ABL Space Systems
ABL Space Systems (now Long Wall) built the RS1 small-satellite launch vehicle and GS0 containerized ground system for U.S. Space Force, NASA, and commercial satellite operators, before pivoting to missile defense in February 2025 after two failed launches.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersEl Segundo, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ABL Space Systems does
ABL Space Systems, founded in 2017 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, developed the RS1 two-stage small-satellite launch vehicle and the GS0 containerized ground system, designed to deliver payloads to low Earth orbit from any flat concrete pad worldwide without permanent fixed-range infrastructure. The RS1 first stage is powered by nine additively-manufactured E2 engines and the second stage by a single E2 vacuum engine, with a published lift capability of approximately 1,350 kg to LEO, and the company maintained offices in El Segundo (headquarters), Long Beach (vehicle processing), Mojave (test operations), and Seattle (program management).
The business model combined per-mission commercial launch contracts with multi-year U.S. government development and tactically responsive launch awards; customers included the U.S. Space Force, AFWERX, AFRL, NASA, Lockheed Martin (58-launch contract, subsequently cancelled), Amazon's Kuiper program, and Scout Space. Cumulative capital raised reached approximately $500M across equity, non-dilutive government awards (including a $60M STRATFI selection in March 2022 and a $15M Space Systems Command TacRS contract in September 2023), and venture debt from Leonid Capital Partners.
Following two failed RS1 orbital attempts in January 2023 and July 2024, the cancellation of the Lockheed Martin contract, and the closure of the FAA Flight 2 mishap investigation, ABL rebranded as Long Wall in February 2025 and pivoted entirely to missile defense, retiring the commercial small-satellite launch business in favor of the new Cyclops counter-air product line.
ABL Space Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABL Space Systems
- Legal name
- ABL Space Systems
- Website
- https://ablspacesystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ABL Space Systems (now Long Wall) built the RS1 small-satellite launch vehicle and GS0 containerized ground system for U.S. Space Force, NASA, and commercial satellite operators, before pivoting to missile defense in February 2025 after two failed launches.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ABL Space Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Small Satellite Launch Services
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Space-Based Defense Systems (SSA, Missile Warning, Protected SATCOM) (IMABAOAH)
Keywords
Where ABL Space Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- El Segundo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
ABL Space Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Launch Services: Revenue generated from launching customer payloads on RS1 rocket. Contracts total over 75 launches across multiple sectors including government (Space Force, NASA) and commercial customers (Amazon Kuiper). Pricing is quote-based per mission.
- Defense/Government Contracts: Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) contracts including $60M STRATFI program and $15M Space Force demonstration contract. Future potential revenue from missile defense systems under 'Long Wall' rebranding.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
ABL Space Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABL Space Systems designs, manufactures, and operates the RS1 small-satellite launch vehicle and the GS0 containerized ground system, selling dedicated orbital launch services to government defense agencies and commercial satellite operators. The integrated RS1+GS0 system delivers 1,350 kg to LEO or 1,000 kg to SSO and can be activated from any flat concrete pad worldwide using standard shipping containers, enabling both commercial constellation deployment and tactically responsive national security missions. The company also developed the in-house E2 engine family (13,000 lbf thrust) using additive manufacturing, providing vertical integration from raw panels to turbomachinery.
Product overview
ABL Space Systems offers an integrated launch solution comprising the RS1 launch vehicle and GS0 ground system. RS1 is a transportable small satellite launch vehicle designed for high-cadence, cost-effective orbital launches delivering 1,350kg to LEO. GS0 is a containerized ground system that enables launch from any flat concrete pad worldwide, packaged in standard shipping containers. The company manufactures its proprietary E2 engines in-house, with nine E2 Sea Level engines powering RS1's first stage and one E2 vacuum engine for the upper stage. Together, RS1 and GS0 form a complete launch capability that can be rapidly deployed globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RS1 Launch Vehicle The RS1 is ABL Space Systems' transportable, low-cost small-satellite launch vehicle designed to deliver 1,350 kg of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO) or 1,000 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Each stage is sized to fit in standard shipping containers (Stage 1 in a 53' container, Stage 2 in a 20' container, fairing in a 20' container) and the vehicle uses LOx/RP-1 or LOx/Jet-A propellants with nine E2 sea-level engines on the first stage and one E2 vacuum-optimized engine on the second stage, producing 109,000 lbf and 13,000 lbf of thrust respectively. The product is sold to government defense agencies and commercial satellite operators as a dedicated launch service.
- GS0 Containerized Ground System GS0 is ABL's deployable, containerized launch ground system engineered to enable orbital launch from any flat concrete pad worldwide. The system is packaged into standard shipping containers that can be moved by land, sea, or air, and supports vehicles up to a 10,000 lbm dry weight and 150,000 lbm gross liftoff weight with RP-1, Jet-A, and LOx propellants. GS0 allows installation, integration, and launch with a minimal crew (approximately five operators) and only a 150'x50' concrete pad, and is offered to government and commercial customers either as a permanent installation at established launch sites or as a rapidly deployable system for tactically responsive missions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75+ launch contracts across multiple sectors
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ABL Space Systems
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ABL Space Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ABL Space Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Scout SpaceminorSpace domain awareness startup planning to send its first standalone spacecraft to orbit aboard the third flight of ABL's RS1 rocket.
