Free-Flying Stations, with Jed McCaleb & Max Haot (Vast)

[@deanhillsnexus]

Wow! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to hear from Jed McCaleb and Max Haot. Can only have admiration for Jed McCaleb and Max Haot's goal to incorporate fast track into the DNA of Vast in the spirit of Elon at SpaceX. I think that is a core difference with their competitors including their unique relationship with SpaceX. 👍

[@blakemcalevey-scurr1454]

Not sure what to make of this one! On one hand it's a super cool mission, and I'd love to see them succeed. On the other hand, I'm not convinced it's commercially viable or that Jed even particularly cares about that despite knowing that commercial viability is crucial to achieving his aims! I realise they're not looking for VC funding, so they don't need a tight story, but I listen to these because it's fun to get excited about the future, and I'd love to hear a compelling detailed case for how LEO (indeed the solar system) could explode with profitable useful space stations. Like, I'd love to hear a detailed breakdown of the business case for science, manufacturing, tourism, training, media etc in space. Could you be a station near/on a LEO telescope for regular servicing? Maybe a Starship class comms sat in GEO could use a space station? It seems like Vast's answer is that funding will largely come from NASA, and hopefully some commercial application arises.

[@jasonhorton2434]

I will be seriously impressed if they get the first crew onto a commercial space station - I think the odds are against them but I really hope they do at least get to orbit and I'll be cheering them on whether they get there first or not!

[@israelbarros3939]

I hope he didn't leave out the XLM STELLAR