Happy to oblige. I’m increasingly thumb-fingered these days so I have to make multiple passes over my own stuff and, even so, the occasional typo still gets through. It helps that copy editing was among my duties at several points in my checkered employment history – can’t really dignify it by calling it a career. I’ll continue to sing out whenever I spot anything.

Richard M,

The biggest problem with the Core Module idea that Jared spitballed at the Ignition presentation is the little matter of where NASA can get such a thing on the very tight schedule that must be met if the project is to have any chance of success – however defined. The other would-be providers of post-ISS LEO (Low-Earth Orbit) crewed space stations all hire their metal-bending done by others. So none of them can realistically take on the design and construction of the Core Module themselves at the double-time pace required.

But Vast can because it’s full of SpaceX alums who built the outfit with a high degree of vertical integration from the get-go. If, as seems to be the case, the notional Core Module is to have ISS re-boost as one of its duties when initially attached to the venerable station, Vast is also in very good shape anent designing in such capability were it to get the Core Module contract – assuming there turns out to be one. Most of the notional Core Module can probably be constructed from Haven parts with only modest new design effort.

Vast also has a very close relationship with Impulse Space – another very SpaceX-y outfit given its founder and CEO’s history – from whom it buys all of its thrusters for the Havens. Impulse could certainly supply Vast a thruster complex capable of re-boosting ISS in jig time. Thus, Vast is all but certain to be in good shape whichever way NASA decides to go with the revised CLD (Commercial LEO Destinations) program.

Vast issues a statement supporting NASA new space station plans

Their endorsement of the July 31, 2025 program revision was more explicit than this; they are a little more equivocal here (“We look forward to learning more details about NASA’s proposed approach.”) I do tend to think they’d prefer the existing commercial space station program, which would give them more funding and more flexibility. But it is also true that they are the most flexible and adaptable (and probably, lowest cost) of all the commercial space stations architectures in development, so they likely could have the best chance of succeeding under this new proposal, too.

Dick Eagleson: Thank you. Fixed. It appears you are becoming one of my best copy-editors. Very much appreciated.

At least slightly surprising that the Namibians had their hands out quite so baldly seeking baksheesh. Namibia has – or had – the reputation of having one of the less dysfunctional governments in Sub-Saharan Africa. Perhaps the pervasive rot from its next-door neighbor is setting in. The Dark Continent continues to disappoint but not, sadly, to surprise.