A U.S. startup is developing a new reusable spacecraft designed to deliver critical cargo anywhere on Earth in under an hour, potentially revolutionizing military logistics for the United States and its allies.
California-based Inversion this week unveiled its Arc vehicle, which it envisions as an orbital warehouse capable of super-fast delivery to any location on the globe. The company aims for the Arc to assist the U.S. armed forces in rapidly supplying essential goods.
Inversion co-founder and Chief Executive Justin Fiaschetti stated the company foresees “a future in which thousands of Arc spacecraft form a logistics network that provides transformative reach, resilience, and deterrence for the United States and its allies.” He described the Arc as offering “a transport capacity that never existed before.”
The company’s website highlights that the Arc will “unlock the space as a new logistic domain, offering unprecedented speed and global access.”
The autonomous Arc spacecraft measures 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) long and 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) wide. It is designed for precise parachute landings upon its return to Earth.
Beyond its primary role as a cargo delivery system, the Arc’s capability to maneuver at more than 20 times the speed of sound also positions it as a potential testbed for hypersonic technologies.
The first mission for the Arc is slated for 2026. A predecessor vehicle, named Ray, already demonstrated key technologies by reaching orbit in January this year as part of a SpaceX Transporter 12 mission.
Although the Ray did not re-enter Earth’s atmosphere as planned due to a propulsion issue, Inversion declared the mission a success, confirming the validation of important orbital technologies.
Inversion co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Austin Briggs provided an update on the Arc’s development. “We have already built a full-scale manufacturing development unit of the primary structure, completed our first mission profile, and carried out dozens of drop tests to fine-tune precise landings,” Briggs said.
He added, “We have completed advanced aerodynamic modeling, detailed component design, and partnered with NASA on a next-generation thermal protection system designed for the most extreme re-entry environments.” Briggs concluded that “the team is on track to carry out Arc’s first mission in 2026.”