- Space Systems Command (SSC)coreABL selected by Space Systems Command's Assured Access to Space office for a tactically responsive launch demonstration. The $15 million contract is part of existing STRATFI contract and complements ABL's work on low-cost, flexible launch supporting Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS). Task includes maintaining readiness at two separate deployed launch sites.
- Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)coreAFRL and ABL collaborating to demonstrate rapid operation of launch systems by small teams from non-traditional sites. Key TacRS challenge involves breaking from assumption of pre-defined orbit, trajectory, and launch site.
- AmazoncoreAmazon contracted ABL to launch KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 prototype satellites on RS1 rockets as part of Amazon's Kuiper satellite broadband constellation development.
- NASAcoreABL named as launch provider for NASA's cryogenic demonstration mission to demonstrate in-space transfer of cryogenic liquid hydrogen. Also selected as one of 12 companies to provide Venture-Class Launch Services for NASA VADR missions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ABL Space Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Stoke Space: Emerging small-launch startup developing a fully reusable Nova rocket for LEO small-sat customers; competes for similar technical talent, customer relationships, and investor capital as ABL.
- Relativity Space: Comparable as an additive-manufacturing-focused small-to-medium launch provider (Terrane R / Aeon R engines), targeting similar LEO small-payload customers with a differentiated manufacturing approach analogous to ABL's E2 strategy.
- Phantom Space: Early-stage small-launch competitor pursuing an air-launch / Daytona-based model for responsive LEO access; partial overlap with ABL's responsive-launch and government customer thesis.
Direct peers
- Virgin Orbit: Pursued a comparable responsive/air-launch small-satellite model with the LauncherOne system; ultimately failed commercially and shut down, providing an instructive precedent for capital-intensive responsive launch models under pressure.
- Astra: Small-launch competitor that experienced serial launch failures, lost major customers, and pivoted business model — a structurally similar trajectory to ABL's, making it a directly relevant peer for risk and strategic comparison.
- Rocket Lab: Most direct comparable — operates the Electron small-satellite launch vehicle (and developing Neutron) for the same LEO/SSO small-payload customer base that ABL targeted with RS1. Closest business model and target market match in the small launch segment.
- Firefly Aerospace: Direct competitor in the small-launch market with the Alpha rocket, targeting similar LEO small-sat customers and pursuing responsive launch capabilities. Now also expanding into responsive space and lunar lander services.
Broad incumbents
- SpaceX: Dominant incumbent in the broader launch market whose Falcon 9 rideshare program competes for the same small-sat customer dollars that ABL targets; the price/availability benchmark against which all small-launch economics are measured.
- Northrop Grumman: Operates the Pegasus and Minotaur small-to-medium launch vehicles and is a major defense/space prime. Provides the established incumbent benchmark for both responsive launch and missile defense — relevant on both sides of ABL/Long Wall's pivot.
- United Launch Alliance: Joint-venture incumbent (Lockheed Martin / Boeing) providing medium-to-heavy launch and national security space capabilities; relevant as a counterparty in the canceled 58-launch contract and as a benchmark for responsive launch (Vulcan Centaur).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ABL Space Systems social profiles
Digital presenceABL Space Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABL Space Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
ABL Space Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABL Space Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ABL Space Systems
What does ABL Space Systems do?
ABL Space Systems designs, manufactures, and operates the RS1 small-satellite launch vehicle and the GS0 containerized ground system, selling dedicated orbital launch services to government defense agencies and commercial satellite operators. The integrated RS1+GS0 system delivers 1,350 kg to LEO or 1,000 kg to SSO and can be activated from any flat concrete pad worldwide using standard shipping containers, enabling both commercial constellation deployment and tactically responsive national security missions. The company also developed the in-house E2 engine family (13,000 lbf thrust) using additive manufacturing, providing vertical integration from raw panels to turbomachinery.
Is ABL Space Systems a public or private company?
ABL Space Systems is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently acquired.
When was ABL Space Systems founded?
ABL Space Systems was founded in 2017. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ABL Space Systems based?
ABL Space Systems is headquartered in El Segundo, United States, in the North America region.
How does ABL Space Systems make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Launch Services are the primary driver. The others are defense/Government Contracts.
Who are ABL Space Systems's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Stoke Space, Relativity Space and Phantom Space. Direct peers are Virgin Orbit, Astra, Rocket Lab and Firefly Aerospace. Broad incumbents are SpaceX, Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance.
Does ABL Space Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABL Space Systems.
What industry is ABL Space Systems in?
ABL Space Systems's product category is Small Satellite Launch Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAA, Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets, with a secondary code of IMABAOAH, Space-Based Defense Systems (SSA, Missile Warning, Protected SATCOM). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.