A Different Kind of Space Race
In the world of space exploration, the cost per kilogram to reach orbit has long been the industry's most stubborn barrier. While reusable rockets have made impressive dents, the fundamental reliance on expensive, explosive chemical propellants remains.
Oakland, California-based Longshot Space is pursuing a radically different approach inspired by a World War II superweapon. The company, founded in 2021 by CEO Mike Grace and CTO Nato Saichek, is developing a kinetic launch system—essentially, an enormous gun designed to shoot payloads directly into space. The goal is to sidestep the immense costs of traditional rocketry by keeping the most complex and expensive hardware on the ground, enabling cheaper, more frequent access to orbit. With millions in funding from venture capitalists and the U.S. government, Longshot is no longer a fringe idea but a serious contender in the evolving space economy.
How to Build a Space Gun
Longshot's technology is a modern take on the 'multi-injection' accelerator. The concept involves a very long barrel or tube. Instead of gunpowder, Longshot uses precisely timed injections of compressed gas to accelerate a projectile down the barrel. Each injection adds more velocity, culminating in the payload exiting the tube at hypersonic speeds, fast enough to punch through the densest part of Earth's atmosphere. Their ultimate vision is a gun barrel potentially up to 12 miles long, capable of launching 100-kilogram payloads into orbit. The company has already built and tested smaller prototypes, including a 70-foot version that has accelerated payloads beyond Mach 4. The key technical challenge, which Grace and Saichek claim to have solved, was designing custom, electrically-actuated burst discs that can release the gas with the microsecond precision needed for smooth acceleration.
The Allure of Cheaper Launches
The primary driver for this ambitious project is economics. Today, launching a satellite can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000 per kilogram. Longshot believes its system could eventually bring that cost down to as low as $150 per kilogram. This dramatic cost reduction could democratize space, opening it up for companies and researchers who are currently priced out. Beyond satellite launches, Longshot has identified a lucrative interim market: hypersonic testing. Currently, it costs the U.S. military between $6 million and $8 million for a single hypersonic test flight. Longshot claims it could offer the same service for around $150,000, providing a crucial revenue stream and a way to prove its technology at a smaller, more manageable scale before building the final orbital launcher.
Hurdles on the Path to Orbit
The path forward is not without significant challenges. One of the biggest hurdles for any kinetic launch system is the extreme acceleration, or G-force, that the payload must endure. While Longshot argues that a longer barrel results in a gentler launch, satellites will still need to be specially designed or 'ruggedized' to survive the journey. Longshot is not alone in this field; competitors like SpinLaunch are developing a centrifugal system to hurl payloads, proving there is significant interest in rocket alternatives. Furthermore, building such a massive piece of infrastructure is a monumental undertaking, involving not just engineering but also significant environmental permitting and regulatory approvals. The company is currently working to raise more funding and has leased an airport in Nevada for its next, larger gun.
