A new spacecraft company called Inversion has unveiled its “on-demand” delivery vehicle, Arc. The company says the Arc spacecraft can deliver up to 500 pounds (225 kg) of supplies almost anywhere in the world within an hour. “The nominal mission for us is pre-positioning Arcs in orbit, having them stay up there for up to five years.
They can be called upon and autonomously land wherever and whenever they’re needed, delivering their cargo in under an hour,” said Justin Fiaschetti, co-founder and CEO of Inversion. Inversion was founded in early 2021 by Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs, both former students at Boston University. Three years later, the company developed a small spacecraft named “Ray” as a technology demonstrator.
It launched as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission in January this year. Ray, with a mass of about 200 pounds (90 kg), performed well in space. However, Ray will not return to Earth; it’s primarily for long-term software testing.
Following Ray’s success, Inversion is moving towards producing the larger Arc vehicle, which was unveiled recently.
Arc spacecraft enables rapid global delivery
About the size of a large tabletop—4 feet wide and 8 feet tall—the company aims to launch the first Arc vehicle by the end of 2026.
Arc is a lifting body spacecraft designed to perform most of its maneuvers in the atmosphere, with 1,000 km of cross-range capability during reentry. It will land under parachutes, eliminating the need for a runway. Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, allowing immediate post-landing access without protective gear.
The US military sees potential in pre-positioning mission-critical cargo in space for rapid deployment. This could range from medical supplies to drones, aiming to make a significant difference during critical moments. Inversion has already developed a “full-scale manufacturing development unit of the primary structure” for the first Arc vehicle.
If successful, this capability could be revolutionary. However, the challenges remain significant. As the team grows, now 60 strong, they are prepared to navigate the complexities and risks associated with space technology development.
Inversion remains optimistic about bringing the Arc spacecraft to market.
