The first private space station in human history

The new era of commercial space stations has officially begun, and on November 1, 2025, the American startup Vast launched the Haven Demo, a small 500 kg experimental satellite that serves as a functional prototype of the future private space station Haven-1, the launch was carried out aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX. At first glance, the Haven Demo looks like just another satellite, but its function is crucial, testing two central power, propulsion, control and communication systems that will sustain the company's future orbital habitat; During 6 months in orbit, the vehicle will validate everything from navigation to emergency protocols to minimize risks before the launch of Haven-1 scheduled for May next year.

The satellite has already deployed its solar panels and operates normally, according to Vast reports, the mission includes rigorous tests of the distribution unit, responsible for managing the energy coming from the solar panel batteries. Engineers will also evaluate how the system responds to simultaneous failures, simulating emergency scenarios that could occur on manned missions. At the end of the operation, Heaven Demo will perform a controlled re-entry over the South Pacific, disintegrating in the atmosphere, a planned step to demonstrate the safety of the elimination process. If the mission is successful, Haven-1 will be launched into a 425 km orbit, the inflatable module will have expandable solar panels and will go through a 45-day confinement period before receiving its first private crew transported by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Four astronauts will remain on board for around 30 days and a completely commercial environment independent of NASA. If everything goes as planned, the first private space station in human history could be a few months away from becoming a reality, marking the beginning of a new stage in which Earth orbit will no longer be the exclusive domain of governments and will also become a commercial destination.