Vast signs agreement with Czech government

WASHINGTON — Commercial space station developer Vast Space has signed an agreement with the government of the Czech Republic that could allow a Czech astronaut fly on a future mission by the company.

Vast announced Nov. 8 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Czech Ministry of Transport to explore potential partnerships on future flights by the company as well as support for the Czech space industry.

The agreement could enable a flight by Aleš Svoboda, one of 12 reserve astronauts selected by the European Space Agency in November 2022. Those reserve astronauts are not full-time members of ESA’s astronaut corps but are eligible for specific flight assignments. One ESA reserve astronaut, Sweden’s Marcus Wandt, flew to the International Space Station on Axiom Space’s Ax-3 private astronaut mission early this year while another, Sławosz Uznański of Poland, is slated to go to the ISS on Ax-4 in the spring of 2025.

Vast said that Svoboda could potentially fly on a Vast private astronaut mission to the ISS or to Haven-1, the single-module commercial space station that Vast plans to launch late next year for short-duration visits by up to four missions.

“We are thrilled to join forces with the Czech space mission and explore joint spaceflight opportunities to bring science, research, and technology from Czech industry to orbit, as well as potentially fly Aleš Svoboda to the International Space Station or Haven-1 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft,” Max Haot, chief executive of Vast, said in a statement.

Svoboda could become the second Czech to go to space. Vladimir Remek from then-Czechoslovakia was a cosmonaut on the Soyuz 28 mission in 1978, becoming the first person from other than the United States and former Soviet Union to go to space.

“The memorandum demonstrates our commitment to advancing the Czech space sector and ushering in a new era of Czech innovation and technology leadership,” Czech Minister of Transport Martin Kupka said in the statement.

Vast signed an MoU with ESA in June to explore potential use of Vast’s commercial space stations by the agency and its member states. Haot said at the time that the agreement would open the door for Vast to do business with European governments and companies on both Haven-1 and the larger Haven-2 space station that Vast is proposing to NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations program.

The agreement would also support the Czech Republic’s emerging space industry, although the announcement did not include specifics. “I’ve worked closely with the Czech space community for years and have long admired their innovation, commitment and collaborative spirit as we push the boundaries of what’s possible in space,” said Andrew Feustel, a former NASA astronaut who is now an adviser to Vast, in the statement. “Vast is well-positioned to further this mission by combining a bold vision with technical expertise, and together, we can build a future in space that will inspire future generations.”

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