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§ Private Profile · Oakland, CA, USA
Longshot Space Technologies is a technology company.
Longshot Space Technologies develops a ground-based kinetic launch system, often termed a "space gun," designed to accelerate payloads into orbit using hypersonic technology. This innovative hardware significantly reduces the cost and increases the accessibility of launching objects into space through a propellant-less approach, offering a more economical method for orbital access.
Founded by Mike Grace, Longshot Space Technologies originated from the insight that traditional rocket launch costs could be drastically cut through novel kinetic systems. Grace, who previously studied economics and also completed an astrobiology internship at NASA, envisioned democratized space access to provide humanity with necessary resources in orbit.
The company primarily targets entities needing cost-effective and rapid payload deployment, including defense and commercial space ventures. Longshot Space Technologies’ long-term vision is to facilitate solar system colonization by establishing a sustainable and affordable means of reaching space, ultimately supporting humanity's expansion beyond Earth.
Longshot Space Technologies has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Longshot Space Technologies has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Longshot Space Technologies has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in July 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2023 | $2M Seed | — | Acrew Capital, ALT Capital, Bain Capital Crypto, Exponent Founders Capital, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Hanabi Capital, LGF, Mouro Capital, MS&AD Ventures, Saga, Sharebear Capital, Starship Ventures, Stillmark, Vouch Insurance, Adam Guild, Dylan Field, Hunter Horsley, Karim Atiyeh, Parker Conrad, SAM Altman, SAM Blond, Sean Harper, Shane Curran, Wences Casares | Announced |
Longshot Space Technologies is an Oakland, California-based aerospace startup developing a ground-based kinetic launch system, often called a "space gun" or pneumatic cannon, to propel payloads into low Earth orbit at dramatically lower costs than traditional rockets.[1][2][3] The company builds hypersonic accelerators for high-speed testing, missile defense, and eventual orbital launches, serving defense sectors like the U.S. Air Force, commercial space industries, and satellite operators by solving the high expense and infrequency of hypersonic development and space access.[1][5] With pre-seed funding of $1.5M raised around 2023 and additional $5M in 2024 from VCs (including Sam Altman, Starship Ventures, Draper Associates) matched by Air Force TACFI, plus SBIR awards, Longshot has achieved Mach 4+ speeds in over 100 tests and plans a 1,600-foot accelerator in Nevada.[2][3][5]
Founded in 2020 by CEO Mike Grace and CTO Nathan Saichek, Longshot emerged from a vision to reinvent space launch using pneumatic acceleration rather than rockets.[2] In 2021, with $30K from friends and family, they built a PVC prototype reaching Mach 1.8, followed by a $750K Air Force SBIR award that enabled team expansion and a Mach 4.2 accelerator in an Oakland auto shop.[2] Pivotal U.S. Air Force validation led to the $1.5M pre-seed round; by 2024, further funding and a lease on a fortified Alameda Point site (ex-Navy cannon test facility) supported Nevada desert scaling.[2][3] This trajectory reflects founders' focus on leveraging oil/gas industrial expertise for hypersonic hardware.[5]
Longshot rides the hypersonic arms race, addressing U.S. Air Force needs against China/Russia threats via rapid, affordable testing amid surging demand for orbital economy (satellites, debris management).[2][5] Timing aligns with falling rocket costs (e.g., SpaceX) but persistent hypersonic gaps, where ground-launched kinetics offer cheaper access for small payloads, influencing defense procurement and commercial space by enabling frequent experiments.[1][3] Market forces like TACFI matching and SBIR funding amplify its role, potentially disrupting incumbents by hybridizing pneumatic boosts with minimal rockets, fostering a new ecosystem for responsive space logistics.[2][5]
Longshot's near-term focus is the Nevada 1,600-foot accelerator for altitude testing and military payloads, building toward a 2029 orbital system in remote sites like northern Australia.[2][3] Trends in hypersonic proliferation and cheap orbit (e.g., reusable rockets) will shape it, with defense contracts likely expanding influence if Mach 23 demos succeed. Success could redefine launches as pneumatic-first, slashing satellite costs and boosting U.S. space dominance—turning a pneumatic cannon into the next launch revolution.[2][3]
Longshot Space Technologies has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Longshot Space Technologies's investors include Acrew Capital, Alt Capital, Bain Capital Crypto, Exponent Founders Capital, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Hanabi Capital, LGF, Mouro Capital, MS&AD Ventures, Saga, ShareBear Capital.