Imagine putting a constellation of ships into orbit, similar to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites, but Instead of serving as a communication link, they were a supply chain to take anything, anywhere on the planet, in less than an hour. That is what Inversion Space aims to do with its Arc vehicle.
It is the world’s first space delivery vehicle: it is designed to tcan carry up to 227 kg of critical load, measures approximately 2.4 meters high and 1.2 meters wide (the size of a large table) and its goal is to manage deliveries ranging from medical kits to drones. The interesting thing is that it can remain in orbit for five years waiting for the order to come down to Earth and deliver its cargo. Co-founders Justin Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs, who founded the company in 2021, introduced Arc as a new type of logistics platform.
“Our main mission is preposition Arcs in orbit and keep them there for up to five years – explains Fiaschetti in an interview – being able to take your load or effects to the desired place in less than an hour.”
The spacecraft has a lifting body design, meaning it can maneuver upon re-entering the atmosphere. It has a range of approximately 1000 kilometers during re-entryallowing you to navigate wide areas before descent.
Instead of needing a clue, The vehicle lands with a parachute. Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, allowing it to be handled safely without protective equipment immediately after landing.
“We like to describe this as a mission-enabling option – adds Fiaschetti -. Arc is fully reusable and capable of precise landings for quick recovery. To this we must add that it will become a hypersonic test platform, since it is capable of reaching very high speeds.”
The ship can reach speeds exceeding Mach 20maintaining extreme conditions for longer periods and withstanding strong G forces. The team has also partnered with NASA to develop a thermal protection system for extreme reentry conditions. The first of his missions will be next year.