List of private spaceflight companies
This page is a list of non-governmental entities that currently offer—or are planning to offer—equipment and services geared towards spaceflight, both robotic and human.
List of abbreviations used in this article |
LEO: Low Earth orbit GTO: Geostationary transfer orbit VTOL: Vertical take-off and landing SSTO: Single-stage-to-orbit TSTO: Two-stage-to-orbit SSTSO: Single-stage-to-sub-orbit |
Commercial astronauts
- Association of Spaceflight Professionals — Astronaut training, applied research and development, payload testing and integration, mission planning and operations support
Manufacturers of space vehicles
Cargo transport vehicles
Company name | Spacecraft | Launch system | Length | Dry mass | Launch mass | Payload | Payload volume | Return payload | Diameter | Generated power | Automated docking | Status |
SpaceX | Dragon | Falcon 9 Block 5 | pressurized or unpressurized, in any mixture | , plus 14, or 34 | capsule return | No | Retired | |||||
SpaceX | Dragon 2 | Falcon 9 Block 5 | , plus 14 | Yes | Development Planned: 2020 | |||||||
Orbital | Cygnus | Antares 1x0 | None | 3500 | No | Retired | ||||||
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems | Cygnus | Antares 230 Atlas V 401 | 27 | None | No | Operational | ||||||
Sierra Nevada Corporation | Dream Chaser Cargo System | Atlas V Vulcan | pressurized, 500 unpressurized | Yes | Development Planned: 2020 |
Crew transport vehicles
Orbital
Suborbital
Company name | Spacecraft | Range | Launch system | Crew size | Length | Diameter | Launch mass | First spaceflight* | Status |
Scaled Composites | SpaceShipOne | White Knight | 1 | 8.53 | 8.05 | 3,600 | 21 June 2004 | Retired | |
Blue Origin | New Shepard Crew Capsule | New Shepard | 6 | 3.6 | Planned date not known | Testing | |||
The Spaceship Company | SpaceShipTwo | White Knight Two | 1 | 18.3 | 8.3 | 9,740 | Planned date not known | Testing | |
Copenhagen Suborbitals | Tycho Deep Space | Spica | 1 | 13 | 0.955 | 4,000 | Planned date not known | Development | |
PD AeroSpace | 8 | 14.8 | >6,000 | Planned date not known | Development |
Launch vehicle manufacturers
Company name | Launcher name | Launcher type | No. of stages | Maximum reach | Launcher status | Maiden flight | Ref |
ARCA Space | Haas 2b | Suborbital crewed rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | ||
ARCA Space | Haas 2CA | Light rocket | 1 | LEO | Development | ||
ARCA Space | Super Haas | Medium rocket | 2 | LEO | Proposed | ||
Australian Space Research Institute | AUSROC Nano | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
Astra Space | Rocket 1 | Sounding rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Retired | 2018 | |
Astra Space | Rocket 2 | Sounding rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Operational | 2018 | |
Astra Space | Astra | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
Astra Space | SALVO | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Cancelled | — | |
Blue Origin | New Shepard | Suborbital crewed rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2015 | |
Blue Origin | New Glenn | Heavy rocket | 2 or 3 | GTO | Development | 2021 | |
Canadian Arrow | Canadian Arrow | Suborbital crewed rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Cancelled | — | |
Datiotec Aeroespacial / INMEU A.C. | JFCR.2000-Pollux | Sounding socket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | ||
Exos Aerospace | SARGE | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2018 | |
Firefly Aerospace | Firefly Alpha | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | 2020 | |
Firefly Aerospace | Firefly Beta | Light rocket | 2 + 2 boosters | LEO | Development | ||
General Astronautics | Urania | Medium rocket | 3 | LEO | Cancelled | — | |
Gilmour Space Technologies | Ariel | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | ||
Gilmour Space Technologies | Eris | Light rocket | 3 | LEO | Development | ||
Generation Orbit | X-60A | Air-launched sounding rocket | 1 + airplane | Suborbital | Development | ||
Generation Orbit | GOLauncher 2 | Air-launch-to-orbit | 2 + airplane | LEO | Development | ||
Independence-X Aerospace | DNLV | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | 2023 | |
Interorbital Systems | NEPTUNE N series | Light rocket | 3–4 | LEO | Development | ||
Interorbital Systems | NEPTUNE N36 | Light rocket | 4 | TLI | Proposed | ||
Interorbital Systems | Neptune TSAAHTO | Medium rocket | 2½ | TLI | Proposed | ||
Interstellar Technologies | Momo | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2017 | |
Leaf Space | Primo | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Proposed | ||
Lin Industrial | Taymyr | Light rocket | 3 | LEO | Development | 2020 | |
Lockheed Martin | VentureStar | Reusable spaceplane | 1 | LEO | Cancelled | — | |
