Vast’s Haven-1 has passed primary structure qualification proof test

On January 31, Vast – an AM Adopter since the company’s merger with Launcher – completed the primary structure qualification proof test, demonstrating the station’s durability and adherence to safety standards. The test was passed on the first attempt.

Vast is making significant strides in developing Haven-1, positioning itself as a leading space station company. With no operational commercial space stations currently in orbit, Vast aims to be the first to achieve this milestone. The successful crewed mission to Haven-1 will mark the company’s emergence as the world’s first commercial space station operator, well ahead of its competitors.

Vast has embarked on the Haven-1 initiative with a bold ambition: to propel the evolution of space station infrastructure at an accelerated pace. Three principal objectives anchor this endeavor, each meticulously designed to carve out a dominant position in the domain of commercial orbital habitats.

A real space station, ahead of the competition

Vast was founded in 2021 to secure NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination (CLD) Phase II contract. Unlike contenders focusing on conceptual planning and proposal drafting, Vast has actively engineered, assembled, scrutinized, and operated its orbital station.

By the time NASA reaches its selection juncture, Vast will have already ventured into crewed expeditions, forged pivotal commercial alliances for research and development, harnessed microgravity for both scientific breakthroughs and economic pursuits, instituted rigorous astronaut training protocols, and refined its methodologies across all stages of flight operations. The cumulative insights from Haven-1 will lay an unshakable foundation for the forthcoming Haven-2, conferring upon Vast an unrivaled advantage in both operational proficiency and flight lineage.

Vast holds the conviction that genuine advancements in crewed space systems stem not from abstract theorization but from tangible, hands-on spacecraft development. The company embraces the real-world intricacies of fabrication, logistical coordination, and testing rather than remaining ensnared in hypothetical schematics.

A testament to its adaptive engineering ethos, Vast initially opted for stainless steel as the primary structural material for Haven-1 but later pivoted to aluminum after encountering practical manufacturing constraints. This fluidity in material selection exemplifies a broader philosophy of iterative refinement, ensuring that every facet of Haven-1 is subjected to exhaustive validation before deployment.

Haven-1’s rapid development and milestones

Vast completed the Haven-1 primary structure qualification article in record time, marking the first space station primary structure built in the U.S. in over two decades. This milestone underscores Vast’s ability to manufacture space station components at an unmatched speed. The development process progressed through several key phases, beginning with the Haven-1 Pathfinder Article from November 2023 to June 2024, which validated fabrication techniques. This was followed by the Primary Structure Qualification phase between July 2024 and January 2025, where full-scale structural testing was completed. From January to July 2025, the final stage focuses on producing the flight-ready primary structure. Vast’s in-house manufacturing strategy accelerates production and reduces costs, reinforcing the U.S.’s leadership in space infrastructure development.

Every critical structural component underwent rigorous testing to ensure reliability and mission readiness. The hatch and domed window pressure pane were assessed for pressurization integrity, while the forward bulkhead was tested to confirm its structural resilience. The launch vehicle separation system and docking adapter were also evaluated to verify their flight readiness. To replicate Haven-1’s launch conditions, Vast constructed a dedicated test stand, which included pressurization using dry nitrogen, 36 hydraulic actuators to simulate launch forces, and 64 strain gauge channels to measure structural responses.

For the January 31st test, the structure was pressurized to 1.8 barD (26 psig) without any detectable changes and maintained a stable 3 psi (0.2 bar) pressure hold for 48 hours without leaks. All tests met NASA-STD-5001 safety requirements, confirming Haven-1’s readiness for its next phase.

Updated Haven-1 Timeline

Vast maintains transparency in its development schedule. The updated timeline is as follows: