iRocket announces it has signed a Space Act Agreement for reusable launch vehicle development
NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., - iRocket announced that the company signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. iRocket is a New York startup building autonomous reusable rockets to cargo micro, nano, cube, and satellite constellations to LEO on its Shockwave launch vehicle. The company develops cost-effective launch vehicles that can support 300kg and 1500 kg payloads for satellite constellation providers for National security satellites, 5G internet constellations, the Internet of Things (IoT), Biotech Research, and Space exploration.
Under this agreement, NASA will help accelerate iRocket’s next-gen reusable engine development by providing testing and engineering support up to $50M over 5 years. “We are excited about this new partnership with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center as iRocket’s innovative reusable engine technology has been under development since 2018 and will be ready for testing in late September,” says iRocket CEO Asad Malik. Being on a leading-edge iRocket will significantly reduce launch costs against competitors like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and rapidly deploy small satellites to LEO orbit, disrupting the Smallsat market by 2023 with its first launch.
iRocket recently graduated from the NYU Endless Frontiers Lab 2020-2021 Deep Tech cohort and is scheduled to close its next funding round on August 13th, 2021.
iRocket is currently supporting the Space Force – Space & Missile Systems Center on Phase II Rapid prototype development contract for its reusable launch vehicles with plans to scale up to Shockwave V to deliver cargo anywhere around the world in under an hour, supporting Logistics carriers, National security cargos, and humanitarian missions. Space Force’s first Rocket Cargo project studies possibilities of rapid launches and delivery of material and even personnel across the globe.
Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard launch vehicle recently successfully performed its first crewed mission on July 20th, another reusability milestone in the space industry. New Shepard carried Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, Oliver Daemen, and Wally Funk on the 62-mile journey to space. It demonstrated that more and more companies are starting to realize the significance of reusability in this industry.
iRocket’s Shockwave will be a fully autonomous launch vehicle and the only fully reusable small launcher in the market. It will consist of two stages to orbit, the first and second stage landing back on the launch site. iRocket will prove inland launch capabilities to the Department of Defense and be mission capable of launching within 24 hrs. iRocket plans to launch its rockets from Launch Complex 48 at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