Lockheed Martin | Athena | Medium rocket | 2 or 3 | TLI | Retired | 1995 | |
Mishaal Aerospace | M-SV | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | ||
Mishaal Aerospace | M-OV | Light rocket | 1 + 6 Boosters | LEO | Development | ||
Mishaal Aerospace | M-LV | Light rocket | 1 + 8 boosters | TLI | Development | ||
OneSpace | OS-X | Sounding rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Operational | 2018 | |
OneSpace | OS-M1 | Light rocket | 3 | LEO | Operational | 2019 | |
OneSpace | OS-M2 | Light rocket | 3 + 2 boosters | LEO | Development | ||
OneSpace | OS-M4 | Light rocket | 3 + 4 boosters | LEO | Development | ||
Orbex | Prime | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | 2021 | |
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems | Antares | Medium rocket | 3 | LEO | Operational | 2013 | |
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems | Minotaur-C, formerly Taurus | Light rocket | 4 | LEO | Operational | 1994 | |
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems | Pegasus | Air-launch-to-orbit | 3-4 + airplane | HEO | Operational | 1990 | |
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems | Omega | Medium rocket | 3 + 0-6 boosters | GEO | Development | 2021 | |
Orbital Transport & Raketen AG | OTRAG | Medium rocket | variable | LEO Suborbital | Retired | 1977 | |
Perigee Aerospace | Blue Whale 1 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | 2020 | |
PLD Space | Miura 1 | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | Unknown | |
PLD Space | Miura 5 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | Unknown | |
Relativity Space | Terran 1 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | 2020 | |
Rocket Crafters | Intrepid-1 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
Rocket Lab | Ātea-1 | Sounding rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Retired | 2009 | |
Rocket Lab | Ātea-2 | Sounding rocket | 2 | Suborbital | Cancelled | ||
Rocket Lab | Electron | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Operational | 2017 | |
RocketStar | Star-Lord | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
Skyroot Aerospace | Vikram-1 | Light rockets | 3 | LEO | Development | 2021 | |
Skyrora | Skyrora 1 | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | 2020 | |
Skyrora | Skyrora XL | Light rocket | 3 | LEO | Development | 2021 | |
SpaceForest | Bigos | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2015 | |
SpaceForest | Candle-2 | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2016 | |
SpaceForest | Perun | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Operational | 2020 | |
SpaceForest | SIR | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Development | 2022 | |
Space Services Inc. | Percheron | Sounding rocket | 1 | Suborbital | Cancelled | — | |
Space Services Inc. | Conestoga 1620 | Medium rocket | 4 | LEO Suborbital | Retired | 1995 | |
SpaceLS | Prometheus-1 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
SpaceX | Falcon 1 | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Retired | 2008 | |
SpaceX | Falcon 1e | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Cancelled | — | |
SpaceX | Falcon 5 | Medium rocket | 2 | GTO | Cancelled | — | |
SpaceX | Falcon 9 v1.0 | Medium rocket | 2 | GTO LEO | Retired | 2010 | |
SpaceX | Falcon 9 v1.1 | Medium rocket | 2 | HCO | Retired | 2013 | |
SpaceX | Falcon 9 Full Thrust Block 1-4 | Medium rocket / Heavy Rocket | 2 | TMI | Retired | 2015 | |
SpaceX | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Medium rocket / Heavy Rocket | 2 | TMI | Operational | 2018 | |
SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | Heavy rocket / Super heavy rocket | 2 + 2 boosters | Deep space | Operational | 2018 | |
SpaceX | Starship | Super-heavy-lift launch vehicle | 2 | Deep space | Development | 2020 | |
United Launch Alliance | Atlas V | Medium rocket | 2 + 0-5 boosters | TMI | Operational | 2002 | |
United Launch Alliance | Delta II 6000 | Medium rocket | 2-3 + 9 boosters | GTO | Retired | 1989 | |
United Launch Alliance | Delta II 7000 | Light rocket | 2-3 + 3, 4 or 9 boosters | GTO | Retired | 1990 | |
United Launch Alliance | Delta II 7000H | Medium rocket | 2-3 + 9 boosters | TMI | Retired | 2003 | |
United Launch Alliance | Delta IV | Medium rocket | 2 + 0, 2 or 4 boosters | GTO | Retired | 2003 | |
United Launch Alliance | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy rocket | 2 + 2 boosters | GTO | Operational | 2004 | |
United Launch Alliance | Vulcan | Heavy rocket | 2 + 0-6 boosters | GTO | Development | 2021 | |
Vector Launch | Vector-R | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Development | ||
Vector Launch | Vector-RE1 | Light rocket | 2 or 3 | LEO | Development | ||
Vector Launch | Vector-H | Light rocket | 2 | LEO | Cancelled | ||
Vector Launch | Vector-HE1 | Light rocket | 2 or 3 | LEO | Development | ||
