Vast Partners with Redwire and Yuri for Microgravity Lab on Haven-1 Space Station
Vast has taken a significant step toward its goal of building and operating a human-rated space station by announcing a partnership with two industry leaders to offer microgravity laboratory facilities on its upcoming Haven-1 station.
4 minute read•Updated 2:39 AM EDT, Fri August 9, 2024
Vast has taken a significant step toward its goal of building and operating a human-rated space station by announcing a partnership with two industry leaders to offer microgravity laboratory facilities on its upcoming Haven-1 station.
The announcement, made on August 1, revealed plans for the Haven-1 Lab, a dedicated research facility that will be part of the Haven-1 commercial space station.
A New Era in Space Research
The Haven-1 station is scheduled for launch no earlier than August 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Following the launch, the station will be visited by up to four crew missions using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Vast’s Haven-1 Lab will play a central role in these missions by offering 10 middeck locker equivalents, which are standard payload accommodations used on the International Space Station (ISS).
Each of these 10 slots will be capable of hosting payloads weighing up to 30 kilograms and requiring up to 100 watts of power. While the payloads will be launched with the station, Vast has ensured that users will have the ability to return samples or products from these payloads aboard the visiting Dragon spacecraft.
A Demonstration of Capabilities
Part of the company’s broader strategy is to demonstrate its capability to NASA and other industry stakeholders as a potential awardee under NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program.
“Haven-1 is our demonstration to show NASA we are the best potential awardee that they could have,” - Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer of Vast
To maximize the potential of the Haven-1 Lab, Vast has partnered with two companies experienced in operating experiments on the ISS—Redwire Space and Yuri, a European space biotech firm. These partnerships are crucial as Vast seeks to build on the experience and expertise these companies have gained from their work on the ISS.
Redwire and Yuri Expertise
Redwire Space will bring its Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) and PIL-BOX pharmaceutical experiment platforms to the Haven-1 Lab. These platforms have been flown on the ISS and are expected to play a vital role in the new lab.
Similarly, Yuri will provide its ScienceTaxi experiment package, another asset that has proven its value in space research.
Both companies are optimistic about the opportunities presented by the Haven-1 Lab, particularly in offering new research capabilities that may not be possible on the ISS due to its limitations.
“If you had a single laboratory, you could only do a limited number of experiments, and progress would be slow...This is why opening up new platforms, new capabilities, new opportunities is important to realize the gains that began on the ISS.” - Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer of Redwire
“ISS space is limited...For us, as a commercial company, it’s good to be working with another commercial company.” - Maria Birlem, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Yuri
Expanding Opportunities
One of the key advantages of the Haven-1 Lab, according to both companies, is the ability to fly payloads that may face challenges in securing approval for an ISS mission. The ISS, being a government program, requires that scientific proposals undergo rigorous evaluation.
“With Vast, it is a purely commercial thing. No one is judging the science, and you can bring up all kinds of customers,” - Maria Birlem, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Yuri
The ISS was not initially designed to support commercial operations, whereas Haven-1 has commercial opportunities built into its foundation.
“Haven-1, on the other hand, has that built into its DNA. So, we’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate business in a way that doesn’t exist on ISS,” - Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer of Redwire
Preparing for the Future
As Vast continues to develop Haven-1 and its associated research capabilities, the company is also using this experience to inform the design and business model of a larger space station that it hopes to offer to NASA’s CLD program in the future.
“We really have to articulate what we think the market is and how we think we will break through and generate these revenues...This is all about preparing us for that.” - Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer of Vast
The Haven-1 Lab represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing commercialization of space, offering new opportunities for research and development that could drive innovation across various industries. With the support of partners like Redwire and Yuri, Vast is well-positioned to lead the way in this emerging sector.
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As a journalist Zac writes about space exploration, technology, and science. He has covered Inspiration-4, Artemis-1, Starship IFT-1, AX-2 on location.