Mt. Gox creator and Ripple Co-Founder Jed McCaleb Plans Space Station Launch

Jed McCaleb, the serial entrepreneur behind the defunct Mt. Gox exchange and a co-founder of Ripple, is no stranger to taking calculated leaps into uncharted territory. His latest venture, Vast, aims to launch a commercial space station called Haven-1 into orbit by May 2026, a move that could position the company to secure a significant contract from NASA.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, McCaleb shared fresh insights into his ambitious plan to help humanity take its next steps toward becoming a multi-planetary species. With the International Space Station nearing the end of its operational life, NASA is expected to award contracts in mid-2026 to private companies capable of building its replacement. For McCaleb, success could solidify Vast’s place in the burgeoning space industry, while failure might cost him $1 billion of his personal fortune and jeopardize the company’s future.

McCaleb’s journey into the space sector follows a career marked by innovation and risk. Known for creating the once-dominant Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox in 2010 and co-founding Ripple’s XRP cryptocurrency in 2012, he has consistently pursued projects that push boundaries. Vast, established in 2021, reflects his belief that expanding human presence beyond Earth is a critical endeavor.

“It’s super important that people take this leap from where we are today to this potential world where there’s a lot of people living off the Earth.”

His vision aligns with that of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, though McCaleb brings his own methodical approach to the challenge. Long-time friend and former business partner Sam Yagan describes him as a “deliberate risk-taker” with a hyperrational mindset, noting his willingness to embrace challenges others might shy away from.

A Strategic Partnership with SpaceX and Ambitious Goals

Vast’s progress hinges on strategic collaborations, particularly with SpaceX. The company is integrating SpaceX-developed components, such as a docking adapter for the Dragon capsule and a Starlink-powered in-space internet system to provide WiFi aboard Haven-1. SpaceX has also committed to launching Vast’s hardware into orbit and transporting crew to the station, pending NASA approval.

This partnership is bolstered by Vast’s recruitment of seasoned SpaceX alumni, including Max Haot, who now serves as the company’s CEO and president. Together, McCaleb and Haot are steering Vast into direct competition with industry heavyweights like Axiom Space, Voyager Space Holdings, Lockheed Martin, and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, all vying for NASA’s next big contract.

Beyond securing a government deal, McCaleb envisions a future where space stations offer more than just a temporary foothold in orbit. Vast is exploring artificial gravity through spacecraft rotation or acceleration, aiming to replicate Earth-like conditions and mitigate the health risks like organ damage, faced by astronauts during prolonged stays in microgravity. While Haven-1, designed for short-term crew visits, won’t feature advanced systems like the ISS’s wastewater recycling technology, Vast plans to incorporate such innovations into Haven-2 by 2028. This next-generation station is intended for longer missions, reflecting McCaleb’s long-term commitment to sustainable space habitation. Both he and Haot have expressed their willingness to personally board flights, underscoring their confidence in the project.

McCaleb’s path to Vast is as unconventional as the man himself. After early success with the file-sharing service eDonkey in the 2000s, he founded Mt. Gox, which he sold in 2011 before its infamous 2014 collapse following a $400 million hack. He then co-founded Ripple, leaving in 2013 after selling most of his 9% stake in XRP, a move that netted him billions between 2014 and 2022. His creation of the Stellar network and its $8.7 billion market cap token in 2014 further cemented his tech legacy.

Now, with Vast, McCaleb is betting big again, this time on a future among the stars. “There are not that many folks who are willing to dedicate the amount of resources and time and risk tolerance that I am,” he said, a statement that captures both his eccentricity and his resolve.