Key points from the timeline
- The graphic runs from 1970 to “2030 and beyond”, with a bar for each crewed space station showing how long it operated.
- It covers the Soviet Salyut 1 to 7 stations, the US Skylab, Mir, the International Space Station, China’s Tiangong stations and the planned Haven stations from the company Vast.
- For each station it gives crew size and an approximate habitable volume, from about 3,178 cubic feet for Salyut 1 to about 21,577 cubic feet for the planned nine module Haven-2.
- The ISS figure of 13,696 cubic feet matches NASA’s published habitable volume [2].
- The graphic carries the Vast logo and appears to be made by or for Vast. Some of its figures differ from other sources (see the notes).
The life in space timeline in text
Title: Life in Space. A vertical timeline marked 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020 and 2030 and beyond, over a photograph of stars with Earth at the bottom.
| Station | Years on the graphic | Operator | Crew size | Habitable volume on the graphic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salyut 1 to 7 (figures for Salyut 1) | 1971 to 1991 | Soviet Union | 3 | about 3,178 cubic feet |
| Skylab | 1973 to 1979 | United States | 3 | about 12,417 cubic feet |
| Mir | 1986 to 2001 | Soviet Union / Russia | 2 to 6 | about 12,400 cubic feet |
| International Space Station | 1998 to present | International | 5 to 7 | about 13,696 cubic feet |
| Tiangong 1, 2 and Space Station (figures for the Tiangong Space Station) | 2011 to present | China | 6 | about 4,310 cubic feet |
| Haven 1 and 2 (figures for Haven-2, nine modules) | Planned, 2025 to 2032 | Vast | 4 to 12 | about 21,577 cubic feet |
The coloured bars show seven short Salyut stations numbered 1 to 7, one bar each for Skylab, Mir and the ISS, and three Tiangong bars labelled 1, 2 and SS. Haven has no bar because it had not launched. The graphic spells the column heading “Habital Volume”. It prints no sources.
Each station checked
Salyut 1 was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1971, the world’s first space station, and burned up after 175 days [4]. Its habitable volume was 90 cubic metres, about 3,200 cubic feet, matching the graphic [4].
Skylab launched on 14 May 1973 and re-entered the atmosphere on 11 July 1979 [5]. Three crews of three lived on board [5]. Its 12,417 cubic feet is the station’s pressurised volume [5].
Mir operated from 1986 until it was deorbited in March 2001 after its funding was cut [6]. Its pressurised volume was 350 cubic metres, about 12,000 cubic feet [6].
The International Space Station launched its first module on 20 November 1998 [3]. NASA gives its habitable volume as 13,696 cubic feet (388 cubic metres), not counting visiting vehicles, and says it has been continuously occupied since November 2000 by an international crew of seven [2].
Tiangong, China’s space station, launched its core module on 29 April 2021 [3]. It has 122 cubic metres (4,310 cubic feet) of habitable space and since 5 June 2022 has been permanently crewed, usually by three people and up to six [7].
Haven-2 is Vast’s proposed successor to the ISS. Vast’s own page now plans the first module for 2028 and the full nine module station for 2032, with a crew of 12, a habitable volume of 510 cubic metres and a pressurised volume of 1,160 cubic metres [1]. Wikipedia lists Haven-1, Vast’s smaller first station, for the first quarter of 2027 [3].
Notes on this infographic
- Not every volume is a habitable volume. The Skylab figure (12,417 cubic feet) is its pressurised volume [5], and the Mir figure is close to its pressurised volume of about 12,000 cubic feet [6]. Habitable volume is usually smaller, as the ISS shows: 13,696 cubic feet habitable against 35,491 cubic feet pressurised [2].
- The Haven-2 volume on the graphic, about 21,577 cubic feet, is about 611 cubic metres. Vast’s current page gives 510 cubic metres habitable (about 18,000 cubic feet) for the nine module station [1].
- The graphic shows Haven planned from 2025. Vast’s first station, Haven-1, is now listed for 2027 [3].
- “Habital Volume” on the graphic means habitable volume.
Questions about life in space
How often do we go to space?
People have lived in space without a break since November 2000, when the first crew moved into the ISS [2]. China’s Tiangong station has also been permanently crewed since June 2022 [7]. The graphic does not show how often crews launch, and we have not found an official annual count.
What is the timeline of the International Space Station?
The first ISS module launched on 20 November 1998 [3], and the station has been continuously occupied since November 2000 [2]. Today it is run by five space agencies from 15 countries and usually hosts a crew of seven [2].
What was the first space station?
Salyut 1, launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1971, was the world's first space station, and it burned up after 175 days [4]. Its habitable volume was 90 cubic metres, about 3,200 cubic feet, matching the graphic's figure of about 3,178 cubic feet [4]. The graphic shows seven short Salyut stations, numbered 1 to 7, between 1971 and 1991.
When will Vast's Haven-2 space station launch?
Vast's own page plans the first Haven-2 module for 2028 and the full nine module station for 2032, with a crew of 12 [1]. It gives a habitable volume of 510 cubic metres, about 18,000 cubic feet [1]. The graphic shows Haven planned from 2025 with about 21,577 cubic feet, while Haven-1, Vast's smaller first station, is now listed for the first quarter of 2027 [3].
Sources
- Vast, Haven-2, the station’s page, including timeline and specifications.
- NASA, Space Station Facts and Figures.
- Wikipedia, List of space stations.
- Wikipedia, Salyut 1.
- Wikipedia, Skylab.
- Wikipedia, Mir.
- Wikipedia, Tiangong space station.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
