Vast at the 41st Space Symposium: Showcasing Our Progress Toward Launching Haven-1, Scheduled to be the World’s First Commercial Space Station

Last week, the Vast team attended the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, C.O., hosted by the Space Foundation. The annual four-day event brings together over 10,000 attendees including space agencies, our partners, and other industry leaders.

Throughout the week, we announced multiple company milestones, including the reveal of the Vast Astronaut Flight Suit, a Large Docking Adapter standard, our strategic collaboration with Cedars-Sinai, the launch of the IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive watch, and our payload partner, Yuri, securing a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for flying research on Haven-1.

Our executives also spoke at a range of events, including CEO Max Haot, who joined a panel on the main stage to discuss the future of commercial space stations, and how Vast is ready to deliver a continuous human presence in space for the U.S. and its allies.

Real Hardware on Display

Our booth featured a livestream of the integration of Haven-1 at Vast headquarters, in addition to a 3D model roadmap illustrating our hardware-rich stepping stone approach to building Haven-2, our continuously crewed space station and proposed successor to the International Space Station. Interactive facilities from our payload partners Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS), Yuri, Redwire, Exobiosphere, and Interstellar Lab were also featured, illustrating the methods of which microgravity research will be conducted inside the Haven-1 Lab. The Vast Astronaut Flight Suit was on display alongside the SpaceX Intravehicular (IVA) suit. Future Vast missions will include the use of a SpaceX IVA suit during launch and landing. 

The Haven-1 Experience, a full-scale model of Haven-1, made its second appearance at the conference. Attendees were able to walk inside the model and interact with the Haven-1 Lab, crew interface displays, crew storage, and the 1.1 m domed window, which will provide astronauts with a 180-degree view of Earth from Haven-1. Visitors were also able to snap a photo at the domed window photo booth. 

We also debuted the IWC Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive inside the Haven-1 Experience. Developed by our official Timekeeper IWC Schaffhausen, the tool watch was tested in partnership with our team at our Long Beach headquarters, where our engineers assessed its resistance to vibration and pressure changes, as well as the compatibility of its materials with the Haven-1 environment. 

The Vast Astronaut Flight Suit

On Monday, April 13, we announced the Vast Astronaut Flight Suit. Developed in close collaboration with Lead Astronaut Andrew Feustel, the suit is designed for use aboard pressurized space stations, and prioritizes mobility, comfort, and on-orbit functionality. The suit will be optimized for both training on Earth and daily use in orbit, and is an example of our integrating human-centric design into every aspect of life aboard the station.

Starting the Week at the Golden Bee

On Monday night, we hosted our second Golden Bee Reception. A Space Symposium opening night tradition, the reception brought together colleagues, space agencies, partners, and other industry leaders to celebrate the beginning of the conference, and the exciting future of the space industry. 

The next morning on April 14th, attendees gathered at two separate Vast sponsored events: the Salon Breakfast and the Government Affairs Breakfast. At the Salon Breakfast, Senior Vice President, Jim Martz delivered opening remarks before the panel discussion moderated by Payload editor Jacqueline Feldscher. Vast Chief Operating Officer Kris Young joined Varda CEO Will Bruey and AstroLab CEO Jaret Matthews to discuss the benefits of taking an iterative approach toward building next-generation space infrastructure. 

At the Government Affairs Breakfast, Vast Chief Policy Officer Caryn Schenewerk opened the event with welcoming remarks and shared Vast’s latest progress.

Unveiling a Large Docking Adapter Standard 

On the morning of April 15, we announced the Large Docking Adapter. Designed for the future of larger crewed vehicles and space stations, the Large Docking Adapter is currently in development at Vast HQ and available for purchase by space agencies and other commercial space station companies. 

Astronaut Reunion Breakfast 

Retired NASA astronaut and Vast Astronaut Advisor Megan McArthur hosted our second Astronaut Reunion Breakfast. The breakfast brought together both national and international human spaceflight veterans who have paved the way for space exploration, discovery, and research.  

CEO Max Haot Speaks on the Future of Commercial Space Stations

In the afternoon, CEO Max Haot joined industry leaders on the main stage to discuss the future of commercial space stations. Moderated by Dave Cavossa, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Haot emphasized that Vast is ready to ensure a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) for the U.S. and its allies with its next-generation space stations.  

Partnership with Cedars-Sinai on Microgravity Science and Crew Health

On Thursday, April 16, we announced a strategic collaboration with Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s premier academic health systems and a pioneer in regenerative medicine and biomedical research, to advance space science and astronaut health. We will work together on a broad range of initiatives, including collaborative research and development in areas including stem cell and organoid research and biomanufacturing technology demonstrations in microgravity. 

Yuri Partners with ESA for Research Mission Aboard Haven-1

Concluding the week, on Friday, April 17, Yuri, payload partner for the Haven-1 Lab, announced a contract with ESA to launch an ESA life-science mission on Haven-1. Yuri will deploy its ScienceTaxi platform as a Lab-as-a-Service solution for ESA on Haven-1. 

IWC Schaffhausen Debuts the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive at Watches and Wonders

Meanwhile at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Switzerland, members of the Vast team, including Lead Astronaut Andrew Feustel and Chief Design and Marketing Officer Hillary Coe, joined IWC for the launch of the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive. We also brought a replica of our patent-pending sleep system to the event, giving attendees the opportunity to experience it firsthand. The system utilizes technology features including blanket inflation and circadian lighting to encourage a more restful sleep.

Looking ahead to the launch of Haven-1

It was an energizing week meeting with industry leaders at Symposium and a valuable opportunity to reaffirm our progress towards launching Haven-1. We remain focused on completing the integration of Haven-1 at our headquarters ahead of conducting a suite of system environmental tests at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility later this year.