ars TECHNICA by Stephen Clark – Nov 3, 2025
Vast differs from its space station cohorts by flying a series of progressively more complex demos. A pathfinder mission for Vast’s privately owned space station launched into orbit Sunday and promptly extended its solar panel, kicking off a shakedown cruise to prove the company’s designs can meet the demands of spaceflight.
Vast’s Haven Demo mission lifted off just after midnight Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and rode a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into orbit. Haven Demo was one of 18 satellites sharing a ride on SpaceX’s Bandwagon 4 mission, launching alongside a South Korean spy satellite and a small testbed for Starcloud, a startup working with Nvidia to build an orbital data center.
After release from the Falcon 9, the half-ton Haven Demo spacecraft stabilized itself and extended its power-generating solar array. The satellite captured 4K video of the solar array deployment, and Vast shared the beauty shot on social media.
“What a launch night and team at Vast!” the company’s CEO, Max Haot, posted on X. “And thanks for the ride, SpaceX. Haven Demo’s mission success has turned us into a proven spacecraft company. The next step will be to become an actual commercial space station company next year. Something no one has achieved yet.”
More:
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/a-commercial-space-station-startup-now-has-a-foothold-in-space/
