One space station company sues another for copying its work

Axiom Space has sued Vast Space for allegedly presenting NASA with a fraudulent mission-planning document that incorporates Axiom's proprietary information. The lawsuit was unsealed on November 4, and the final proposals for private space stations are due to NASA on December 14. Vast has responded by stating that the lawsuit is about competition, not fraud. The dispute revolves around a program called Private Astronaut Missions, launched in 2019, which allows private companies to organize missions to the International Space Station. Axiom claims that Vast's submission to NASA's program contained Axiom's proprietary information, substituting 'the PAM Provider' for Axiom in some locations. This allegedly amounts to presenting another company's hard-won experience as its own. Vast has countered that the lawsuit is an attempt to stifle competition, which drives innovation and delivers better value for taxpayers.