Pesquet to Lead Private ISS Mission, Heralding a New Era in Commercial Spaceflight

NASA’s 2025 rule change opens the ISS command seat to private missions led by non-NASA veterans; France’s Thomas Pesquet will command Vast’s 2027 two-week ISS mission aboard Haven-1, with Arnaud Prost as flight test engineer, marking the first private-crew mission led by a non-NASA veteran. The deal cements Vast’s European presence and comes alongside a UK-backed option to fly John McFall, signaling a broader shift to governments buying seats on commercial stations as Haven-1 moves toward its planned 2027 launch.