Vast unveils final Haven-1 space station design

Vast, a U.S.-based space habitation company, has unveiled the interior design of Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station, slated to launch in 2025. The company’s vision for Haven-1 is to create a blend of advanced technology and human-centered design, offering astronauts an environment that promotes comfort, well-being, and efficiency for long-term missions. Haven-1 is designed not just for scientific research and technological innovation in low-Earth orbit (LEO), but also to create a more comfortable, livable space for its occupants, showcasing a groundbreaking approach to space habitation.

The station’s interior, shaped by renowned designer Peter Russell-Clarke, known for his work on iconic Apple products, merges function and aesthetics. A key feature is the introduction of a centralized window that offers astronauts an uninterrupted view of Earth, blending form and functionality. Russell-Clarke emphasized that designing for zero-gravity environments presents unique challenges, which Vast addressed by creating an environment that is not only efficient but also naturally comforting. The design’s primary goal is to ensure astronauts thrive in space, an achievement that sets a new standard for interior space station design.

Andrew Feustel, a veteran NASA astronaut with over 225 days of experience aboard the ISS, contributed his expertise to the project, ensuring that astronaut needs were at the forefront of Haven-1’s development. Feustel highlighted the importance of improving upon lessons learned from previous space missions to enhance communication, privacy, and daily living aboard the station. Haven-1’s design incorporates these considerations, offering expanded private crew quarters, advanced communication systems through SpaceX’s Starlink, and a patent-pending sleep system to optimize rest in a zero-gravity environment.

The station’s interior is meticulously designed with padded surfaces for safety, real-time system displays, and optimized storage for cargo. The private crew quarters, slightly larger than those on the ISS, offer astronauts a dedicated space to rest, change, and communicate with loved ones on Earth. The design includes a custom sleep system that evenly distributes pressure for maximum comfort, addressing historical challenges astronauts face while sleeping in zero gravity.

At the heart of Haven-1 is a multifunctional Common Area, a hub for collaboration, meals, exercise, and relaxation. This area includes a large observation window for breathtaking views of Earth and a deployable table that enhances space efficiency. Exercise, crucial for astronaut health in space, is supported by a resistance band system designed to maintain cardiovascular and bone health in microgravity environments.

Connected to the Common Area is the Haven-1 Lab, the world’s first microgravity research and manufacturing platform on a commercial space station. The lab offers 10 payload slots for scientific innovations and can be operated remotely via SpaceX’s Starlink Internet. The design of the station prioritizes intuitive functionality, ensuring that astronauts can live and work seamlessly in space while advancing scientific progress.

Haven-1’s use of maple wood veneer slats in the common space adds natural warmth to the traditionally sterile interiors of space stations, creating a calming atmosphere. The station represents a shift toward modular living and working environments, where innovation and comfort coexist. With this station, Vast is setting a new benchmark for commercial space stations, pushing the boundaries of how humans live and work in space, and laying the groundwork for future space habitation advancements.