A Closer Look At SpinLaunch & Its Future Impact
There is one thing every company with the goal of getting to space has in common. Working towards getting a lower cost per launch or kilogram sent into space. Many different aspects of the space industry are going through immense amounts of innovation in relation to this goal. SpinLaunch is trying something completely different that could change how we access space.
SpinLaunch is a private space company that is working towards an alternative method of sending cargo into space. Specifically, the company uses a ground-based, electric-powered kinetic launch system that delivers a cost-effective solution when accessing space. This will increase access to space and spark more innovation throughout the entire industry.
SpinLaunch is a perfect example of a company trying something completely different with ambitious goals. These unique ideas and different perspectives are exactly what the space industry needs. If SpinLaunch is successful we could see a much brighter future for not only the space industry but the world as well.
What Is SpinLaunch?
As I mentioned prior, SpinLaunch is a newer private space company working towards lowering the cost to send cargo into space. The company was founded in 2014 and is based out of Sunnyvale California. SpinLaunch is doing this with a very innovative and unique solution. The private company is using a kinetic launch system. In simpler terms, they spin a small rocket encased in a shell to thousands of miles per hour and release it, sending it high into the atmosphere. From here, the shell protecting the rocket and payload is ejected and the rocket ignites its engine.
So far the company has worked on a suborbital accelerator. The large structure stands at 50.4 meters tall and is the largest span vacuum chamber. On October 22nd, 2021, they successfully propelled a test vehicle at supersonic speeds and ended with the recovery of the reusable flight vehicle. In 2022 the company plans to continue to develop and use the suborbital launch system for test flights and act as a satellite qualification facility. The company is also working on a more powerful orbital accelerator. SpinLaunch estimates the first customer launches are planned for late 2024.
Why Is It Important To The Future?
Space Access – One of the most prominent benefits of SpinLaunch’s innovative solution is the lower cost. The company estimates they will be able to reach orbit and deliver cargo with a 10x reduction in cost. Specifically, the company has estimated it will cost less than $500,000 per launch. The current space industry is growing faster than we have ever seen before. The industry plans to launch ten times the number of satellites over the next decade. One of the biggest markets within this sector is satellite and cargo launches. Many different companies around the country and world have technology they want to put in orbit. A lot of which are small satellites that don’t require a large payload capacity. This means it can be hard for these companies to find a good price when buying a ride to space. SpinLaunch will provide a perfect option for many different customers. The low cost will encourage more companies to develop and send different technology, and more into space. As time goes on this will increase our access to space significantly. SpinLaunch not only is offering a cost-effective option but also one that can launch very frequently. The private company is working towards multiple launches on the same day. This would open up the opportunity for continued launches and also increase our access to space.
Innovative Ideas – One of the reasons SpinLaunch is so special is the companies innovative and ambitious ideas and goals. Their work on sending a rocket majority into space without using any fuel is one of a kind in the current space industry. This is not the first time however this method has been used. More than 50 years ago, HARP (High Altitude Research Project) worked on trying to shoot rockets into space without using fuel. The company was successful in reaching speeds over 5,000 miles per hour. While the idea is not necessarily new, SpinLaunch is approaching it with a unique method and more advanced technology. These innovative and ambitious goals are exactly what the industry needs. If successful, SpinLaunch will become a big competitor to small-lift launch vehicles and encourage more innovation throughout the industry. This will lower costs and increase the general access to space as well.
Environmental Impact – The final benefit of SpinLaunch’s system is the environmental impact or lack thereof. The company mentions that as space access and the demand to reach orbit and beyond increases, our impact on the environment becomes more important. The private company is able to launch rockets without emitting any emissions in the critical lower layers of the atmosphere. SpinLaunch envisions a future with tens of thousands of humans working in space. These humans will need consistent cargo, supplies, and more. SpinLaunch will be capable of not only delivering necessary equipment but avoiding any pollution in the launch process.
SpinLaunch Compared To Current Small-Lift Launch Vehicles
When comparing SpinLaunch to some current popular small-lift launch vehicles it becomes clear how big of an impact this technology could have. Currently, the lowest cost for a launch vehicle to put a small satellite into orbit is around $7 million. SpinLaunch is aiming for less than $500,000 per launch. This would be an immense decrease in price and change how we access space. If we take a look at specific companies such as Rocket Lab we can see a similar pattern. Rocket Lab has been consistently launching its Electron rocket. This is a small-lift launch vehicle capable of bringing around 200-300kg into a sun-synchronous orbit. It costs about $7.5 million per launch of the Electron rocket. SpinLaunch is working towards bringing around 200kg of cargo into orbit for less than half a million. This helps put in perspective how significant of a decrease in price the SpinLaunch system is.
What Are The Downsides?
SpinLaunch is a very ambitious idea that is working towards changing an aspect of the space industry. However, there are some downsides and complications the company has to work on first. It is one thing to have ambitious ideas and another to actually execute and make these ideas become a reality. SpinLaunch has done a lot of good work on its suborbital accelerator and now needs to complete an orbital accelerator. This will require a lot more power and size along with advanced technology. This presents many different unique challenges and complications. One is the heat and G-forces the rocket has to withstand. Between the spinning process and speeds through the atmosphere, the rocket will be exposed to thousands of degrees and a ton of G-force. SpinLaunch has a solution but we will have to wait and see as the company develops and their success in different aspects of the launch process.
Conclusion
SpinLaunch is a newer private space company with big plans for the future. They are innovating and trying something no one else in the industry is. Using an electrically powered kinetic launch system, Spinlaunch can send a rocket and payload through the majority of the atmosphere without using any fuel. This has a big benefit on lowering cost, increasing access to space, providing innovative ideas, and avoiding a negative environmental impact. So far SpinLaunch has built a suborbital accelerator and had great success. The company still has a lot of work to do and more ambitious plans for the future. We will have to wait and see how the company progresses and the impact it has on the future space industry.