QIA Invests in Vast’s $500M Round to Accelerate Commercial Space Stations
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has joined a $500 million financing round for Vast, a US-based company developing next-generation commercial space stations, marking a significant investment in the rapidly expanding space economy.
The financing round includes $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt, led by Balerion Space Ventures with participation from IQT, QIA, Mitsui & Co., Ltd, MUFG, Nikon Corporation, Space Capital, and Earthrise Ventures.
Founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb, Vast focuses on developing commercial space stations in low-Earth orbit, alongside long-term plans for future habitats around the Moon and Mars.
The company’s mission is to enable humanity to live and work in space over the long term, supporting advanced microgravity research and manufacturing while helping unlock a new commercial space economy for government, corporate, and private customers.
The newly raised capital will help the company:
• Expand operational facilities
• Scale engineering and technical teams
• Accelerate development of the Haven space station series
The financing will also support the development of Haven-2, Vast’s proposed successor to the International Space Station, designed to ensure continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit.
Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Vast employs more than 1,000 people and has secured over $1 billion in private capital to build the infrastructure required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station.
The company expects Haven-1 to launch in 2027, potentially becoming the world’s first commercial space station, followed by additional Haven modules that aim to enable permanent human presence in space by 2030.
