Masten Space Systems
Masten Space Systems is a Mojave-based space infrastructure company that builds reusable VTVL rockets, rocket engines, and lunar mission hardware for NASA, defense, and commercial customers. Following its 2022 acquisition by Astrobotic, it now operates as Astrobotic's Propulsion & Test department.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersMojave, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Masten Space Systems does
Masten Space Systems is a Mojave, California-based space infrastructure company founded in 2004 that builds reusable vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) rockets, rocket engines, and lunar mission hardware. Across six generations of landers (Xoie, Xaero/B, Xombie, Xodiac, Xogdor), Masten accumulated more than 600 successful rocket-powered landings — the most in the industry — supporting precision-landing maturation for NASA, defense, and commercial customers. Its engine portfolio spans the Tachi (6,000 lbf LOX/methane), Broadsword (25,000 lbf), and a family of RCS and smaller thrust engines, several additively manufactured using the patent-pending PermiAM process, which cuts production costs by 60% and time by 92% for 7,000 lbf-class injectors.
The company translated its VTVL heritage into lunar infrastructure products: the Xelene (XL-1) lunar lander (4,000 N thrust, 6 main engines + 12 RCS thrusters, hypergolic bipropellant); NITE for lunar-night survival (≈1,900 Wh/kg, enabling 12+ month surface operations); FAST instant landing pads to mitigate lunar dust; a Rocket Mining System projected to extract up to 420,000 kg of water per year; a Lunar PNT navigation network; and 3D-printed electric cryogenic pumps co-developed with P3 Technologies. Revenue is generated through government contract wins (NASA CLPS, Tipping Point, NIAC, AFWERX SBIR, DARPA XS-1), commercial lunar payload delivery services, testing services using reusable VTVL testbeds, and licensing of proprietary technologies. The company was acquired by Astrobotic in 2022 and now operates as Astrobotic's Propulsion & Test department.
Masten Space Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Masten Space Systems
- Legal name
- Masten Space Systems, Inc.
- Website
- https://masten.aero
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Masten Space Systems is a Mojave-based space infrastructure company that builds reusable VTVL rockets, rocket engines, and lunar mission hardware for NASA, defense, and commercial customers. Following its 2022 acquisition by Astrobotic, it now operates as Astrobotic's Propulsion & Test department.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Masten Space Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lunar Space Transportation
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters (IMABACAE), Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM), Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)
Keywords
Where Masten Space Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mojave
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Masten Space Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Lunar Payload Delivery Services: End-to-end mission services for delivering payloads to lunar surface including payload development, integration, testing, launch, mission operations, communications, and post-landing operations. Revenue from NASA CLPS contracts ($75.9M award) and commercial payload customers.
- Rocket Engine Sales: Sale of proprietary rocket engines directly to customers including Tachi, Broadsword, and various RCS thrusters. Engines are used both for company's landers and sold to external customers.
- Testing Services: Rocket-powered testbed services using reusable VTVL vehicles and engine stands for government, defense, and commercial customers to retire risk and advance technology readiness.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary technologies such as PermiAM, NITE System, FAST Landing Pads, and Lunar PNT Network to other aerospace companies and missions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | NASA CLPS Mission - $75.9M contract |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Masten Space Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Masten Space Systems designs, develops, and operates reusable vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) rocket vehicles, manufactures a family of liquid rocket engines, and provides end-to-end lunar payload delivery services using its Xelene lunar lander. The company also licenses proprietary space technologies (NITE thermal system, FAST landing pads, PermiAM additive manufacturing, Lunar PNT, Rocket Mining) and offers rocket-powered testing services for NASA, defense, and commercial space customers.
Product overview
Masten Space Systems is a space infrastructure company offering a comprehensive portfolio of reusable rocket vehicles, rocket engines, lunar landers, and mission-enabling technologies. The product portfolio centers on: (1) Terrestrial Landers (Xogdor, Xodiac, Xombie, Xoie, Xaero) - VTVL reusable rockets with 600+ successful landings used for technology testing; (2) Rocket Engines family including Tachi, Broadsword, and various RCS thrusters; (3) Xelene Lunar Lander (XL-1) for robotic lunar delivery; (4) Space Technologies including NITE System for lunar night survival, Rocket Mining System for water extraction, Lunar PNT Network for navigation, FAST Landing Pads for dust mitigation, PermiAM for 3D-printed components, and Electric Pumps; (5) Testing Services for EDL, payload, and engine testing; (6) Lunar Mission Services for end-to-end delivery. The company now operates as Astrobotic's Propulsion & Test department.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Terrestrial Landers (VTVL Vehicles)
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% reduction in manufacturing costs and 92% reduction in manufacturing time for 7,000 lbf thrust engine injectors using PermiAM
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Masten Space Systems
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Masten Space Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Masten Space Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LeidoscoreCollaboration to build shock-proof beacon enclosures for lunar PNT network. Leidos supporting Phase II SBIR development of navigation beacons for lunar surface deployment.
- SpaceXcoreLaunch provider selected for Masten Mission 1 to deliver lunar lander and payloads to lunar south pole. Falcon 9 to provide trans-lunar injection.
