Longshot Space Tested Gun-Based Orbital Launch System
The Alameda-based startup is developing a reusable ground accelerator designed to fire payloads into space at Mach 8.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Space
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Longshot Space Technology has raised $20 million to develop a reusable, gun-based launch system for space payloads. The company is currently testing a 70-foot accelerator near Barstow, California, and plans to scale the technology in Alameda.
Why it matters
The company aims to provide a lower-cost alternative to conventional rocket launches, targeting a launch price of $50 per kilogram. This development seeks to replace traditional vertical-takeoff rockets with high-velocity kinetic acceleration.
Current test infrastructure includes a 70-foot, 6-inch diameter barrel, with plans for a 140-foot gun in Alameda and a final 3,000-foot launcher. The system targets Mach 8 speeds for a 220-pound maximum payload capacity.
The players
Longshot Space Technology
An Alameda-based startup developing gun-based space launch systems and military hypersonic testing hardware.
The details
The system utilizes tanks of high-pressure gas that fire at precise intervals to accelerate a projectile through a barrel. The projectile acts as the second stage of a rocket, utilizing a built-in lifting body design and its own propulsion system to stabilize and climb after exiting the accelerator.
Timeline
1960s: Multi-injection gun design research programs were conducted.
October 13, 2026: This article was published.
October 2026: Longshot Space Technology will appear at TechCrunch Disrupt.
The Tech Race
The firm is revisiting propulsion concepts explored in 1960s multi-injection gun design research programs. It attempts to scale this physics-based approach to replace the current industry dominance of conventional chemical rockets.
The system primarily targets commercial and military payload delivery rather than consumer-facing services. While currently in the testing phase, successful scale-up could significantly lower the cost of deploying satellite hardware to orbit.
The takeaway
Longshot Space is betting that traditional chemical rockets can be undercut by massive, gas-powered kinetic accelerators. Watch for updates on their planned 140-foot gun installation in Alameda as a benchmark for scaling toward their 3,000-foot final objective.
Further reading
For more on the current landscape of launch alternatives, visit Space.
More information
View the TechCrunch Disrupt event registration page for more details.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechCrunch.
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