SpaceX has signed a deal with California-based company Vast Space to fly two private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS) using its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule. The flights were booked by Vast Space, which is developing a private space station called Haven-1 that could reach orbit as soon as next year.
The partnership aims to enable payload and crewed missions to the ISS, strengthening Vast’s collaboration with NASA and global space agencies. This will position Vast as a leading contender to deliver the next-generation successor to the ISS, which is currently being developed by NASA through its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination program.
Vast has proposed its Haven-2 design, a larger and more advanced version of its current pathfinder, which could be operational in low Earth orbit by 2028. The company’s newly booked flights would be private astronaut missions (PAMs), short-duration trips that must be approved by NASA.
SpaceX is already working with Houston-based company Axiom Space on four PAM flights, all of which were proposed by Axiom and will be launched using SpaceX’s hardware. Vast Space has not yet received NASA approval for its planned PAM flights, but SpaceX says it will be ready to send them on their way when the time comes.
The partnership between Vast Space and SpaceX aims to create more opportunities for space travel, enabling individuals to explore the stars in the future.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/spacex-inks-deal-to-launch-2-more-astronaut-missions-to-the-iss