The Mojave Air and Space Port is home to an ambitious project by Vast, which is constructing Haven-1, scheduled for launch in May 2026. The cylindrical aluminum module is undergoing extreme pressure testing to ensure structural integrity before adding life-support systems. During testing, the module is pressurized to 2.4 times Earth's atmosphere, requiring safety precautions around the worksite. This project follows the impending retirement of the International Space Station, marking a significant shift toward commercial space endeavors as Vast aims for the first independent commercial space station.
Vast is racing against the clock to launch the world's first commercial space station-independently, in-house, and in record time. It's an audacious effort, made possible by the retirement of an icon: the International Space Station.
Before engineers can install the module's instrumentation, electronics, and life-support systems, they need to repeatedly pressurize the structure to 2.4 times Earth's atmosphere to test its workmanship.
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