Phantom Space Corporation

Phantom Space Corporation was founded in 2019 by Jim Cantrell and Michael D'Angelo.

In April 2021, the company raised $5 million in seed investment funding.

In May 2021, it acquired StratSpace, a satellite program designer and manager[2] Cantrell founded in 2000.[3] The acquisition made Phantom Space the first 100% U.S.-based satellite supply chain in its effort to mass produce rockets on a large scale.[4]

In August 2021, the company acquired space systems developer Micro Aerospace Solutions (MAS) operating out of Melbourne, Florida.[5]

In 2023 Phantom signed an agreement with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) , to collaborate on missions at the Arnhem Space Centre in Arnhem Land, a remote location in the Northern Territory of Australia. Phantom has links to the US Department of Defense, and an ELA spokesperson said that the launch site could one day be used for missile-testing and development. Phantom hopes to fire rockets from the ASC site by 2025. While the main focus is on commercial uses at the site, the potential for involvement in defense has raised concerns among the local community.[6]

As of August 2022 the company is building a two-stage rocket called Daytona. As designed, the vehicle will be 18.7 meters tall, 1.5 meters in diameter. It will be able to loft 450 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 160 kg to GTO, or 50 kg to the Moon for a claimed launch price of $4 million. It will use nine Hadley engines produced by Ursa Major Technologies on its first stage, and one Hadley Vacuum engine on its second stage. The first launch is projected to take place in 2023.[7]

The company is also working on a larger two-stage rocket called Laguna. It will be 20.5 meters high and 2 meters in diameter and will be able to launch 1,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 425 kg to GTO, 200 kg to the Moon or 100 kg to Mars. The first stage will be powered by three of Ursa Major's larger Ripley engines and the second stage will again feature a single Hadley Vacuum engine with a launch price of $8 million. Phantom Space claims they intend to propulsively land the Laguna first stage in much the same way as SpaceX lands Falcon 9, utilizing hydraulic-actuated aerodynamic surfaces and foldout landing legs.[7]

• Official Website