{"title":"Axiom Space vs Vast: Stations & habitats (orbital) compared","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/compare/axiom-space-vs-vast","comparison":"Vast ranks 51 on the Space 100 with a score of 74; Axiom Space ranks 64 with 70. Axiom Space is ahead on commercials, positioning and leverage. Vast is ahead on production, technology and firepower. Level on deployment and progress. Axiom Space is based in Houston, United States, Vast in Long Beach, United States. Axiom Space: Established. Vast: Private, founded 2021. Axiom Space is named in 49 signals and Vast in 76.","companies":[{"name":"Axiom Space","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/axiom-space","city":"Houston","country":"United States","stage":"Established","founded":null,"last_round":null,"positioning":"Axiom Space is the flown-revenue leader of the commercial space-station race, having executed four private astronaut missions to the ISS and developing the AxEMU spacesuit under NASA task orders, with a two-module Axiom Station targeted for 2028 via ISS-attach assembly. NASA's March 2026 \"Ignition\" reshape of Commercial LEO Destinations repriced the model, with Phase 2 awards to at least two providers expected in 2026, possibly as modules on a government-anchored hub, a frame its ISS-attach approach may fit best. Financials, the CLD Phase 2 outcome, and the station schedule are open.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Space","list":"Space 100","rank":64,"score":70,"tier":"member","scores":{"gate_ne":["firepower"],"leverage":6,"position":8,"progress":9,"firepower":8,"commercial":6,"deployment":8,"production":4,"technology":6},"why":"Axiom Space is developing and operating infrastructure for the post-ISS ecosystem, including commercial space-station modules and a planned free-flying commercial station.","segment":"Stations & habitats (orbital)","layer":"Infrastructure"},"signals_total":49,"facts_total":46},{"name":"Vast","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/vast","city":"Long Beach","country":"United States","stage":"Private","founded":2021,"last_round":null,"positioning":"Vast is a US commercial-space-station company (founder Jed McCaleb self-funding at multi-hundred-million scale) whose Haven Demo pathfinder succeeded in orbit (November 2025, power-positive) and whose Haven-1 flight structure is complete, with ~800 staff and near-everything in-house. It is the speed play of the station race (concept to orbital pathfinder in about 30 months), still positioned to be the first standalone commercial station, though its launch slipped to no earlier than Q1-2027. Haven-1 will host four crew over a three-year life, with the NASA CLD Phase 2 2026 decision as its existential catalyst. It is pre-revenue.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Space","list":"Space 100","rank":51,"score":74,"tier":"member","scores":{"leverage":4,"position":6,"progress":9,"firepower":10,"commercial":5,"deployment":8,"production":6,"technology":8},"why":"Vast is developing and operating commercial orbital space stations, including Haven-1 and the planned Haven-2, with facilities for astronaut missions, biotech experiments, and plant-growth research.","segment":"Stations & habitats (orbital)","layer":"Infrastructure"},"signals_total":76,"facts_total":85}],"note":"Assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence; facts and signals carry their sources."}