Vast has apparently reconfigured and scaled down its proposed Haven-2 full space station
Click for original animation.
In a X tweet in early May that I only saw today, the space station startup Vast touts its series of orbital missions, beginning with its Haven demo test satellite that flew last year, followed by its Haven-1 single module station that will launch in 2027, and finally its proposed full multi-module Haven-2 station targeting a 2030 launch date.
The screen capture to the right shows Haven-1 (unmanned and manned with a docked Dragon capsule) and the Haven-2 station, comprising four Haven-1 modules attached in a single line.
What makes this newsworthy to me is that it is a major simplification and reduction in size for Haven-2. Until recently the company had planned to build Haven-2 with a central docking hub with eight modules attached in a cross, two for each arm (See the graphic here).
It appears the company has scaled down Haven-2 in anticipation of reduced funding from NASA. The original plan was to win a big contract allowing the company to build the full Haven-2 station. This smaller Haven-2 appears to recognize that even if Vast gets a contract from NASA, it won’t be enough to build the full station. This smaller design can serve NASA’s needs, while also serving the needs of Vast’s other private customers, which include foreign nations who want to send their astronauts to space and a number of companies that want to use Haven-2 to manufacture pharmaceuticals and other products for sale back on Earth.
This configuration also allows the company some flexibility. Because it uses those Haven-1 modules, it can always add that docking hub later, and add or shift modules to recreate the full original design.
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