The project is realized by his company Vast. The main goal will be the development of technologies for long-term human stay in space. Fighting For A Contract From NASA If McCaleb's startup succeeds, it stands a better chance of getting a contract from NASA to replace the International Space Station (ISS). The tenders are expected to be awarded in mid-2026. Vast competes with companies such as Axiom Space, Voyager Space Holdings, Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin. If Vast fails or cedes the contract to a rival, the entrepreneur could lose $1 billion and his company's commercial future would be in doubt. ”Not many people can commit as much resources, time and risk appetite as I can,” McCaleb said. According to longtime friend and former business partner Sam Yagan, McCaleb is known as a ”conscious risk taker” with hyper-rational tendencies. ”He's perhaps a little eccentric in his willingness to take what you and I consider to be big risks,” he noted . The Same Place Musk Is Going McCaleb's ambition to put humans on other planets is in line with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's ideas. The Haven-1 space station will be created using Musk's company's technologies like docking adapters and an internet communication system via Starlink. Vast has also booked SpaceX flights to send its equipment into orbit and deliver crew to the station, and the firm has agreed to transport astronauts for McCaleb's company, subject to approval from NASA. Vast's close ties to SpaceX are due in part to the fact that the company has hired key employees who previously worked there, including Max Haot, who serves as Vast's CEO and president. McCaleb and Haot have expressed a willingness to personally go on the flight. Creation of ”Artificial Gravity” Also in the company's long-term plans is the creation of ”artificial gravity” to improve living conditions in space. The ISS uses technology to convert waste into drinking water and carbon dioxide into oxygen for breathing. This system will not be used in Haven-1 because of the crew's short-term stay. However, Vast plans to incorporate the ISS technology into the future Haven-2 model by 2028, which is designed for longer stays in space. McCaleb has become famous for his developments in the crypto industry. He created the eDonkey file exchange, founded the Mt.Gox exchange, and later, Ripple and Stellar. For now, it remains one of the key figures in the race of private companies for space exploration along with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and SpaceX. Ripple's Victory over the SEC Didn't Spark XRP's Rise: What's Holding Back The Altcoin On March 19, the SEC dropped its appeal and dismissed the lawsuit against Ripple Labs, ending a five-year legal fight. Although many expected this event to cause XRP to rise, its momentum remains weak. The market remains bearish towards the altcoin, which continues to weigh on its price. The declining interest of large holders in XRP underscores this trend: according to Santiment, since March 19, kits have sold a total of 20 million tokens worth about $50 million. This sell-off is part of an ongoing trend that began earlier this month. Even after the SEC ruling, the trend shows no signs of reversing. Despite Ripple's legal victory, large holders of XRP have yet to regain confidence and resume hoarding. The declining sentiment around the token indicates pressure in the XRP market. At the time of publication, it is approaching 0.052, which is below the center line. This suggests that XRP investors are increasingly doubtful about the token's short-term prospects. As a result, they are trading less actively, exacerbating the decline of the token. XRP Forecast: Where The Price Will Go At the time of writing this analysis, XRP traded at $2.38. Over the past 24 hours, the token has declined in value by 3.8%. Right now, the altcoin is still holding above support at $2.13. If bearish sentiment persists, token could retest this level. Its loss threatens to turn into a fall to $1.47. On the other hand, if the market sentiment changes to a more optimistic one, the bearish outlook could be reversed. In that case, token Ripple could reach the $2.61 mark.
