Longshot Space Technologies
Longshot Space Technologies is a pre-revenue US aerospace startup developing a ground-based hypersonic gun to launch satellites into orbit at lower cost and higher cadence than rockets, serving government defense programs and commercial satellite operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersEmeryville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Longshot Space Technologies does
Longshot Space Technologies is a US-based, privately held aerospace company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Emeryville, California. It is developing a ground-based, gun-launched orbital delivery system that uses hypersonic acceleration, currently a 120-foot test barrel powered by pressurized nitrogen at the Alameda Point former Navy facility in California, with a planned 500-meter full-scale launch gun in Tonopah, Nevada. The intended system accelerates payloads to Mach 5-7 for orbital insertion, with the stated objective of reducing launch cost and increasing cadence relative to rocket-based launch. The company is led by co-founders Nathan Saichk (CTO and CEO) and Joseph Grace (CEO), with Mark Bigham as VP of Defense Programs.
The company's go-to-market targets two verticals, government/defense programs and commercial satellite operators, through a direct enterprise sales motion led by its defense channel. Revenue is intended to be generated via per-launch transaction fees for payload delivery, though no commercial contracts, pricing, or revenue are disclosed and the company is presently pre-revenue. Marketing has been built primarily through earned media coverage in outlets such as TechCrunch and Space News and executive podcast appearances rather than paid acquisition.
Capital formation has progressed across three disclosed rounds totaling roughly $6.5M: a $1.5M round in July 2023 led by Starship Ventures with Draper Associates and SpaceFund, a $5M round in April 2024 led by Starship Ventures with Myelin VC, and a 2025 round adding Battle Born Venture and Gaingels. Use of funds is concentrated on the Nevada launch site, regulatory approval for the 500-meter gun, and continued hypersonic testing, where recent test results have exceeded Mach 4.
Longshot Space Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Longshot Space Technologies
- Legal name
- Longshot Space Technology
- Website
- https://longshotspace.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Longshot Space Technologies is a pre-revenue US aerospace startup developing a ground-based hypersonic gun to launch satellites into orbit at lower cost and higher cadence than rockets, serving government defense programs and commercial satellite operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Longshot Space Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Launch Services
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense) (IMABAOAG), Space Defense & Missile Warning (BPAIAHAF)
Keywords
Where Longshot Space Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Emeryville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Longshot Space Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payload Launch Services: Revenue generated from launching customer payloads into orbit using the ground-based gun launch system. Customers pay per launch to deliver satellites and other cargo to orbit at significantly lower costs than traditional rockets.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Longshot Space Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Longshot Space Technologies develops and sells a ground-based hypersonic gun launch system that accelerates payloads to Mach 5-7 to deliver them into Earth orbit, offering payload launch services to government and commercial customers at significantly lower cost than traditional rockets. The system uses a large nitrogen-powered accelerator barrel (current 120-foot test article at Alameda; planned 500-meter full-scale gun in Nevada) and targets launch cadences of hundreds per day.
Product overview
Longshot Space Technologies is a single-product aerospace company that has developed a ground-based space gun launch system. The technology utilizes a large accelerator gun inspired by WWII-era artillery technology to propel payloads to hypersonic speeds (Mach 5-7), enabling orbital launch at a fraction of traditional rocket costs. The company is currently testing a 120-foot gun barrel powered by pressurized nitrogen at Alameda Point (a former Navy testing facility) and is seeking regulatory approval to construct a 500-meter launch gun in Nevada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ground-Based Space Gun Launch System
Quantifiable outcome
- Significantly lower launch costs than traditional rockets
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Longshot Space Technologies
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Longshot Space Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Longshot Space Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Longshot Space Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SpinLaunch: SpinLaunch is developing a kinetic, non-rocket orbital launch system using a ground-based centrifuge accelerator — architecturally the closest peer to Longshot's hypersonic gun, pursuing the same thesis of replacing rockets with reusable ground-based kinetic launch infrastructure.
- Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab operates the Electron small-launch vehicle and is developing Neutron, targeting the same small-satellite and responsive-launch customer base that Longshot intends to serve, but via a traditional rocket-based architecture rather than gun launch.
- Relativity Space: Relativity is a venture-backed launch startup pursuing novel manufacturing and reusable rockets to disrupt launch economics — a structurally similar disruptor story aimed at the same commercial and defense small-/medium-launch market.
- ABL Space Systems: ABL develops the RS1 small launch vehicle targeting responsive, low-cost access to orbit for commercial and government customers — competing with Longshot for the same responsive-launch contract opportunities.
- Stoke Space: Stoke Space is developing a fully reusable launch vehicle targeting rapid turnaround — directly comparable to Longshot in that both startups are pursuing step-change improvements in launch cadence and economics.
- Firefly Aerospace: Firefly is developing the Alpha and MLV small- and medium-launch vehicles serving commercial and government satellite customers — a directly comparable small launch competitor in the same target segment.
Broad incumbents
- SpaceX: SpaceX dominates the global launch market with reusable Falcon 9 and Starship architectures and is the primary incumbent whose aggressive cost reduction Longshot's gun-launch model is implicitly trying to undercut.
- Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman operates the Minotaur and Pegasus launch systems and is a major space-defense contractor — a broad incumbent in the same defense-launch and military-space segment Longshot is pursuing via its VP of Defense Programs.
Emerging players
- Anduril Industries: Anduril is a venture-backed defense tech prime building autonomous systems and space-related capabilities — comparable as a well-funded, non-traditional entrant selling into the same DoD and intelligence-community buyers that Longshot is targeting with its defense-focused GTM motion.
- Vector Launch: Vector was an early-stage small-launch startup pursuing disruptive launch economics before ceasing operations — relevant as a cautionary comparable illustrating the execution and capital-intensity risks of the small-launch startup category Longshot occupies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Longshot Space Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceLongshot Space Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Longshot Space Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Longshot Space Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors9 records
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Longshot Space Technologies 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 Longshot Space Technologies
What does Longshot Space Technologies do?
Longshot Space Technologies develops and sells a ground-based hypersonic gun launch system that accelerates payloads to Mach 5-7 to deliver them into Earth orbit, offering payload launch services to government and commercial customers at significantly lower cost than traditional rockets. The system uses a large nitrogen-powered accelerator barrel (current 120-foot test article at Alameda; planned 500-meter full-scale gun in Nevada) and targets launch cadences of hundreds per day.
Is Longshot Space Technologies a public or private company?
Longshot Space Technologies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Longshot Space Technologies founded?
Longshot Space Technologies was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Longshot Space Technologies based?
Longshot Space Technologies is headquartered in Emeryville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Longshot Space Technologies make money?
One revenue line is on record: payload Launch Services.
Who are Longshot Space Technologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SpinLaunch, Rocket Lab, Relativity Space, ABL Space Systems, Stoke Space and Firefly Aerospace. Broad incumbents are SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. Emerging players are Anduril Industries and Vector Launch.
Does Longshot Space Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Longshot Space Technologies.
What industry is Longshot Space Technologies in?
Longshot Space Technologies's product category is Space Launch Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAA, Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets, with a secondary code of IMABAOAG, Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.