, Space Station This spectacular image of sunset on the Indian Ocean was taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The image presents an edge-on, or limb view, of the Earth’s atmosphere as seen from orbit. The Earth’s curvature is visible along the horizon line, or limb, that extends across the image from center left to lower right. Above the darkened surface of the Earth, a brilliant sequence of colors roughly denotes several layers of the atmosphere. (Image: NASA Earth Observatory) (WKMG) Vast, the company building what is expected to be the world’s first commercial space station, announced Friday that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch up to two Dragon missions to the International Space Station in support of the company’s future bid for NASA’s private astronaut missions. The missions, contingent on Vast being selected by NASA, will be the fifth and sixth private astronaut missions awarded by the agency. Recommended Videos Vast is planning on launching its space station, Haven-1, in 2025. “Enabling payload and crewed missions to the ISS is a key part of Vast’s strategy, allowing us to further our collaboration with NASA and global space agencies. These missions not only strengthen our expertise in human spaceflight operations and collaboration with NASA, but also position Vast as a leading contender to deliver the next-generation successor to the ISS, advancing the future of human space exploration,” said Max Haot, CEO of Vast. The missions expand Vast’s launch manifest with SpaceX, which includes the company’s Falcon 9 rocket delivering Haven-1 to low-Earth orbit and a subsequent Dragon mission to fly crew to the commercial space station. Haven-1 will also be supported by Starlink laser-based high-speed internet. “I am excited to work with Vast as they build more opportunities and destinations for more people to travel amongst the stars,” said Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and COO. Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. About the Author