Vast Welcomes Space Policy Veteran Caryn Schenewerk as Chief Policy Officer

Vast, the company developing next-generation space stations, announced today that long-time advisor Caryn Schenewerk has assumed the expanded role of Chief Policy Officer. The role further strengthens Vast’s leadership team as it advances toward the launch of Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station and a key stepping stone toward Haven-2, Vast’s proposed successor to the International Space Station. In her new role, she will oversee Vast’s continued commitment to responsible innovation in commercially sustainable space development.

With decades of experience navigating the regulatory, legislative, and policy landscape surrounding commercial space activities, Schenewerk brings deep expertise to Vast. As Chief Policy Officer, she will lead the company’s strategic engagement with the U.S. government and key stakeholders across the civil, commercial, and national security space communities. Her portfolio will include government affairs, regulatory strategy, and public policy initiatives supporting Vast’s development of its Haven stations and the long-term future of the low-Earth orbit economy.

“Caryn’s depth of experience across government, industry, and regulatory leadership in aerospace and human spaceflight will be an incredible asset,” said Vast CEO Max Haot. “Her guidance has already been instrumental, and we are thrilled to welcome her into this expanded role as we continue toward key milestones, including NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination (CLD) program.”

“Vast is uniquely positioned to help ensure continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit for America and its allies and to usher in the next era of commercial space,” said Caryn Schenewerk. “The company’s bold vision for its Haven stations, combined with its focus on safety, sustainability, and long-term partnership with government and industry, is exactly what the moment demands.”

Schenewerk is widely recognized as a leading authority in space law, regulation, and public policy. She is the founder and CEO of CS Consulting, advising spaceflight companies on regulatory strategy and government engagement. She is also a co-author of the textbook International Space Law and Space Laws of the United States and an adjunct professor of Space Law at Georgetown University Law Center.

Before founding her firm, Schenewerk served as the Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Relativity Space, where she helped guide the successful launch of the world’s first 3D-printed rocket. She began her aerospace career at SpaceX, spending a decade supporting commercial and civil space operations, launch and recovery activities, infrastructure expansion, and economic development.

Throughout her career, Schenewerk has worked closely with agencies including NASA, the FAA, and the U.S. Space Force, and has held multiple advisory roles within the U.S. government. These include membership on the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Planetary Protection, the FAA’s Space Advisory Rulemaking Committee (SpARC), and chairing the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES), focused on commercial remote sensing and emerging oversight frameworks for in-space activities.

Prior to entering the space sector, Schenewerk held senior positions in the Executive Office of the President and on Capitol Hill, including Deputy Associate Director for Legislative Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Austin College, a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, and an LL.M. from the University of Nottingham. ‍

About Vast

Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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 to enable permanent human presence by 2030.

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