Vast Space unveils Haven-1 design: it’s truly a Haven in space
Written by Magnum and Cat
Rendering of 2 astronauts working in the Haven-1 Lab. Credit: Vast Space
Introduction
VAST Space has unveiled the final designs for its Haven-1 space station. As a private aerospace company focused on building artificial gravity space stations, Vast aims to write history with their Haven-1 space station, which is set to launch in 2025 and become the first private space station ever. While Haven-1 will be operating in microgravity, it will be accompanied by a series of new technologies, which we shall explore in this article.
A Brief History
Vast Space, founded by Jeb McCaleb in 2021, is a private company dedicated to building space stations. In 2022, Vast Space announced their goal of building the first ever artificial gravity station. Currently, Vast is funded exclusively by its founder.
Vast’s goal is to build a future where billions of people are thriving and working in space. However, the duration astronauts can stay onboard today’s space stations is limited by the absence of gravity. Research has shown that long-duration missions on the ISS can be accompanied by health complications; for instance, a NASA report shows that astronauts can lose between 1% and 1.5% of bone mineral density per month of stay.
This is where Vast’s mission becomes crucial. By constructing artificial gravity stations, the company aims to mitigate these health risks. Their approach involves the construction of a large spinning structure. The centrifugal force produced mimics gravity.
Description of Haven-1
Haven-1 design with interior layout. Credit: Vast Space
Haven-1 is set to be the world’s first commercial space station, with unprecedented technology and never-seen-before features for a space station:
Haven-1 will be 4.4 meters in diameter and 10.1 meters long with a pressurized volume of 80 cubic meters and a mass of 14000 kg. Its solar panels will be able to generate 13200 W of power at peak and will be placed in a 425 km orbit with an inclination of 51.6°, the same as that of the ISS, allowing multiple spacecrafts from multiple spaceports around the world to reach it. Haven-1 is designed to fit inside its fairing of the Falcon-9.
Haven-1 will have the capability to house up to 4 astronauts for 30 days. The interiors have been designed by Peter Russell-Clarke, a world-renowned designer, and Andrew Feustel, a NASA astronaut with over 225 days in space.
The first innovative feature is the docking port, which is designed to allow the docking of Dragon, which will shuttle the crews to and from the space station; however, in the future, this might allow docking of other spacecraft, both cargo and crew.
After docking, the crew will enter using the hatch and be greeted by a long corridor with cargo storage facilities and real-time displays that show temperature and light control of Haven-1. The corridor’s walls are soft and padded to ensure safety.
The 4 crew quarters are located in compartments above and below the corridor; they’re slightly larger than the ISS’ and with a new sleep system (pending patent) with a queen-sized bed to maintain the same pressure during the night and facilitate sleepers in all positions! Each room also has a storage compartment, a vanity, and a custom amenities kit.
Rendering of Haven-1 sleeping quarters. Credit: Vast Space
The common area has a 24 cubic meter volume with a 1.1-meter-wide dome above to look at the earth and a multi-use deployable table mainly used for eating or recreation, which can then be folded in the floor. This way the astronaut will be able to see breathtaking views of Earth above them while they eat, for example. The Common Area also features a resistance band system for exercising. Once in space, astronauts can have serious health problems, including cardiovascular problems and bone and muscle loss; luckily, exercise helps prevent these problems, which is why astronauts on the ISS can train up to 2.5 hours per day. With the resistance band system on Haven-1, astronauts will be able to train both upper and lower body, along with cardiovascular fitness. Another new feature in the Common Area is safety-tested and fire-resistant maple wood veneer slats that bring calmness and improve general well-being.
The biggest feature of Haven-1 is its Lab, the first microgravity research, development, and manufacturing platform on a commercial space station. 10 MLEs (Middeck Locker Equivalent) microwave-sized payload slots are available behind the forward wall to house the experiments. The Haven-1 Lab can count on 1000 W of power and air cooling and can house up to 300 kg of useful experiments, allowing commercial astronauts to do more science than ever before. Redwire and Yuri have already reserved 2 of the MLEs and are giving the opportunity to rent them for payloads and experiments. The experiments can also be monitored from the ground thanks to Starlink connection.
Future Plans
In 2025, Vast Space will launch Haven Demo, a testbed for hardware, software, and technologies in preparation for the Haven-1 launch in August 2025. Beyond Haven-1, Vast Space has a clearly defined roadmap for its future plans. Vast is working on a 7-meter-wide starship-class module, which is supposed to be launched in 2028 and will have a habitable volume of 500 cubic meters.
Furthermore, Vast is expected to launch its artificial gravity space station in the 2030s. This station can support a crew of up to 8 in a 100-meter-long space station, featuring artificial gravity environments like those on Earth, Venus, Mars, and the Moon, with a habitable volume of 3,500 cubic meters.
One of their most ambitious plans, revealed at the IAC 2024 in Milan, Italy, includes Haven-2, a giant space station to replace the ISS. Haven-2's first module is planned to launch in 2028. It will feature solar panels, 2 docking ports, and 2 domes to observe the Earth. It will also include Starlink laser connectivity. While the exterior design differs from Haven-1, the interior is just an iteration, so it can house 4 astronauts per module.
Between 2029 and 2030, they plan to launch three additional modules for expanded power, volume, and laboratory facilities. The modules would be docked in a train-like configuration until the launch of the core module in 2030: a 7-meter-wide module with an EVA airlock and external payload support. The core would be at the center, with the 4 modules docked at docking ports 90° apart. Each side would have an additional module added afterward, featuring a 3.8-meter-wide cupola, airlock, and robotic arm, among other upgrades. By 2032, the space station would have 9 modules and would be complete, ready to house many astronauts and, hopefully, be just one of many future commercial space stations.
In addition, the company aims to service NASA, the US government, ESA, and private individuals, as well as offer institutions and companies a platform for in-space manufacturing.
Final comment
Haven-1 has the capability to allow every commodity needed while keeping a simple yet efficient design, and once it’s operational it’s going to open endless possibilities for private, commercial and government space agencies. Science, observation, exploration, these are only some of the possibilities that Vast Space allows.
Sources:
https://www.vastspace.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/the-human-body-in-space
https://www.vastspace.com/updates/esa-and-vast-signed-a-memorandum-of-understanding-for-future-vast-space-stations
