Haven-1: Private space station aims for 2026 launch as first of its kind

Haven-1, billed as the world's first private space station, is on track for launch as early as 2026, Vast said, the US-based space startup developing the project. The company envisions a four-astronaut crew staying onboard for up to 30 days at a time to conduct scientific research and test microgravity manufacturing in a compact, human-centered environment rather than the traditional, utilitarian habitat of today. The station is described as a minimal viable concept intended to demonstrate rapid deployment and to pave the way for larger projects, rather than a long-term habitation platform.

Haven-1 is a relatively small structure by orbital standards. It will have a diameter of about 4.4 meters (14.7 feet) and a usable volume of roughly 45 cubic meters (1,500 cubic feet), about one-eighth the size of the International Space Station. Yet Vast argues the living environment will be markedly more comfortable, featuring soft, padded walls and maple wood interiors as part of a "human-centric" design. Sleeping arrangements include four signature sleep systems mounted outside the central corridor; beds are described as roughly the size of a queen bed and designed to provide a customized amount of equal pressure for side and back sleepers in microgravity. The project also prioritizes a social, communal space to offset the isolation of spaceflight.

A large common area dominates the remaining space, with a deployable table that can be folded into the floor when not in use. Astronauts will be able to gaze down at Earth through a 1.2-meter (four-foot) observation window. The living area also houses the laboratory system where crew will perform experiments and monitor microgravity manufacturing. A wall-mounted resistance band system allows both linear and rotational exercises to help maintain musculoskeletal health in weightlessness, while a gym area supports more intensive workouts. In keeping with its design emphasis, Haven-1 will feature wood paneling along a significant portion of the wall, a departure from the purely functional interiors of the ISS.

Vast describes Haven-1 as a stepping-stone toward more capable platforms. The company says the station will be able to host four astronauts at a time for missions 10 to 30 days long, with the remaining time used for system testing and development. Max Haot, Vast's CEO, has called the project a major milestone toward opening space for private operation and research, saying, "We're building the most innovative space station in the universe."

The company has not disclosed a total price tag for Haven-1, but says it will have invested about $1 billion by the time the station launches. Haven-1's operations plan includes frequent resupply and crew rotation via SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, enabling periodic exchanges and cargo deliveries. In a related partnership, Vast has named IWC Schaffhausen the official timekeeper for the station, underscoring the project’s emphasis on a premium, private experience alongside scientific use.

Haven-1 is designed as a "minimal viable" space station with a maximum crew of four and mission lengths ranging from 10 to 30 days. The approach emphasizes rapid deployment, testable systems, and real-world demonstration of life-support, habitat comfort, and microgravity research before scaling up to larger habitats. Vast notes that Haven-1 will serve as a proving ground for technologies that could be incorporated into a larger modular station, Haven-2, should the concept prove viable in the near term.

Beyond Haven-1, Vast envisions Haven-2 as a significantly larger, modular platform with an internal volume of about 500 cubic meters (17,660 cubic feet) and the capacity to host up to 12 astronauts for more long-term missions. Haven-2 would build on lessons learned from Haven-1 and aim to provide a more sustained presence in orbit, potentially replacing some roles currently served by the ISS in years to come.

The Haven project arrives amid a broader conversation about the future of the International Space Station, which has dominated human spaceflight in low Earth orbit for more than two decades. The ISS, a roughly $100 billion science and engineering laboratory, orbits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth and has been continuously staffed since November 2000. NASA's annual spending on the station is in the neighborhood of $3 billion, with international partners contributing as well. As the original structure ages, questions about its end-of-life have intensified competition from private ventures and national programs alike.

Russia has signaled plans for its own orbital platform around the same time that private firms like Axiom Space aim to add commercial modules to the ISS. At the same time, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are pursuing a separate effort to establish a space station in lunar orbit. China and Russia are also reported to be exploring parallel concepts that could include surface bases in the future. In this evolving landscape, Haven-1 represents a notable shift toward commercially driven, privately operated platforms designed for shorter, high-demand research and manufacturing cycles, rather than long-term habitation alone.