| Industry | Space transportation, rocket manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019  |
| Founder | Jim Cantrell, Michael D'Angelo |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Website | www |
Phantom Space Corporation is an American space transportation and rocket manufacturing startup based in Tucson, Arizona. [1]
Company history
Phantom Space Corporation was founded in 2019 by Jim Cantrell and Michael D'Angelo.
In April 2021, the company raised $5 million in seed investment funding.
In May 2021, it acquired StratSpace, a satellite program designer and manager[2] Cantrell founded in 2000.[3] The acquisition made Phantom Space the first 100% U.S.-based satellite supply chain in its effort to mass produce rockets on a large scale.[4]
In August 2021, the company acquired space systems developer Micro Aerospace Solutions (MAS) operating out of Melbourne, Florida.[5]
In 2023 Phantom signed an agreement with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) , to collaborate on missions at the Arnhem Space Centre in Arnhem Land, a remote location in the Northern Territory of Australia. Phantom has links to the US Department of Defense, and an ELA spokesperson said that the launch site could one day be used for missile-testing and development. Phantom hopes to fire rockets from the ASC site by 2025. While the main focus is on commercial uses at the site, the potential for involvement in defense has raised concerns among the local community.[6]
Daytona
| Function | Small-lift space launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Phantom Space Corporation |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Size | |
| Height | 17.8 m |
| Diameter | 1.5 m |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | 450 kg |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Electron |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | VAFB, CCSFS |
| Total launches | 0 |
| First flight | 2023 |
| First stage | |
| Engines | 9 Hadley |
| Thrust | 200 kN |
| Propellant | Liquid oxygen/RP-1 |
| Second stage | |
| Engines | 1 Hadley |
| Thrust | 28.8 kN |
| Propellant | Liquid oxygen/RP-1 |
As of August 2022 the company is building a two-stage rocket called Daytona. As designed, the vehicle will be 18.7 meters tall, 1.5 meters in diameter. It will be able to loft 450 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 160 kg to GTO, or 50 kg to the Moon for a claimed launch price of $4 million. It will use nine Hadley engines produced by Ursa Major Technologies on its first stage, and one Hadley Vacuum engine on its second stage.[7] The first launch is projected to take place in 2024.[8]
Laguna
The company is also working on a larger two-stage rocket called Laguna. It will be 20.5 meters high and 2 meters in diameter and will be able to launch 1,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 425 kg to GTO, 200 kg to the Moon or 100 kg to Mars. The first stage will be powered by three of Ursa Major's larger Ripley engines and the second stage will again feature a single Hadley Vacuum engine with a launch price of $8 million. Phantom Space claims they intend to propulsively land the Laguna first stage in much the same way as SpaceX lands Falcon 9, utilizing hydraulic-actuated aerodynamic surfaces and foldout landing legs.[7]
Launch history
| Date and time, UTC | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer | Launch
outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2024 | Vandenberg SLC5 | TBA | LEO | TBA | |
| Maiden flight of Daytona | |||||
| 2024 | Vandenberg SLC5 | AFNIO × ? | LEO | Ingenu | |
| Will launch "the majority of" Ingenu's 72-satellite AFNIO constellation. | |||||
| 2024 | Vandenberg SLC5 | TBA | LEO | TBA | |
| CubeSat Launch Initiative contract awarded by NASA. | |||||
| TBD | Hurricane Hunter x ? | LEO | Tropical Weather Analytics | ||
| Tropical Weather Analytics, Inc. (TWA), with a revolutionary 3D measurement capability for improved hurricane forecasting and weather intelligence, is announcing a strategic partnership with Phantom Space Corporation (Phantom) to design, manufacture, launch, and operate its Hurricane Hunter Satellite Constellation. | |||||
References
- ↑ Manfredi, Lucas (September 29, 2021). "Phantom Space, Ingenu to build 72-satellite constellation". FOXBusiness.
- ↑ "Phantom Space acquires StratSpace in pursuit of becoming a turnkey space service".
- ↑ Wichner, David (June 19, 2021). "Small-sat launch firm Phantom to open Tucson rocket factory". Arizona Daily Star.
- ↑ Ruiz, Michael (May 24, 2021). "Phantom Space startup announces world's first 100% US-based satellite supply chain after acquiring StratSpace". Fox Business. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ↑ "Jim Cantrell's Phantom Space Acquires Micro Aerospace Solutions - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. August 17, 2021.
- ↑ Garrick, Matt (April 26, 2023). "Arnhem Land space centre could be used for missile testing and development, Equatorial (sic) Launch Australia says". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- 1 2 Messier, Doug (August 25, 2022). "Having It All Come Together, but Not In House: Phantom Space's Approach to Launch". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ↑ David Wichner (May 26, 2023). "Tucson Tech: Phantom Space acing early tests in bid for orbital flight". Arizona Daily Star.