- University of Central Florida (Dr. Phil Metzger)coreCo-investigators for FAST landing pad research. UCF contributing plume impingement expertise and conducting laser instrument development for detecting lunar dust damage.
- P3 TechnologiescoreCollaboration to offer line of compact, high-power density electric pumps. Integrates Masten's proprietary electric motor and controller technology with P3's advanced pump technology for 5-10K lbf thrust class engines.
- DARPAcoreXS-1 Experimental Spaceplane program to develop reusable launch vehicle capable of 10 flights in 10 days with 3,000+ lb payload to LEO.
- Elementum 3DcoreCollaboration to develop PermiAM additive manufacturing process for rocket engines. Elementum 3D provided materials expertise for printing metal components with controlled permeability. Joint development resulted in successful hot fire tests of 3D-printed transpiration-cooled injectors.
- Honeybee RoboticscorePartnership to design Rocket Mining System for lunar ice extraction. Also co-investigators for FAST landing pad research and collaborated on lunar sample vacuum testing on Xodiac rocket.
- Lunar OutpostminorPartnership on Rocket Mining System design for extracting lunar ice and volatiles from Moon's polar regions.
- Penn State University (Applied Research Lab)coreCollaboration on NITE/MOWS system development. Penn State contributing expertise in metallic oxidation reactions for thermal control systems enabling lunar night survival.
- Texas A&M UniversityminorPartner in FAST landing pad study contributing materials analysis and particle size optimization research.
- Zandef DeksitminorPartnership to develop Lunar ExoCam payload system for capturing video during lunar landings. Includes collaboration with Honeybee Robotics for camera deployment mechanisms.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Masten Space Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Astrobotic Technology: Direct lunar lander competitor and now Masten's parent company; Astrobotic developed the Peregrine and Griffin landers for NASA's CLPS program and competes for the same Artemis-era payload delivery missions. After acquiring Masten in 2022, the two operate as an integrated lunar delivery platform.
- Intuitive Machines: Direct CLPS competitor building the Nova-C lunar lander; secured its own multi-mission CLPS task orders and competes head-to-head with Masten for NASA payload delivery slots to the lunar south pole.
- Firefly Aerospace: CLPS competitor developing the Blue Ghost lunar lander; competes with Masten for NASA lunar payload contracts and overlaps on the Alpha launch vehicle / small-launch customer base.
- ispace: Japanese lunar lander company developing the Hakuto-R Series 2 lander; competes with Masten in the commercial and government lunar payload delivery market and shares the same anchor customer set of space agencies and commercial payload providers.
Broad incumbents
- SpaceX: Selected by Masten as the launch provider for Mission 1 (Falcon 9 trans-lunar injection) and a broader incumbent that dwarfs Masten in launch capacity; Starship HLS is a long-run threat to CLPS-class lander economics.
- Blue Origin: Blue Moon lander program directly targets NASA HLS and beyond-EOLE-class lunar delivery; competes with Masten's Xelene lander for agency mindshare and downstream payload customers.
- Rocket Lab: Established small-launch and space systems incumbent with Neutron and a growing space systems business; overlaps with Masten in liquid rocket engines, lunar-related contracts, and small-satellite servicing adjacent to the same customer base.
- Sierra Space: Subsidiary of Sierra Nevada Corporation developing space transportation and in-space infrastructure; competes for NASA and DOD contracts adjacent to Masten's propulsion, lunar, and in-orbit servicing pursuits.
Emerging players
- Relativity Space: Additive-manufacturing-led rocket company (Aeon engines, Terran launch vehicles); comparable technology differentiation angle to Masten's PermiAM, and increasingly competing in the same NASA/DOD small-launch and propulsion procurement lanes.
- Lunar Outpost: Lunar mobility and resources company partnered with Masten on the Rocket Mining System; competes in adjacent lunar surface mobility and ISRU markets and shares access to NASA CLPS/Tipping Point funding pathways.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Masten Space Systems social profiles
Digital presenceMasten Space Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Masten Space Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Masten Space Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Masten Space Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Masten 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 Masten Space Systems
What does Masten Space Systems do?
Masten Space Systems designs, develops, and operates reusable vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) rocket vehicles, manufactures a family of liquid rocket engines, and provides end-to-end lunar payload delivery services using its Xelene lunar lander. The company also licenses proprietary space technologies (NITE thermal system, FAST landing pads, PermiAM additive manufacturing, Lunar PNT, Rocket Mining) and offers rocket-powered testing services for NASA, defense, and commercial space customers.
Is Masten Space Systems a public or private company?
Masten Space Systems is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Masten Space Systems founded?
Masten Space Systems was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Masten Space Systems based?
Masten Space Systems is headquartered in Mojave, United States, in the North America region.
How does Masten Space Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Lunar Payload Delivery Services are the primary driver. The others are rocket Engine Sales, testing Services and technology Licensing.
Who are Masten Space Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Astrobotic Technology, Intuitive Machines, Firefly Aerospace and ispace. Broad incumbents are SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and Sierra Space. Emerging players are Relativity Space and Lunar Outpost.
Does Masten Space Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Masten Space Systems.
What industry is Masten Space Systems in?
Masten Space Systems's product category is Lunar Space Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAB, Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial), with a secondary code of IMABACAE, Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.