Vast leadership and Czech government officials during Czech Space Week. Photo: Vast

Vast, the U.S. space company, has signed an MoU with Czech Ministry of Transport which will see the two organizations explore ways to partner on future human spaceflight projects. This could be on private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS) before it is retired in 2030, or on missions to Vast’s Haven space stations. The plan is also to engage with a growing Czech Space industry and startup ecosystem. Vast announced the signed MoU during Czech Space Week, Nov. 8.

Any future mission with Vast could see Aleš Svoboda, one of 12 reserve astronauts selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) in November 2022, become the second Czech astronaut. Svoboda has been a focal point for the Czech government’s efforts to stimulate growth in the Czech space industry.

In June 2024, Vast signed an MoU with ESA to explore opportunities for European countries to access space through Vast space stations. In addition, Vast recently unveiled its final design for Haven-1, its first habitable module, as well as plans for Haven-2,  its proposed design to replace the ISS after its retirement in 2030, as part of NASA’s Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program.

“We’re excited to partner with Vast, who shares our vision and commitment to pioneering advancements that shape the future of space exploration. The Memorandum demonstrates our commitment to advancing the Czech space sector and ushering in a new era of Czech innovation and technology leadership,” Martin Kupka, Czech Minister of Transport, said in a statement.