SpinLaunch Wins Launch Prototype DoD Contract

Illustration depicting SpinLaunch orbital vehicle inside the electric kinetic launcher. Photo: SpinLaunch

SpinLaunch was awarded a responsive launch prototype contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), facilitated by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). SpinLaunch is developing a kinetic energy-based launch system that aims to provide the low-cost orbital launch services for the rapidly growing small satellite industry.

In 2018, the company received $40 million in a Series A financing round from Airbus Ventures, Google Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins. In January 2019, SpinLaunch moved from Silicon Valley to its new 140,000 square foot headquarters in Long Beach, California and last month broke ground on a new $7 million test facility on 10 acres at New Mexico’s Spaceport America. First kinetic energy flight tests are expected to occur early 2020 and the company has announced its plans for first launch by 2022.

“SpinLaunch fills this gap by providing dedicated orbital launch with high frequency at a magnitude lower cost than any current ‘niche’ launch system,” stated Yaney. “This will truly be a disruptive enabler for the emerging commercial space industry. There is a promising market surge in the demand for LEO constellations of inexpensive small satellites for disaster monitoring, weather, reconnaissance, communications and other services.”