NASA Selects Vast Space for Sixth Crewed Private Mission to ISS in 2027
According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, NASA recently confirmed the selection of Vast Space to execute the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, with the flight planned for summer 2027, provided all milestones are met.
This selection holds substantial importance for both Vast Space and NASA, as the agency aims to transition the management of the ISS to private entities following the current station’s planned decommissioning around 2030. Jared Isaacman, NASA’s principal official, stated that these private crewed missions represent more than just access to the ISS; they generate opportunities for novel concepts, businesses, and capabilities, paving the way for future endeavors toward the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
“We are proud to welcome Vast Space into this growing community of commercial partners,” Isaacman added. “Each new participant brings unique strengths that foster a dynamic and innovative marketplace as we advance research and technology and prepare for missions beyond low-Earth orbit.”
To date, four private crewed missions have launched to the ISS, all facilitated by Houston-based Axiom Space. Axiom Space is also slated for the fifth mission, which is scheduled for launch in January 2027.
The four-person Axiom Space flights utilize SpaceX hardware, including the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon capsule, for transit to and from the orbital outpost, typically taking about two weeks from launch to landing. NASA indicated that the 2027 Vast Space mission will follow this fundamental operational blueprint. Details on the crew for the Vast Space flight remain pending, as the company is set to submit the names of its four proposed astronauts to NASA and the other ISS partners for official review and approval.
Both Vast Space and Axiom Space share ambitious long-term visions: establishing and operating their own private space stations in low-Earth orbit. Both organizations view organizing tourism and research flights to the ISS as crucial preliminary steps toward achieving this goal.
Max Haot, CEO of Vast Space, commented on the strategy, noting that leveraging the remaining operational lifespan of the ISS through commercial scientific and research crewed missions is a critical component of the transition to commercial space stations and the full liberation of the orbital economy.
Axiom Space plans to launch several modules to attach to the ISS starting in 2027. This cluster will eventually detach from the aging station to become the independent Axiom Station. Conversely, Vast Space intends to launch its own navigation station, named Haven-1, into low-Earth orbit in 2027. The company plans to use the lessons learned from this mission to construct and operate the multi-module Haven-2 station in subsequent years. Vast Space previously began its off-world operations by launching the 500-kilogram Haven Demo pathfinder vehicle last November to demonstrate key Haven technologies.
Other companies are also advancing plans for low-Earth orbit stations. Blue Origin and Sierra Space are collaborating on a platform called Orbital Reef, while a consortium involving NanoRacks and Voyager Space is developing Starlab.
Both of these competing commercial station efforts have secured funding from NASA. Over the past five years, the agency has allocated more than $500 million to assist in the development of these commercial low-Earth orbit platforms.
Should these private station ventures fail to materialize, the only operational base remaining in low-Earth orbit after the International Space Station’s planned descent would likely be China’s Tiangong space station, a three-module facility completed in late 2022.
