This Vast company profile covers the company's valuation, revenue, funding rounds, investors and history. Vast works in space, with a focus on commercial space stations. It was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States. Every figure links to a public source, and anything the company hasn't disclosed is marked as such.
Revenue
Funding history
| Date | Round | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Equity (Series A) and debt | US$500M (US$300M equity, US$200M debt) | Not disclosed | Balerion Space Ventures (lead); IQT, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and others | Space.com |
Vast timeline
Key dates from the sources on this page, oldest first. Metric snapshots are listed after the funding events.
- 2021 — Vast is founded in Long Beach by Jed McCaleb; Max Haot (CEO).
- Mar 2026 — Equity (Series A) and debt: US$500M (US$300M equity, US$200M debt). Investors: Balerion Space Ventures (lead); IQT, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and others.
Investors
Overview
Vast is building commercial space stations. Its first, Haven-1, is a single-module station designed to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 and host short visits by crews flown on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. Its larger, multi-module Haven-2 is intended as a successor to the International Space Station. Vast has been funded for most of its history by its founder, crypto entrepreneur Jed McCaleb, and in March 2026 it announced US$500 million in new financing, made up of US$300 million in equity and US$200 million in debt, led by Balerion Space Ventures.
Jed McCaleb founded Vast in 2021. McCaleb co-founded Ripple and Stellar and created the Mt. Gox exchange in its early days, and has committed a large share of his wealth to the company. Max Haot, a technology entrepreneur who previously founded Livestream, is CEO. Vast is headquartered in Long Beach, California, where it builds its station hardware.
Products
- Haven-1: a single-module commercial station for short crewed missions, designed to launch on Falcon 9.
- Haven-2: a larger, multi-module station planned to begin assembly with its first module in 2028.
- Haven Demo: a pathfinder spacecraft that flew to test systems in orbit.
- Crew missions: missions to Haven-1 using SpaceX Dragon, offered to governments, researchers and private astronauts.
Funding
For several years, Vast relied mainly on funding from McCaleb. In March 2026 it announced US$500 million in financing, comprising US$300 million in what it described as Series A equity and US$200 million in debt. Balerion Space Ventures led the financing, with participation from In-Q-Tel (IQT), the Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and others. No valuation was disclosed, so we show it as not disclosed and don't include Vast in valuation-ranked tables.
Business model
Vast plans to sell missions and time aboard its stations to national space agencies, governments seeking astronaut flights, researchers, companies conducting experiments and, potentially, private visitors. It is also competing for NASA's commercial low Earth orbit destination programme, which will support one or more commercial stations as the ISS is retired.
Competition
Vast competes with Axiom Space, Starlab, Blue Origin's Orbital Reef and other commercial station projects, and works closely with SpaceX for launch and crew transport. Its strengths are founder funding, a fast, hardware-focused approach and its plan to launch a simple station first.
Vast at a glance
Vast is a Long Beach, California, commercial space station company founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb and led by CEO Max Haot. It is building Haven-1 and the larger Haven-2. It raised US$500 million in March 2026, including US$300 million in equity, led by Balerion Space Ventures, without disclosing a valuation.
Timeline
- 2021: founded by Jed McCaleb.
- 2023: announces Haven-1 and a mission agreement with SpaceX.
- 2025: Haven Demo pathfinder flies; Haven-1 launch moves to later dates.
- March 2026: raises US$500 million in equity and debt.
- 2027: Haven-1 launch targeted according to reports.
- 2028: first Haven-2 module planned.
Why build a small station first
Large stations take years and billions of dollars to build. Vast's strategy is to launch a smaller, simpler station first, gain experience operating crewed habitats and start generating revenue, then scale up. Haven-1 can be launched in one piece on an existing rocket and visited by existing spacecraft, avoiding the need for complex in-orbit assembly. This approach mirrors SpaceX's practice of iterating with real hardware rather than designing everything before flying.
