The tweet from VAST itselfhttps://twitter.com/vast/status/1760409420557680955?s=20
NASA is seeking proposals for two new private astronaut missions to the International Space Station, targeted for 2026 and 2027, as the agency continues its commitment to expanding access to space. These private missions enable American commercial companies to further develop capabilities and support a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.(...)The new flight opportunities will be the fifth and sixth private astronaut missions to the orbiting laboratory coordinated by NASA. The first three missions were accomplished by Axiom Space in April 2022, May 2023, and January 2024, with a fourth scheduled for no earlier than May 2025.Each of the new missions may be docked to the space station for up to 14 days. Specific dates depend on spacecraft traffic at the space station and in-orbit activity planning and constraints.(...)Proposals are due by 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 30, 2025.
So, who will apply for these two? I assume Axiom will. I also assume Vast will apply, since they mentioned it some time ago. I always wonder if SpaceX might consider offering their own plan directly, without any intermediaries.
SpaceX can sell tickets into space to whomever it wants, but the problem in this case is that the destination is the ISS. So the approval has to be given by NASA. I suppose NASA also shares in the profits from the tickets. And if someone wants a trip over the poles, for example, then no NASA approval is needed.
Quote from: JSz on 04/03/2025 08:55 pmSpaceX can sell tickets into space to whomever it wants, but the problem in this case is that the destination is the ISS. So the approval has to be given by NASA. I suppose NASA also shares in the profits from the tickets. And if someone wants a trip over the poles, for example, then no NASA approval is needed.I don’t see why SpaceX couldn’t replicate what Axiom accomplished with Axiom missions 1 through 4. SpaceX would likely need to assemble a dedicated team for this purpose, but their experience with Inspiration4, Polaris Dawn, and Fram2 demonstrates they already know how to market and sell seats to private citizens. As for institutional astronauts, SpaceX has successfully sold numerous Falcon 9 launches to organizations like ESA and other international space agencies. So, what unique value does Axiom provide that SpaceX couldn’t replicate on its own?
Vast has signed a strategic agreement with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the manager of the International Space Station National Laboratory.This partnership strengthens Vast’s Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) readiness, and expands our ability to conduct research on the ISS, paving the way for future science and technology validation in orbit.
“This agreement gives Vast direct access to the ISS—a critical step as we prepare our NASA Private Astronaut Mission bid. It enables us to fly science, validate our technologies in microgravity, and continue close collaboration with NASA—all of which are essential as we advance the design of our proposed ISS replacement and solidify our role as a NASA Commercial LEO Development Program partner.”
5. Extend the Proposal Due date from May 30, 2025, to June 25, 2025
Question: In its latest amendment, NASA revised the PAM 5 launch date to state, “expected launch of No Earlier Than (NET) June 2026 through October 2026”. Please clarify that any NET date projected within the specified period (June 2026 through October 2026) is a valid NET launch date for PAM 5 and NASA does not have (and will not assign) any preference to particular dates during that time period.Answer: Yes, the expected launch dates listed under Focus Area 4A.1 - “Solicitation for Private Astronaut Missions’ Provider for Flight Opportunity” for PAMs 5 and 6 are valid. NASA has identified this launch window as a window of opportunity where a PAM mission to the ISS could be supported, based on currently available scheduling information and resource availability. The Selection Official will select proposals as judged against all evaluation criteria (i.e., Merit, NASA Supportability, and Relevance), the objectives of the NOFO, programmatic considerations, the flight opportunities available, the flight planning and scheduling constraints provided in the proposal, and available financial resources.
Focus Area 4A.1 – Solicitation for Private Astronaut Missions’ Provider for Flight OpportunityNASA is soliciting proposals for Phase II of Focus Area 4A for the following flight opportunities:- “PAM 5”: expected launch of No Earlier Than (NET) June 2026 through October 2026- “PAM 6”: expected launch of NET mid 2027In the event that NASA, in its sole discretion, selects more than two proposals for negotiation and award, additional missions (e.g., PAM 7) may be awarded.The maximum number of private astronauts per mission shall not exceed four (4), and the maximum planned docked duration shall not exceed fourteen (14) docked days. Mission concepts which include Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) performed by the Private Astronauts or involve Private Astronauts operating ISS Robotic Systems will not be considered allowable.Note that specific launch dates are dependent on ISS vehicle traffic and on-orbit activity planning and constraints. No white papers will be accepted as a part of this solicitation. Proposals are due June 25, 2025, at 5 PM Eastern Time.
Updated the Milestone Schedule to reflect actual dates for Release Announcement and Proposals due. Updated the Selection Notification and Contract Award dates.Selection Notification: September 2025Contract Award: October 2025
