Vast Expands Haven-1 Manifest with New Payload Partners

Vast has added three new research collaborators to its Haven-1 mission, the commercial space station slated to launch no earlier than May 2026. The new signings further round out the station’s research agenda, attracting international partners in biotechnology and life sciences looking to harness low Earth orbit for scientific development.

Three New Names Join Haven-1’s Growing Roster

The newest entrants to Haven-1’s lineup include Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS), Interstellar Lab from France, and Exobiosphere, based in Luxembourg. They join Redwire and Yuri as early payload adopters, with most of the available research capacity on the station now either reserved or allocated.

JAMSS brings experience from its work with Japan’s Kibo module aboard the International Space Station and will provide a flexible microgravity research platform. Interstellar Lab is contributing Eden 1.0, designed for plant biology and broader life sciences experimentation. Exobiosphere will conduct pharmaceutical testing in orbit, leveraging the station’s capabilities for advanced biotech screening.

Lockers Filling Fast on Haven-1

The Haven-1 module supports up to ten middeck lockers for onboard experiments, using ISS-standard dimensions but reimagined with a different interior design approach. These lockers sit behind wooden panelling at one end of the module intended to offer a less sterile, more habitable living and working space for visiting crew.

According to Vast CEO Max Haot, nearly all of the available payload slots are spoken for. He noted that interest in the early stages required some persuasion, but momentum has since shifted, with demand now exceeding the station’s capacity.

Global Interest in Post-ISS Research Platforms

As Haven-1 inches closer to launch, the growing appeal of off-ISS research opportunities is becoming clear. Haot has pointed to this trend as indicative of a broader rethink in how microgravity environments are valued not just as testing grounds but as catalysts for scientific innovation.

Exobiosphere’s CEO, Kyle Acierno, described Haven-1 as a uniquely capable platform for accelerating breakthroughs in drug discovery and noted that its infrastructure aligns well with their high-throughput screening needs.

Stepping Stone to Haven-2 and ISS Science Access

While Haven-1 is intended to support four crewed short-duration missions, it also serves a larger strategic purpose: laying the groundwork for Haven-2, Vast’s proposed contribution to NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations programme.

On top of this, the company is pursuing private astronaut flights to the ISS. As part of this effort, Vast recently signed a research access agreement with CASIS, the organisation managing NASA’s national laboratory on the ISS. The agreement will allow the company to participate in orbital research aboard the ISS, opening up an important channel for scientific operations tied to its longer-term goals.

Haot noted that such agreements are key for private-sector participation in ISS science, describing it as a gateway for commercial research initiatives aligned with Vast’s evolving role in low Earth orbit.