By A Correspondent

New Delhi: NASA, the American space agency, has awarded a contract to its compatriot firm Vast, a next-generation space station builder, for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station in 2027 summer.

Vast announced in a statement on February 13, 2026, that the launch of the private astronaut mission has be targetted for launched from Florida, not earlier than summer 2027.

“It is Vast’s first private astronaut mission to the space station in partnership with NASA,” the company said in the statement.

“Vast is honored to have been selected by NASA for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station,” Vast CEO Max Haot said.

“Leveraging the remaining life of the International Space Station with science and research-led commercial crewed missions is a critical part of the transition to commercial space stations and fully unlocking the orbital economy,” Haot said.

The Vast private astronaut mission crew is expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the space station.

A specific launch date will depend on overall spacecraft traffic at the orbital outpost and other planning considerations.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the crew on a Dragon spacecraft to the space station as previously announced in a December 2024 statement.

The mission will generate invaluable insights into the infrastructure and processes required for Vast to safely accomplish human spaceflight missions.

The mission supports deeper collaboration with NASA and international space agencies in addition to strengthening Vast’s position as a candidate to deliver its proposed successor to the space station, the multi-module, continuously crewed Haven-2, the company said.

Vast is planning a robust science and research portfolio with a focus on biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, human research, and technology demonstrations for the mission.

Last year, Vast announced a call for research proposals for a potential PAM mission. 

In addition, Vast’s current agreement with CASIS will enable increased throughput of high-quality science that aligns with its science strategy.

To submit a research proposal for consideration, visit: https://www.vastspace.com/science-rfp-eligibility.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Vast sees India as an important market, where the company is exploring opportunities to fly Indian scientific payloads aboard its future commercial space station, opening avenues for collaboration with ISRO and India’s growing private space ecosystem.

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