Huge is shifting into the ultimate phases of constructing its Haven-1 non-public area station, readying for launch in 2026, in a transfer that would open up a brand new period in human spaceflight.
Up to now couple of weeks, the California-based startup has accomplished the remaining weld on the first construction of Haven-1, adopted by portray. Subsequent steps embrace integrating the flight article’s hatch and a domed window as the corporate strikes nearer to realizing its imaginative and prescient of a non-public area station in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The area station is meant to be a stepping stone into a brand new period of human spaceflight, in accordance with Huge lead astronaut Drew Feustel, who spoke with Area.com on the 76th Worldwide Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia, in early October.
“If we persist with our plan, we would be the first standalone industrial LEO platform ever in area with Haven-1, and that is a tremendous inflection level for human spaceflight,” stated Feustel, who’s a former NASA astronaut. The Falcon 9 for the launch is booked, and liftoff might happen as quickly because the second quarter of 2026.
Huge’s rise has been meteoric. Based in 2021, the corporate has swelled to round 800 workers. Practically all of its {hardware} is constructed in-house, with solely photo voltaic arrays and thrusters outsourced. “Once I joined in December 2023, we have been nonetheless deciding between stainless-steel and aluminum.” Feustel recalled. “Now, lower than two years later, the first construction is welded.”
Haven-1 is not going to simply be a personal station. It can look to take human spaceflight in a brand new route, studying classes from trade traits and making the human expertise extra central.
The Haven-1 flight article has been painted. Subsequent, key elements together with the hatch and domed window might be built-in forward of stress and cargo testing in Mojave, CA. pic.twitter.com/uGdlK67zyLOctober 11, 2025
The corporate has been taking some pages out of the guide of SpaceX, which has revolutionized entry to the ultimate frontier and was the primary area firm to begin constructing a industrial automobile that wasn’t designed and developed by NASA.
“What SpaceX did — making it clear and practical on the identical time — was one thing astronauts have been skeptical of at first,” Feustel stated. “However we got here to understand the calmness of the atmosphere.”
Huge has additionally picked up experience and expertise from Elon Musk‘s firm. “Numerous our individuals are former SpaceX workers who wished to do it once more, however this time with an area station.”
Haven-1 contrasts with the utilitarian Worldwide Area Station (ISS) and with a extra human-centered design. The aesthetics, psychology and “Earth tones” of Haven-1 are designed for consolation and calm. Huge additionally employed a former Campbell’s meals developer to rethink astronaut delicacies, and has developed an inflatable sleep system that enables crew members to regulate the stress to create a way of simulated gravity for sleeping, somewhat than the tethered sleeping bag strategy on the ISS. Guests to the Huge exhibit at IAC might check out the brand new system.
When it launches in 2026, Haven-1 will mark a milestone, however it’s also designed as a testbed for larger plans. Haven-2 is a way more bold, modular undertaking that Huge hopes might change the ISS, which might be deorbited in 2030.
Haven-2’s modules will add a second docking port, have a bigger quantity, fastened photo voltaic arrays, and certain a second window. Its modular design permits attachment of cargo or future nodes, together with a central node designed to launch through SpaceX’s Starship megarocket, which is beneath growth. This bigger outpost could be a stepping stone towards synthetic gravity and long-term habitation.
“Haven-2 might be stretched in size, add one other docking port, and develop into extra modular. We will connect cargo provide whereas the crew is there,” Feustel stated. These modules might want to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with elongated fairings. “The central node can solely launch on Starship. It is an eight-meter-diameter class construction.”
Haven-1 is privately funded, and its launch is paid for. Haven-2’s design will depend on NASA’s Industrial LEO Locations (CLD) program, nonetheless. “As soon as we all know the expectations, we are able to head down with full focus — our structure is versatile sufficient to adapt,” Feustel stated.
Once more, Haven-2 is a step towards a grander imaginative and prescient. “We have been based for long-term dwelling in area, so synthetic gravity,” stated Eva Behrend, Huge’s vp of communications. “However we realized we would have liked stepping stones. So we stated, ‘Let’s simply construct it and show we are able to do it.'”
“We consider ourselves as constructing locations in area — locations for individuals to dwell, work and look again at Earth,” stated Behrend. For now, it is Haven-1 and Haven-2 in low Earth orbit, however Huge has its sights set on locations past.
