This spinning cannon could launch hundreds of satellites into space

What if launching satellites into orbit didn’t require massive rockets, roaring engines, or even traditional fuel? One California startup thinks it has the answer—and it involves a giant spinning cannon. Meet SpinLaunch, the company daring to reinvent how we access space, one high-speed fling at a time.

A radically different approach to liftoff

Instead of building towering rockets, SpinLaunch is betting on something simpler, cheaper, and greener: a vacuum-sealed centrifuge that hurls satellites into the sky using pure kinetic energy. Think of it like a slingshot on steroids. Their system uses spinning arms inside a large chamber to accelerate payloads to 5,000 miles per hour before releasing them toward the edge of space.

This method eliminates the need for booster rockets, drastically reducing launch costs and carbon emissions. According to SpinLaunch, their launches could cost under $2,500 per kilogram, a fraction of the price charged by companies like SpaceX.

The rise of pancake-like satellites

To match their unusual launch style, SpinLaunch is developing an equally unique satellite design. These “pancake-shaped” microsatellites are about 7.5 feet wide but ultra-flat and lightweight—just 154 pounds each. They’re stacked inside what the company calls a “launch bus,” allowing dozens or even hundreds to be launched simultaneously.

This innovative satellite architecture is part of SpinLaunch’s broader Meridian Space constellation, which aims to provide low-cost, high-speed communications from low-Earth orbit (LEO). The first batch of 250 satellites is already in the works, with manufacturing led by NanoAvionics, a subsidiary of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, one of SpinLaunch’s key investors.

From New Mexico to low-Earth orbit

SpinLaunch has already tested the tech at its facility in New Mexico. Over the past few years, its Suborbital Accelerator has completed 10 successful launches, each flinging dummy payloads into suborbital flight. The latest occurred in September 2022, confirming the system’s ability to withstand extreme forces—up to 10,000 Gs.

Next comes the real test: orbital launches. The company plans to use a larger version of the centrifuge to reach orbital velocity and deploy payloads into actual satellite orbits by 2026. If successful, this could be one of the most cost-efficient and scalable systems ever developed for commercial spaceflight.

A challenger to traditional rocketry

Backed by nearly $150 million in funding, SpinLaunch isn’t just tinkering at the edges of innovation—it’s aiming to disrupt the satellite industry. By lowering barriers to entry, the company hopes to make space access more democratic and affordable, especially for startups and countries with limited space budgets.

The long-term vision includes scaling up to five launches per day, a pace that would vastly outstrip traditional rocket providers. But with more launches come new challenges: managing space debris, avoiding satellite collisions, and addressing concerns from astronomers about light pollution and orbital crowding.

A future that spins forward—and upward

SpinLaunch’s journey is just beginning, but it’s already sparking conversations about how the next generation of space technology should evolve. While the spinning cannon may sound like science fiction, its environmental and economic benefits are very real—and potentially game-changing.

Of course, with innovation comes responsibility. As we look to a future filled with more satellites and more launches, the industry will need to ensure that space remains safe, clean, and accessible. SpinLaunch may have found a new way to shoot for the stars—but the real challenge will be navigating the orbit once we get there.

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