Vast, the company developing next-generation space stations, announced that Kris Young has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer. According to Vast, Young will oversee mission operations, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality assurance as the company prepares for the launch of Haven-1, its first commercial space station.

Max Haot, CEO of Vast, noted that Young’s extensive experience in human spaceflight and operational leadership comes at a critical stage for the company as it moves into manufacturing, testing, and launch preparations.

Young spent over 14 years at SpaceX, where he led integration and testing for the Dragon spacecraft and directed all 19 of Dragon’s human spaceflight missions. He was also instrumental in key programs such as Demo-2, Polaris, Inspiration4, and Fram2, as well as in collaborations with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Commenting on his new role, Young said, “After 14 years developing crew transportation to advance human spaceflight, I’m excited to now focus on next-generation space stations that will drive technologies and research required for long-duration exploration and habitation beyond Earth.”

Prior to SpaceX, Young worked at Northrop Grumman Space Technology as a GNC engineer on programs including the James Webb Space Telescope. He holds both a Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Master of Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University.

Founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb, Vast is focused on building the next-generation space stations and plans to launch Haven Demo, a testbed for critical space station technologies, ahead of Haven-1’s expected launch in 2026.