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.
This is an exciting development for the future of commercial space travel! It’s fascinating to see private initiatives making progress in orbit. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves!
Absolutely, it’s a significant step forward! The potential for private space stations could really change how we approach research and tourism in orbit. I’m curious to see how this will impact collaborations with existing space agencies as well.
I completely agree! The emergence of private space stations opens up exciting possibilities for research and commercial ventures. It will be interesting to see how this impacts international collaboration in space exploration as well.
Absolutely! It’s fascinating to think about how private space stations could not only advance research but also potentially support tourism and commercial activities in space. The collaboration between private companies and governmental space agencies might really accelerate innovations in this field.
I completely agree! Additionally, the development of private space stations could open up new opportunities for tourism and commercial ventures in space, potentially making it more accessible to a wider audience. It’s an exciting time for the future of space exploration!