Longshot Space Technology raises $20M to develop gun-launched cargo to space

Longshot Space Technology Secures Funding

Alameda, California-based startup Longshot Space Technology has raised approximately $20 million from venture investors. The funding will support the company's mission to develop an alternative method for launching cargo into space, moving away from traditional rocket systems.

Gun-Launched Space Cargo Concept

Longshot Space Technology is working on a system that uses a large gun to propel payloads into space. This concept, which dates back to Jules Verne, aims to replace the first stage of a launch vehicle with a reusable ground-based accelerator. The co-founders, CEO Mike Grace and CTO Nato Saichek, are applying existing multi-injection gun technology to this purpose.

Technology and Development

The company's approach involves a steel pipe mounted horizontally with high-pressure gas tanks along its length. These tanks fire at precise times to accelerate a projectile as it moves down the barrel. Longshot is adapting designs from World War II and 1960s research programs for multi-injection guns.

Testing and Future Plans

Longshot is currently testing a 70-foot gun with a six-inch diameter near Barstow, California, achieving near-hypersonic speeds. The company plans to begin firing a 140-foot gun with a 30-inch diameter at its Alameda test site. Subsequent plans include building a 328-foot long, 30-inch diameter gun, with an eventual extension to about 3,000 feet. This larger gun is projected to launch 220-pound payloads at speeds up to Mach 8.