specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Vast
providerId: vast-space
created: '2026-06-20'
modified: '2026-06-20'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Space
- Aerospace
- Space Station
- Research
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- Informational
description: >-
  FinOps view of Vast. Because Vast publishes no public, usage-metered developer
  API, there is no cloud-style consumption spend to instrument, allocate, or
  optimize. Vast's commercial relationships are capital programs and
  payload/research partnership agreements (Haven-1, Haven-2, Haven-1 Lab)
  negotiated directly, billed by contract rather than by per-request or
  per-token metering. This artifact documents the absence of an API spend model.
notes: >-
  Placeholder FinOps artifact. There are no API usage meters because no public
  API exists. Engagement costs are contractual; consult Vast for payload-partner
  and research terms. Not to be confused with Vast.ai (GPU cloud) or VAST Data
  (storage), which do have usage-based cloud spend models.
sources:
- https://www.vastspace.com/
- https://www.vastspace.com/haven-1-lab
- https://www.finops.org/framework/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Vast
serviceCategory: Space and Aerospace
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Contract-Based
  billingFrequency: Negotiated
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
meters: []
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: No API usage telemetry exists; track engagement against negotiated payload/research contracts instead.
- name: Allocation
  description: Allocate payload and mission costs by program (Haven-1, Haven-2) and by partnership agreement.
- name: Optimization
  description: Optimization is mission/payload scoping, not API call reduction; right-size payload mass, power, and slot count.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign program owners for each payload partnership and review against contractual milestones.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com