 space station, which the company aims to propose for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program. NASA is expected to select companies for phase two CLD contracts in mid-2026—around the same time Haven-1 is set to become operational.
Haot emphasized that Vast’s progress with Haven-1 strengthens its position in the commercial space race. “Even if NASA selects CLD phase two partners before Haven-1 launches, the work we’ve done here ensures we have a credible and mature Haven-2 design,” he explained. He noted that the first Haven-2 module would be an extended version of Haven-1, sharing 80% to 90% of its components.
Unlike rivals Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Starlab, Vast does not have a NASA-funded agreement for its station. However, the company maintains an unfunded Space Act Agreement with NASA, which provides the agency with visibility into Haven-1’s progress.
Haot suggested that Vast’s pace of development has exceeded expectations. “The perception is that we are moving faster than NASA anticipated,” he said. “Maybe not faster than we originally projected, but certainly faster than they expected.”
Despite the adjusted timeline, Vast remains optimistic about launching the first Haven-1 crew before NASA finalizes its CLD selections. “Every step we take toward a safe and operational space station puts us ahead of the competition,” Haot said. “We still have a shot at flying a crew before NASA makes its decision.”
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