Vast Names Former CEO of Slingshot Aerospace and U.S. Air Force Veteran Melanie Stricklan to Lead New Special Programs Division

Vast, the company building next-generation space infrastructure, today announced the appointment of Melanie Stricklan, co-founder and former CEO of Slingshot Aerospace and a 21-year U.S. Air Force veteran, as Senior Vice President of Special Programs. The new division will deliver space-based capabilities for the U.S. national security enterprise, including the defense and intelligence communities.

“Melanie brings to Vast more than two decades of experience at the intersection of advanced technology, national security, and commercial space,” said Max Haot, CEO of Vast. “She is joining Vast at a pivotal moment as we develop in-house, high-performance technologies with direct applications for the U.S. defense and intelligence communities.”

Stricklan co-founded and led Slingshot Aerospace, a global leader in space intelligence and autonomy. Prior to Slingshot, she served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force spanning advanced space systems development and testing, acquisitions, operations and national security leadership. Most recently, she led innovation and strategic growth at Space Foundation, where she built Space Workforce for Tomorrow (SWFT) into a national space industry coalition.

“The pace of technological innovation is accelerating, and America's leadership in space will depend on its ability to develop and deploy new capabilities faster than ever before, “ said Stricklan. “Vast combines proven spaceflight expertise, advanced manufacturing, and a mission-first mindset to support the United States' most critical national security missions in low Earth orbit and beyond.”

Vast’s Special Programs division draws on the company’s commercial platforms, cutting-edge engineering, and vertically integrated advanced manufacturing, operating across classified and unclassified programs to deliver resilient, U.S.-built, mission-critical systems on commercial timelines and at commercial cost.

Government and industry partners interested in working with the Special Programs division can contact: specialprograms@vastspace.com

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About Vast

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.