Founder-funded space
Few space companies have been funded so heavily by a single founder. McCaleb's commitment gave Vast the freedom to move quickly in its early years, but large outside financing became necessary as station costs grew. The March 2026 round brought in strategic investors from Japan and the Gulf, which could help with future customers and partnerships.
Who will use Vast
Potential customers include NASA, national space agencies, governments seeking astronaut flights, researchers and companies in pharmaceuticals and materials science, and private astronauts.
Risks
- Schedule: Haven-1's launch has already moved later.
- NASA decisions: its commercial station selection affects demand.
- Capital needs: Haven-2 will require much more funding.
- Safety: crewed habitats must meet strict safety standards.
Questions for observers
- When will Haven-1 launch and host its first crew?
- Which customers have committed to missions?
- How will Haven-2 be financed?
How Haven-1 missions would work
Haven-1 is designed to be launched uncrewed and then visited by crews flying on SpaceX's Dragon. A Dragon would dock with the station, and the crew would live and work aboard for a couple of weeks, using Haven-1's living space, laboratory equipment and communications, before returning to Earth. Several such missions could visit over the station's lifetime. Because Haven-1 is a single module, it is simpler than the ISS, with fewer systems and less volume, but it would be the first commercial station to operate independently in orbit. Vast has designed the interior with comfort in mind, including private crew quarters and windows, reflecting its interest in serving both professional and private astronauts.
Haven-1's real purpose, beyond its own missions, is to prove that Vast can design, launch and operate a crewed station safely. That track record matters for NASA and other customers deciding which commercial stations to rely on after the ISS retires. Haven-2 would be much larger, with multiple modules and space for permanent crews.
Valuation context
Because Vast hasn't disclosed a valuation, we don't include it in valuation-ranked tables. Its US$500 million financing and founder support make it one of the best-funded commercial station developers.
Strategic investors
The March 2026 financing brought in a notable mix of strategic investors. In-Q-Tel invests on behalf of US intelligence agencies, the Qatar Investment Authority is one of the world's largest sovereign funds, and Mitsui, MUFG and Nikon are major Japanese companies. Their participation suggests interest from governments and industries that could become customers, partners or suppliers as commercial stations develop, and gives Vast connections in markets beyond the United States.
Questions for customers
- What will a seat or research slot on Haven-1 cost?
- What laboratory equipment will be available aboard?
- How long can crews stay?
Latest developments (October 2026)
Haven-1, Vast's first commercial space station, has slipped again. Chief executive Max Haot told Ars Technica the launch is now expected in the first quarter of 2027 rather than mid-2026, as summarised by TechSpot. The station's primary structure is complete and integration is under way before environmental testing in Ohio. Vast's Haven Demo pathfinder launched in November 2025. See our space startups guide.
What to watch
Watch Haven-1's launch, NASA's commercial station decisions and new customer agreements. Our guide to space startups covers related companies.
Takeaways
Governments and researchers may gain new destinations in orbit. Founders can see how founder capital can start an ambitious hardware company. Investors should note that its valuation hasn't been disclosed.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the public sources below. Where sources disagreed, we used the company's own announcement or a primary news report. Private-company data changes; check the date beside each figure.
Frequently asked questions
What does Vast do?
Vast is a space / commercial space stations company headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States. It was founded in 2021.
What is Vast's valuation?
Vast has not publicly disclosed a valuation in the sources we track.
How much revenue does Vast make?
Vast is a private company and has not publicly disclosed its revenue. Figures on third-party sites are usually modelled estimates rather than numbers reported by the company.
What was Vast's latest funding round?
The most recent financing we have verified is a equity (series a) and debt in Mar 2026: US$500M (US$300M equity, US$200M debt). Source: Space.com.
Who are Vast's investors?
Investors named in public announcements include Balerion Space Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and Jed McCaleb.
Who founded Vast?
Vast was founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb; Max Haot (CEO).
Is Vast a public company?
No. Vast is a private company (private, venture backed), so its shares are not traded on a stock exchange and it isn't required to publish its financial results.
Where is Vast headquartered?
Vast is headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States.