Longshot

Longshot Space Technologies, founded in 2020 and based in Alameda, California, is building ground-based accelerators that use compressed gas, concrete, and mild steel to throw payloads to orbital velocities. The core premise is that keeping the launch energy on the ground — rather than aboard the vehicle — can dramatically reduce the cost of reaching low Earth orbit. In parallel, the company sells hypersonic testing services and operates a six-inch compressed gas accelerator for hypersonic projectile testing, which generates near-term revenue while the larger orbital system matures. Hardware is sourced from proven oil and gas components, avoiding exotic materials and complex supply chains. A reusable hypersonic glide vehicle is also in development for defense applications.