File pic of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that carries NASA's crew to the International Space Station at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S | Photo Credit: JOE SKIPPER

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Vast Space, a privately-held American aerospace company, has signed an order with NASA for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than summer 2027 from Florida.

It will be Vast’s first private astronaut mission to the space station in partnership with NASA.

Max Haot, CEO, Vast said leveraging the remaining life of the International Space Station with science and research-led commercial crewed missions is a critical part of the transition to commercial space stations and fully unlocking the orbital economy.

Vast is also equally focused on the Indian markets with the company’s CEO Max Haot attending the Global Space Exploration Conference last year, focusing on opportunities in human spaceflight and space station development.

Vast’s Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030.

The Vast private astronaut mission crew is expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the space station. A specific launch date will depend on overall spacecraft traffic at the orbital outpost and other planning considerations. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the crew on a Dragon spacecraft to the space station.

The mission will generate invaluable insights into the infrastructure and processes required for Vast to safely accomplish human spaceflight missions.

Vast is planning a robust science and research portfolio with a focus on biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, human research, and technology demonstrations for the mission. Last year, Vast announced a call for research proposals for a potential PAM mission. In addition, Vast’s current agreement with CASIS will enable increased throughput of high-quality science that aligns with its science strategy.

Published on February 13, 2026