GabyAs children, many of us dreamed of going into space when we grew up. But life aboard space stations—especially the ISS—isn’t as romantic or glamorous as it seems.
That could change soon. At least, that’s what Vast, the company building next-generation platforms for living and scientific research in space, says.
Thanks to the Daily Mail, we can take a look inside Haven-1 – the first private commercial space station set to launch next year. Vast announced that by the time of launch, around one billion dollars will have been invested in the station.
And what’s inside?
Experts say Haven-1 is significantly more modern and spacious than the ISS, which has been in orbit since 1998.
The new platform has everything needed for comfortable living and working. To create the interiors, Vast hired designer Peter Russell-Clarke. He said, “The interiors of Haven-1 are unprecedented; they are meticulously designed and thought out to provide its residents with comfortable conditions in space.”
From the outside, Haven-1 looks like any other spacecraft. But the interior is pleasantly surprising: it feels much warmer and cozier than the ISS. Many of the details are made of maple wood. Interior surfaces have an added soft layer that “protects crew members and visitors while they move around the station,” the company said.
The designers created four separate crew rooms located above and below the main corridor. There, astronauts will rest and recharge for their work.
These spacious personal rooms are somewhat larger than the cabins onboard the ISS, Vast noted. They were specifically designed so astronauts can change clothes, relax, and communicate with loved ones via SpaceX’s Starlink internet connection without distractions. These private spaces also help ensure that space explorers get a good night’s rest.
Sleeping used to be a challenge for astronauts because they couldn’t lie horizontally in microgravity. Vast has addressed this with a patented sleep system.
Astronauts will sleep on large beds about the size of a standard double. They provide “individual uniform pressure throughout the night” and support sleeping on the side or the back, the company explained.
And that’s not all.
The main common area has a volume of 24 m³. It serves as a multifunctional center where the crew will eat, exercise, conduct laboratory experiments, and relax.
A folding table stows into the floor when not in use. Through a large observation window, astronauts can look out at Earth. They’ll maintain fitness in a modern gym equipped with a resistance training system.
Vast said the resistance system in the common area includes body attachments and stations for individualized exercise programs to help strengthen bones, muscles, and the cardiovascular system.
This system allows for both linear and rotational resistance exercises, with a specific focus on musculoskeletal health.
The project team consulted experienced astronaut Andrew Feustel of NASA, who spent more than 225 days on the ISS. He said the cozy new Haven-1 addresses many of the problems astronauts faced aboard the ISS and that every detail was designed with crew needs in mind.
