Longshot Space Technology is developing a multi-injection launcher system designed to accelerate payloads into space using high-pressure gas.
This overview examines the engineering approach, testing phases, and mechanical design behind the startup's unconventional propulsion concept.
Longshot Space Technology, based in Alameda, California, has raised about $20 million from investors. It was founded by CEO Mike Grace and CTO Nato Saichek.
How the space cannon works
The technology is based on designs from World War II and research projects from the 1960s. It is a long horizontal steel tube with high-pressure gas tanks along its length. As the object moves through the tube, the tanks release air to propel it at enormous speeds.
The team is currently testing a 70-foot, six-inch-diameter cannon near Barstow, California. Its plans include testing a larger 140-foot cannon in Alameda, then an even larger 328-foot cannon, with the potential to reach 3.000 feet.
The ultimate goal and military cooperation
The ultimate goal is to build a cannon nearly 10 miles long and nearly 10 feet in diameter. With this system, the company hopes to accelerate payloads up to five kilometers per second—more than 11.000 miles per hour—to space.
The company has also secured contracts with the US military for ultra-high-speed testing. According to Mike Grace, the system could one day send cargo into space at a cost of around $50 per kilogram.
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