NASA Opens Doors for Pvt Cos to Visit ISS in 2027

Our Bureau - : Feb 18, 2026 - : 2:17 pm

NASA has opened the door to a second commercial provider for private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS), awarding California-based Vast the right to fly what would become the sixth private mission to the orbiting laboratory. The agency...

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The agency announced on 12 February that Vast has signed an order for a mission targeted no earlier than summer 2027, launching from Florida. The decision comes just weeks after NASA granted Axiom Space approval for its fifth ISS visit, scheduled for no earlier than January 2027.

“Private astronaut missions represent more than access to the International Space Station — they create opportunities for new ideas, companies, and capabilities that further enhance American leadership in low Earth orbit and open doors for what’s next,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “We’re proud to welcome Vast to this growing community of commercial partners.”

Vast, headquartered in Long Beach, is developing its own commercial space station and sees the ISS mission as a stepping stone toward that goal. The company was not selected in NASA’s earlier commercial space station development programme but is pressing ahead with plans for its own outpost, known as Haven-2.

“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,” said Vast CEO Max Haot.

The proposed two-week mission will focus on research in biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, human performance, and technology demonstrations. Vast has issued a call for research proposals as it seeks to refine the operational model for its future station.

The company launched its Haven Demo spacecraft with SpaceX in 2025 and plans to send Haven-1 — a small, habitable module roughly the size of a moving truck — into orbit in 2027. Vast aims to add modules over time and establish a permanent human presence by 2030.

Axiom Space remains active in the private astronaut market. Since its first mission in April 2022, Axiom has flown four ISS missions using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, shifting from private individuals to government-sponsored astronauts from countries including India, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and Saudi Arabia.