Vast Cuts 46 Jobs, 4% of Workforce, Amid Hiring Push

Vast Confirms 46 Layoffs

Vast, a startup developing a commercial replacement for the International Space Station, has cut 46 employees, according to Business Insider. The layoffs represent 4% of the company's workforce and were carried out on Wednesday, the publication reported.

A spokesperson for Vast confirmed the cuts and said they were performance-related. The company did not attribute the layoffs to artificial intelligence or automation.

Cuts Follow Major Funding Round

The job reductions come months after Vast raised $500 million in a funding round aimed at launching what it describes as the world's first commercial space station in 2027. The layoffs were announced despite that recent capital raise.

Hiring Continues for 277 Roles

Even as it reduces headcount, Vast says it is still hiring and currently has 277 open roles. The simultaneous layoffs and active recruitment suggest a workforce adjustment rather than a broad contraction, though the company has not detailed which roles were affected or where the affected employees were based.

Performance Attribution, Not AI

The company's explanation that the cuts were performance-related places the layoffs outside the wave of AI-driven workforce reductions that have affected other technology and aerospace firms. No source in the packet links the Vast layoffs to AI or automation. The affected countries and specific locations of the cuts were not disclosed.

Context: Commercial Space Station Race

Vast is competing in a broader push to develop commercial space stations as the ISS approaches the end of its operational life. The company's plans center on launching a commercial station in 2027, supported by the $500 million funding round. The layoffs, while modest in percentage terms, arrive as the startup balances development timelines with workforce costs.

The company has not provided additional details about the performance-related rationale, the timing of the cuts relative to its 2027 launch target, or how the reductions might affect its hiring plans for the 277 open roles. Business Insider reported the layoffs exclusively, citing information it had learned.

What Remains Unclear

Several details were not included in the source material: the specific departments or teams affected, the locations of the laid-off employees, the total current headcount, and whether further cuts are planned. The company's spokesperson did not elaborate beyond confirming the performance-related nature of the cuts and the ongoing hiring efforts.

Vast's situation illustrates a common dynamic in high-growth aerospace startups: raising significant capital while still adjusting workforce composition. The company's ability to fill its 277 open roles will be a key indicator of its trajectory as it works toward its 2027 commercial space station goal.

Sources

• Space Station Startup Vast Cuts 4% of Employees - Business Insider