Vast’s Haven-1 is under development to be the world’s first commercial space station. It will be launched into low-Earth orbit via a SpaceX Falcon rocket in 2025. The first paying customers are expected to board in 2026. Recently released designs have shown that this inside-the-box concept focuses on making passengers comfortable.
Vast has opted for fine-grained maple wood lining in the interiors of Haven-1. That gives it a warmer and cozier feel, completely contrasting to the aluminum lining that spacecraft usually have. Comfort is key in the design, from the soft duvets created to help passengers sleep better in the challenging space environment.
An Innovative Sleep System
Haven-1’s sleeping system is roughly queen-sized, engineered to accommodate a variety of sleeping positions. The duvet has been engineered to inflate and then distribute equal pressure. Such attention to comfort shows that Vast is doing what it can to make space travel as pleasant as possible, even for those who do not sleep well in microgravity.
Vast intends to make Haven-1 more than just a space hotel but also a scientific research hub. This satellite will carry a microgravity experiment lab where the astronauts, staying on board, can join hands in critical research work. This could include health and biological studies, which could be performed by taking advantage of the special conditions presented by microgravity.
A New Vision for Exploration
The founder of Vast, Jed McCaleb, staunchly believes in the resources available beyond Earth and in exploring them. Haven-1, for him, is not just for recreation but part of a more significant frontier opening up for humans to encourage exploration and scientific advancement in space. McCaleb remarked, “a new frontier is needed for humanity, and space allows pushing new limits to explore unthought-of possibilities.”
Today, Vast unveiled the final design for Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station, setting a new standard. Guided by visionary designer Peter Russell-Clarke and astronaut Andrew Feustel, we’re pushing the boundaries of life in space with human-first design led by… pic.twitter.com/xDdMzNFnuF
— VAST (@vast) October 10, 2024
Although the exact price to stay on Haven-1 is not disclosed, the service is expected to be more expensive for some rich customers, similar to current offerings for International Space Station trips. For the people who will be able to pay for the experience, though, Haven-1 offers that rare combination of comfort with the ability to participate in scientific exploration. When it launches, Haven-1 hopes to make space travel even more accessible and enjoyable for future generations.
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