SpinLaunch is catapulting a NASA payload. Cutting 70 percent on fuel and structure?

SpinLaunch's Orbital Accelerator system features a rotating carbon fiber arm inside a 300-ft diameter steel vacuum chamber that is used to accelerate a payload-carrying launch vehicle to speeds of up to 5,000 mph. The arm lets go of the rocket at just the right moment, launching it out of the chamber and up towards orbit.

The company claims its system eliminates more than 70 percent of the fuel and structure requirements of typical rocket launches. NASA, for example, typically uses half a million gallons of water per launch — and that's before taking into account the vast amounts of propellant required to send its rockets into orbit.

Once SpinLaunch's launch vehicle reaches orbit, a very small amount of propellant is used to reach the required velocity and position for payload deployment — an almost negligible amount compared to the amount typically required for liftoff.

Making space even more accessible

SpinLaunch's catapult-like system is definitely one of the more unusual and potentially disruptive ideas we've seen obtain a Space Act contract. Another high-profile Space Act Agreement contract recipient is Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, which recently reached an agreement with NASA to build a commercial space station — or "space business park" — called Orbital Reef. 

NASA's Space Act Agreement is part of its ongoing initiative to help the private sector build new space innovations that the agency could use in its pursuit of furthering science, exploring the cosmos, and establishing a network of future space colonies.

"SpinLaunch is offering a unique suborbital flight and high-speed testing service, and the recent launch agreement with NASA marks a key inflection point as SpinLaunch shifts focus from technology development to commercial offerings," said Jonathan Yaney, Founder, and CEO of SpinLaunch.

"What started as an innovative idea to make space more accessible has materialized into a technically mature and game-changing approach to launch," he added. "We look forward to announcing more partners and customers soon, and greatly appreciate NASA's continued interest and support in SpinLaunch."

SpinLaunch says it will eventually be able to send about 440 lbs of payload to orbit at a fraction of the cost of other satellite launch services, such as those provided by SpaceX, ULA, and other space companies. In November last year, the company announced it would conduct roughly 30 suborbital test flights from Spaceport America over the following eight months. Stay posted for future updates on this medieval-inspired launch system that has the potential to revolutionize the way NASA launches satellites to space.