LONG BEACH, Calif. – Vast in Long Beach, California, is adapting technologies originally developed for its commercial space station program into a new high-power satellite platform. This initiative expands Vast’s business beyond crewed spacecraft development into satellite manufacturing.
The first platform in the product line is designed to support missions requiring significantly higher onboard power than many conventional small satellites. Vast said the spacecraft will serve operators in communications, remote sensing, and emerging space-based computing markets.
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Space station systems adapted for satellite operations
Rather than developing a satellite architecture from scratch, Vast is drawing on hardware and software created for its Haven commercial space station program. The company said avionics, propulsion technologies, communications systems, and flight software developed for station operations will also form the foundation of the new spacecraft platform.
Engineers evaluated many of those technologies through the company's Haven Demo mission, which operated in orbit during 2025 before completing a controlled deorbit earlier this year. Flight testing provides operational data before those technologies are incorporated into future spacecraft.
The satellite bus uses a common design that can accommodate different mission requirements without extensive reengineering. Reusing core systems across programs may also streamline production and spacecraft integration.
High-power spacecraft and orbital computing applications
Power availability increasingly influences satellite design as operators add higher-capacity communications payloads, onboard processing hardware, and advanced sensing equipment. Higher-power platforms can support more demanding payloads while reducing dependence on continuous ground-based data processing.
Vast said the spacecraft will generate approximately 15 kilowatts of power and can accommodate a range of communications, imaging, and computing payloads. Optional onboard processing hardware could support artificial intelligence applications, signal processing workloads, and autonomous spacecraft operations.
The company said it has already secured an initial customer agreement covering four satellites, with options for additional vehicles. Vast is targeting a 2027 launch campaign for multiple satellites built on the new architecture.
“Haven Demo allowed us to validate key spacecraft systems in the operational environment they were designed for,” said Jim Martz, senior vice president of special projects at Vast.
