Longshot Space Aims for 15x Cheaper Space Launches

Longshot Space aims to construct massive space guns capable of launching objects into orbit, departing from the conventional rocket-based approach.

Mike Grace, CEO and co-founder, articulates that the company's long-term vision is to drastically reduce transport costs to facilitate human civilization's expansion into space, a goal he views as unattainable with current rocket technology.

Longshot Space has secured $8 million in contracts and bookings with the Department of War, signaling military interest in its kinetic launch technology.

The startup has achieved a speed record of Mach 4.2, and CEO Mike Grace acknowledges the low probability of success, but he believes the potential to enable humanity to own part of the solar system justifies the significant risk.

An indoor cannon testing range previously used by the Navy serves as the site where Longshot Space develops its accelerator technology, a location where the Phalanx CIWS gun was once built.

The facility includes an indoor cannon testing range previously used by the Navy, and Grace describes their current accelerator as the largest gun presently on the planet.

The company is constructing a half-kilometer-long accelerator in Barstow, California, specifically designed to propel a 100 kg projectile to Mach 5.

Mike Grace highlights that current air transport is impractical for moving mass volumes, drawing a comparison to Hawaii's reliance on heavy imports via shipping.

He argues that if rockets are analogous to airplanes for space travel, the development of a 'ship' equivalent is crucial for moving vast quantities of tools, materials, food, and air to off-Earth destinations to build a space civilization.

Grace's academic struggles, including not learning to read until age 12, cultivated a sense of social isolation that led him to embrace an attitude of intentional non-conformity.

He believes that founding a startup like Longshot requires asserting that the prevailing consensus is incorrect while maintaining unwavering confidence in one's own unique vision.

Cold War weapons development, rather than first-principles engineering, shaped modern rocket-based space transport, Mike Grace argues, leaving the sector with a workforce and infrastructure optimized for military-grade delivery systems.

He argues that massive post-World War II investments in rocketry were primarily driven by the need for atomic bomb delivery, not by the specific requirements of civilian space exploration.

The existing infrastructure and workforce are optimized for military-grade delivery systems, overlooking the marginal cost efficiencies needed for broader space shipping.

Fabrication time for 1.4-kilogram projectiles at the facility ranges from 4 hours for simple designs to 7 hours for complex wedged models, which the company uses in its 6-inch accelerator system to study launch dynamics.

Fabrication time for these projectiles ranges from 4 hours for simple designs to 6-7 hours for more complex wedged projectiles used in impingement testing, with each weighing approximately 1.4 kilograms and designed for cost-effective functional testing.

The test facility incorporates improvised equipment, such as a $200 Craigslist safe filled with concrete to serve as a projectile stop.

To manage noise for neighbors, the facility employs acoustic baffling and strategically drilled ceiling holes, while discarded nylon carpet from dumpsters is repurposed as a catcher to melt and contain debris, streamlining cleanup operations.

Grace advocates for the importance of creating even "bad prototypes" as a crucial step, demonstrating a team's actual capability to build things rather than just design them.

He recounted building an initial Mach 1.8 potato gun from Home Depot irrigation parts and scrap materials, an effort that proved the team's construction prowess.

A former co-founder initially resisted prototyping due to potential embarrassment, failing to grasp the fundamental purpose of the exercise as proof of execution.

Mike Grace navigated Longshot through the brink of bankruptcy at least three times, relying on his wife's support and a critical $20,000 investment from David Kempson to initially launch the company.

The company maintains a policy of complete salary and equity transparency for all employees, a practice Grace instituted to foster trust and commitment.

This transparency serves as a non-monetary form of compensation, distinguishing Longshot from many traditional tech companies where such information is typically guarded.

Grace instituted this policy to prevent the abrupt and unexpected layoffs common in startups, ensuring employees are always aware of the company's financial health.

The test barrel in Longshot Space's vacuum system, where projectiles are mounted on rails, has been fired at least 150 times, leading to a wide range of failures.

Grace reflects on these early testing stages, noting that while the failures seem humorous in retrospect, each was terrifying at the time due to the high-pressure, high-energy nature of the system and the company's limited capital, where every misstep could have been catastrophic.

During a critical test, a pressure sensor unexpectedly dislodged, causing an expensive helium leak from the pressurized tank.

CEO Mike Grace and CTO David Kempson immediately performed an emergency repair while the tank remained pressurized, successfully recovering 300 PSI of helium, which saved thousands of dollars and proved crucial for the company's survival at that time.

The system faces an unprecedented flight regime at Mach 25 and sea-level pressure, significantly differing from rockets, which gradually build speed and experience maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q) at altitude.

In contrast, Longshot's vehicles confront maximum heat and pressure instantaneously upon exiting the cannon, demanding advanced material science and design to withstand extreme conditions.

Ground tests for Longshot Space's projectiles eliminate the need for flight permits, streamlining the testing process.

This allows the team to conduct launches every day, providing the cheapest and easiest method for rapid iteration on the planet, according to Mike Grace.

Longshot Space conducted a live test aimed at evaluating a dumbbell projectile's performance at high speeds within their accelerator system.

The test involved a carefully controlled pressurization sequence, incrementally increasing from 200 PSI to a final launch pressure of 756 PSI, which resulted in the projectile successfully traveling through the barrel and striking the target.

Mike Grace prioritizes solving specific problems with minimal new technology, arguing that excessive technical novelty can hinder progress.

He asserts that the Falcon 9 rocket, despite its advanced capabilities, could have been engineered as early as the 1970s, implying that technological readiness often outpaces market-driven application.

Grace credits SpaceX's success to its focus on drastically reducing launch costs rather than pursuing unnecessary technical complexity, a strategy that aligned with market incentives.

He warns against the common pitfall of attempting to solve an inherently difficult problem by simultaneously introducing an excessive number of novel technical solutions.

Mike Grace considers even a multi-billion dollar acquisition of Longshot as a defense company specializing in hypersonics to be a failure, emphasizing his core dedication to space accessibility.

He aims to enable ordinary individuals, not just billionaires, to relocate to space, envisioning a future where industries move off-Earth, allowing the planet to return to a natural state akin to a 'garden.'

Grace's ultimate goal is to create viable options for future generations to establish lives and opportunities beyond Earth, fundamentally altering humanity's relationship with space.