Inversion Space, a pioneering startup established in 2021, is determined to transform military logistics through its groundbreaking idea of “space-based warehouses.” The company plans to deploy reusable reentry capsules in orbit to store cargo and deliver it to any location on Earth within an hour.
A Pathfinder mission named “Ray” is slated for launch as soon as October on the SpaceX Transporter-12 rideshare mission. Supported by Inversion’s $10 million seed round, Ray will evaluate technologies essential for the development of a larger capsule, as stated by co-founder and CEO Justin Fiaschetti.
In a recent interview with SpaceNews, Justin Fiaschetti, the co-founder and CEO of Inversion Space, highlighted that the company’s capsules have the capability to securely house a wide array of items, ranging from vital medical supplies to essential military equipment.
Fast and precise cargo delivery is a critical need for militaries worldwide. The key factors are speed and autonomy, which autonomous systems can provide. Inversion Space’s primary customer is the Defense Department, but it aims to offer more affordable private sector options once its infrastructure is established. The company has not yet disclosed the load capacity for its capsules.
In the upcoming October Ray mission, Inversion Space’s capsule will remain in orbit for several weeks, allowing our team on the ground to conduct a thorough analysis and collect valuable data.
Upon completion of the mission, the capsule will execute a precise deorbit burn using its onboard rocket engine. Following reentry, it will deploy two state-of-the-art parachutes developed by Inversion Space, leading to a gentle splashdown off the coast of California. The data gathered during this mission will be instrumental in the development of a larger cargo capsule for our future operational missions.
Inversion Space’s innovative system evokes SpaceX’s “Earth to Earth” transportation concept of a few years ago. Notably, Fiaschetti, the company’s founder, is a former propulsion engineer for both SpaceX and Relativity Space.
However, Inversion Space will face competition from Sierra Space, a private space firm whose Sierra Space Ghost is entering the final stage of testing. With the ability to deliver cargo within a 90-minute window, Sierra Space poses a formidable challenge to Inversion Space.