Virgin Galactic | LauncherOne | Air-launch-to-orbit | 2 + airplane | LEO | Testing | 2020 | |
Zero2infinity | Bloostar | Rockoon system | 3 + high-altitude balloon | LEO | Development | Unknown |
Landers, rovers and orbiters
Company name | Craft name | Craft type | Craft status | Ref |
ARCASPACE | ELE | lunar orbiter | Cancelled | |
Astrobotic Technology | Red Rover | lunar rover | Development | |
Astrobotic Technology | Griffin | lunar lander | Negotiating | |
Astrobotic Technology | Peregrine Lander | lunar lander | Development | |
Euroluna | ROMIT | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Golden Spike Company | unnamed | crewed lunar lander | Cancelled | |
Hakuto | Sorato | lunar rover | Development | |
Hakuto | Tetris | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Independence-X Aerospace | SQUALL | lunar lander | Cancelled | |
Interorbital Systems | RIPPER | lunar lander | Development | |
Intuitive Machines | Nova-C lander, and Universal Reentry Vehicle | lunar lander; reusable orbital vehicle | Development | |
Lunar Mission One | unnamed | lunar lander | Proposed | |
Masten Space Systems | XEUS | lunar lander | Negotiating | |
Masten Space Systems | XL-1 | lunar lander | Development | |
Moon Express | MX-1 | lunar lander | Testing | |
Odyssey Moon | MoonOne | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Omega Envoy | Sagan | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
OrbitBeyond | Z-01 | lunar landers and rovers | Proposed | |
PTScientists | Audi Lunar quattro | lunar rover | Testing | |
PTScientists | ALINA | lunar lander | Development | |
Puli Space Technologies | Puli | lunar rover | Fundraising | |
Team FREDNET | Picorover | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Team Italia | AMALIA | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Team Indus | HHK-1 | lunar lander | Development | |
Team Indus | ECA | lunar rover | Development | |
TransOrbital | TrailBlazer | lunar orbiter | Cancelled | |
Team Plan B | Plan B | lunar rover | Cancelled | |
Spacebit | Asagumo | lunar rover | Development | |
Space IL | Beresheet | lunar lander | ||
Space Explration Corp | Defiant | lunar lander | Cancelled | |
Synergy Moon | Tesla | lunar rover | Development |
Research craft and tech demonstrators
Company name | Craft name | Craft purpose | Craft status | Ref |
ARCA | Demonstrator 2b | demonstrate reusable monopropellant engine | Retired | |
Armadillo Aerospace | Quad | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
ASRI | AUSROC I | systems Testing | Retired | |
ASRI | AUSROC II | payload to 10 km | Retired | |
ASRI | AUSROC 2.5 | systems Testing | Testing | |
ASRI | AUSROC III | payload of 150 kg to 500 km | Development | |
Blue Origin | Goddard | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
Interorbital Systems | Neutrino | systems Testing | Operational | |
Interorbital Systems | Tachyon | systems Testing | Operational | |
Lockheed Martin | X-33 | demonstrate SSTO | Cancelled | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1 | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1B | Lunar Lander Challenge Level 1 | Operational | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1E | Lunar Lander Challenge Level 2, commercial precursor flights | Retired | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1E2 | commercial flights | Destroyed | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1E4 | commercial flights | Retired | |
Masten Space Systems | XA-0.1E5 | commercial flights | Operational | |
Masten Space Systems | XL-1T | terrestrial test bed for the XL-1 lunar lander | Development | |
Masten Space Systems | Xeus | commercial flights | Development | |
McDonnell Douglas | DC-X | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
Origin Space | Yang Wang-1 | space mineral resources developer | Development | |
Rotary Rocket | Roton ATV | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
Space Services Inc. | Conestoga I | systems Testing | Retired | |
SpaceX | Grasshopper | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
SpaceX | F9R Dev1 | refine VTOL | Destroyed | |
SpaceX | F9R Dev2 | refine VTOL | Cancelled | |
SpaceX | Starhopper | demonstrate VTOL | Retired | |
Swedish Space Corp. | Maxus | payload to 700 km | Operational | |
Swedish Space Corp. | Maser | payload to 300 km | Operational | |
UP Aerospace | SpaceLoft XL | payload to 140 km | Operational | |
World View Enterprises | Tycho Platform | payload up to 46 km and 300 kg | Operational | |
zero2infinity | nanobloon 1.0 | payload to 32 km | Operational | |
zero2infinity | nanobloon 2.0 | payload to 33 km | Operational | |
zero2infinity | microbloon 1.0 | payload to 24 km | Operational | |
zero2infinity | microbloon 2.0 | payload to 31 km | Operational | |
zero2infinity | microbloon 3.0 | payload to 27 km | Operational |