SpaceX Launches Prototype for Private Space Station “Haven Demo”
Cape Canaveral, Florida — SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 17 small satellites into orbit, including a prototype module called Haven Demo — an early step toward building a commercial space station.
The launch took place from Vandenberg Space Force Base and marks another milestone in SpaceX’s growing role in private orbital infrastructure. The Haven Demo, developed by the company Vast Space, is designed to test systems that could one day allow humans to live and work in space independently from the International Space Station (ISS).
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster, after sending the payload into orbit, successfully landed back on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”, continuing the company’s streak of reusable rocket recoveries.
Experts say the mission represents a major leap for the future of commercial space habitats, which NASA hopes will replace the ISS by the 2030s. The Haven module will test life-support systems, power generation, and autonomous operation in low-Earth orbit.
The other satellites onboard included Earth-observation instruments, weather tracking devices, and communications payloads from companies in the US, Japan, and Europe.
In a post-launch statement, SpaceX said the mission “showcases how private partnerships are redefining the space economy — faster, cheaper, and more innovative than ever.”
