Inversion Unveils Arc: Rapid Space Delivery, Hypersonic Research Vehicle
- tech360.tv
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Inversion, a Los Angeles-based aerospace and defence organisation, has unveiled its flagship spacecraft, Arc. The company revealed the vehicle during an event at its factory. Arc is designed to deliver up to 226.8 kilogrammes of mission-critical cargo from orbit to almost any point on Earth in under an hour.
Arc, described as the world’s first space delivery vehicle, can land without runways and serve as a hypersonic research platform for the U.S. military. Co-founders Justin Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs, who started Inversion in 2021, presented Arc as a new logistics platform.
Fiaschetti stated, “Arc represents the next leap, creating a logistics network in space that will make Earth radically more accessible.” The spacecraft, standing about 2.44 metres tall and 1.22 metres wide, is roughly the size of a large tabletop.
It is built to handle deliveries ranging from medical kits to drones. Fiaschetti told Ars Technica that the company plans to pre-position Arcs in orbit for up to five years, ready to descend when needed.
He added, “The nominal mission for us is pre-positioning Arcs on orbit, and having them stay up there for up to five years… being able to bring their cargo or effects to the desired location in under an hour.” Arc uses a lifting body design, allowing it to manoeuvre as it reenters the atmosphere.
The company states Arc has a cross-range of about 999.45 kilometres during reentry, enabling it to steer across wide areas before descent. The vehicle lands under parachutes, eliminating the need for a runway.
Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, permitting soldiers to handle it safely without protective gear immediately after touchdown. Fiaschetti noted, “We like to describe this as mission-enabling cargo or effects.”
He further explained, “This could be a wide variety of specific payloads, anything from medical supplies to drones to what have you. But the key discriminator is, does this make a difference in the moment it’s needed when it gets back down to the ground?”
Beyond delivery, Inversion is positioning Arc as a hypersonic test platform. The spacecraft can reach speeds exceeding Mach 20, maintain extreme conditions for longer durations, and sustain heavy g-forces.
U.S. defence agencies have increased funding and focus on hypersonic research, and Inversion believes Arc offers a cost-effective method to support this work. The company announced, “Fully reusable and capable of precise landings for rapid recovery, Arc makes hypersonic testing faster, repeatable, and more affordable.”
Inversion’s selection for the Kratos-led MACH-TB 2.0 program highlights growing interest in Arc’s role as part of national testing infrastructure. Arc combines manoeuvrability with reusability, providing both defence logistics and advanced research capabilities in one platform.
Arc follows Inversion’s smaller demonstration spacecraft, Ray, which launched in January on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 rideshare mission. Ray weighed about 90.72 kilogrammes and tested systems such as propulsion, avionics, and solar power.
While Ray successfully adjusted its orbit and continues to function, it was not designed to land. Fiaschetti told Ars Technica, “Ray won’t be coming back.”
He added, “We’re doing long-term testing of software on orbit.” This test provided Inversion with the confidence to begin work on Arc.
The company has already built a full-scale development unit of the primary structure, run dozens of drop tests, and completed aerodynamic modelling. Chief Technology Officer Austin Briggs commented, “Every milestone brings Arc closer to flight maturity, and the pace of progress is only accelerating.”
The team has also partnered with NASA on a thermal protection system for extreme reentry conditions. Inversion, which has 60 employees, aims to fly Arc’s first mission by 2026.
Inversion’s Arc spacecraft is designed for rapid, sub-hour cargo delivery anywhere on Earth from orbit.
The vehicle, capable of carrying up to 226.8 kilogrammes, can land without runways and uses non-toxic propulsion.
Arc also serves as a hypersonic test platform, able to reach speeds above Mach 20 and sustain heavy g-forces.
Source: INTERESTING ENGINEERING