Space tourism has become one of the next frontiers to explore. Both private companies and millionaires will have access to this option. Now, space startup Vast has shown the final design of what it claims will It will be the “world’s first commercial space station”.
The structure, called Haven-1, is a sleek, cylindrical outpost designed to house “state-of-the-art facilities for scientific research and, at the same time, prioritize the well-being and experience of your astronauts and their vision of making space accessible to all,” according to a press release.
Despite being an exciting look at future space travel, the eye-catching Vast images are just mockups. The company hopes to launch its station via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 “no earlier than August 2025.”
Considering the sheer level of complexity involved and the many previous startups that had similar goals but never had anything to show for it, we should expect that date to change.
On the other hand, there is already a reliable way to get there and back in the shape of an lSpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, tried and true.
Notably, Vast was founded in 2021 by programmer Jed McCaleb, who also founded the bitcoin exchange platform Mt. Gox, which closed in 2014 and has been the subject of speculation and many lawsuits since then.
The new McCaleb space station project was created to develop the first space station with artificial gravitybut Haven-1 is not as ambitious as that.
The images show a massive 1-metre domed glass window that would give passengers a wide-angle view of the Earth below. Up to four crew members would have ample private space thanks to each room having a “built-in storage compartment, vanity and a personalized hygiene product kit” explains the website.
The station’s “soft and padded” interior surfaces would ensure that crew members do not get hurt if they hit their heads against the walls due to the almost weightlessness of the space.
Sleeping aboard the station appears to be an equally luxurious experience. “Vast’s exclusive patent-pending sleep system, approximately the size of a queen-size bed, provides a customized amount of even pressure throughout the night and it adapts to both side and back sleepers.”
One image shows a woman snuggling under a huge duvet, a far cry from the dreary sleeping pods aboard the International Space Station. A common area would allow passengers to gather and enjoy “breathtaking views” of Earth, while the station’s integrated gym It would give them the opportunity to exercise hundreds of kilometers above the surface.
Naturally, SpaceX plans to provide Starlink Internet connectivity to the space station.
It’s still unclear how much it will cost to stay aboard Haven-1, but considering a simple trip to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft It can cost around 55 million dollars per seatwe bet it will be an experience reserved for billionaires.