🛸 Haven-1: The World's First Commercial Space Station
In May 2026, the American startup Vast Space plans to launch Haven-1, the world's first fully commercial space station. Crypto billionaire Jed McCaleb personally funds the project and has committed $1 billion of his fortune to bring the vision to life.
Designed to host a four-person crew for missions of up to 30 days, Haven-1 will serve both space tourists and microgravity research missions. According to Vast, the station is meant as a stepping stone—a demo flight to prove they can build safe, functional infrastructure in orbit before going bigger.
The team behind Haven-1 includes key former SpaceX, Blue Origin, and NASA engineers, such as Alex Hudson, ex-VP of Avionics at SpaceX, and NASA astronaut Andrew Feustel, who has flown three space missions.
🌑 A Luxury Capsule Hotel in Orbit
Hillary Coe, former Head of Design at SpaceX, who also worked at Google and Apple, led the visual concept. The interior of Haven-1 looks more like a futuristic hotel than a traditional spacecraft (see video ⤴️). Industrial designer Peter Russell-Clarke, known for his work on Apple products, crafted a warm and elegant interior using soft textures and maple wood paneling. The station features four private crew cabins, a shared living area, a panoramic viewing window, and a microgravity research lab. Lighting and climate systems will adjust to circadian rhythms, and high-speed internet will be provided via Starlink.
🛰 A Bid to Replace the ISS—or Lose Everything
Vast's ambitions go beyond a single launch. The Haven-1 mission is their official entry into NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program, which aims to identify private partners to replace the International Space Station by 2030. NASA is expected to select winners of this multi-billion-dollar contract in mid-2026—right around the time Haven-1 reaches orbit.
But Vast is not alone in the race: Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Voyager Space are also competing, some with NASA-backed agreements. What sets Vast apart is that it's entirely self-funded—and moving faster than many expected.
However, the race includes heavyweights like Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. If Vast can impress NASA and win the contract, its next step will be Haven-2—a larger station with water and air recycling systems for longer-term missions. If not, McCaleb's $1 billion may quite literally vanish into space.
"It's a matter of existence for us to win that competition," says Max Haot, Vast's CEO.
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