Vector Launch

Vector Launch, formerly known as Vector Space Systems, was an American space technology company established in 2016 to develop dedicated launch services for small satellites and other payloads. Its principal launch-vehicle concepts were Vector-R, a smaller rocket intended for light orbital missions, and Vector-H, a larger vehicle designed to carry heavier payloads. The company also developed GalacticSky, a software-defined satellite platform intended to let customers test and deploy satellite applications without building all of the associated spacecraft hardware themselves. The company was founded by Jim Cantrell, John Garvey, Shaun Coleman, Ken Sunshine, and Eric Besnard. Cantrell had previously worked with Elon Musk during the early formation of SpaceX. Soon after its creation, Vector received seed funding from Shaun Coleman and later raised $21 million from Sequoia Capital, Shasta Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. In July 2016, it acquired Garvey Spacecraft and used elements of that company's rocket work as a basis for its own launch-vehicle development. Vector maintained offices in Tucson, Arizona, and an engineering facility in Huntington Beach, California, while GalacticSky activities were associated with San Jose, California. Vector's business model emphasized low-cost, frequent launches for small spacecraft. Its proposed rockets used liquid oxygen and propylene, carbon-fiber structures, some additively manufactured engine components, and a clustered-engine first stage. The company considered mobile launch infrastructure, including transporter-erector-launcher systems and possible barge operations, in an effort to reduce the fixed infrastructure required at conventional launch sites. It announced plans involving launch locations in Florida and Alaska, but its planned orbital launch schedule was repeatedly delayed. Vector performed suborbital and atmospheric testing, including work involving the P-20 prototype and Vector-R hardware, but did not complete an orbital launch. The company's financial position deteriorated in 2019 after Sequoia Capital withdrew financial support and a planned financing round failed to materialize. Vector's first U.S. Air Force mission, intended to launch the ASLON-45 spacecraft, was cancelled after the Air Force determined that the company did not meet minimum solvency requirements. Jim Cantrell left the company in August 2019, and John Garvey became chief executive officer. Vector Launch and an affiliated entity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2019. During the bankruptcy process, the company's assets were divided. Lockheed Martin acquired the GalacticSky assets after the bankruptcy court received no qualified competing bid for that business, while another buyer acquired the remaining launch-vehicle assets. Vector announced a re-emergence in October 2020 under Robert Spalding, with a stated focus on suborbital and eventual orbital flight for government and commercial customers. Shareholders subsequently approved a wind-down plan in January 2021, although later announcements described renewed national-security ambitions and additional board participation by Shaun Coleman. In 2023, Ursa Major announced plans to supply Hadley engines for Vector-R-related demonstration work. A reported 2026 acquisition by Phantom Space, led by Vector's original chief executive Jim Cantrell, was intended to transfer Vector equipment, intellectual property, engineering data, and other assets to Phantom's Daytona program. The company's ultimate standalone operating status is therefore unclear.

Vector Launch was founded in 2016 as Vector Space Systems by Jim Cantrell, John Garvey, Shaun Coleman, Ken Sunshine, and Eric Besnard. Cantrell brought experience from the early development of SpaceX, while Garvey contributed work from Garvey Spacecraft, which Vector acquired in July 2016. The new company sought to build a dedicated launch provider for small satellites and suborbital payloads at a time when demand for small-spacecraft services was expanding. Vector initially raised approximately $1 million in angel funding from Shaun Coleman and later secured a reported $21 million from Sequoia Capital, Shasta Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Its principal engineering activities were based in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntington Beach, California. The company also developed GalacticSky, a software-defined satellite platform associated with Coleman. GalacticSky was intended to make satellite experimentation more accessible by allowing software applications to be tested and operated on flexible satellite infrastructure. More than 40 patents were reportedly issued in connection with the platform. The launch business centered on two proposed vehicles. Vector-R was designed as a small orbital launcher, while Vector-H was intended to support larger payloads. Both concepts used liquid oxygen and propylene, with a single second-stage engine and clustered first-stage engines. Vector also promoted carbon-fiber structures, three-dimensional-printed engine components, first-stage recovery, simplified launch pads, and a potentially high launch cadence. The company considered sites in Florida and Alaska, as well as mobile land-based and sea-based launch infrastructure. It conducted suborbital and atmospheric testing, including the P-20 prototype and Vector-R-related hardware, but its proposed orbital missions did not occur. Vector developed commercial relationships and mission concepts with small-satellite customers. Iceye was identified as an early customer, and York Space Systems signed a proposed launch agreement covering six satellites. That agreement was never funded. Vector also explored a collaboration involving Nexus, a cryptocurrency venture associated with Cantrell's son, for a satellite-supported currency-exchange system. The company announced increasingly specific launch plans for Vector-R and Vector-H, but target dates slipped. Financial difficulties became public in 2019. In August, the U.S. Air Force selected Vector for a planned $3.4 million ASLON-45 launch mission. The award was cancelled after the Air Force determined that Vector did not satisfy minimum solvency requirements. Around the same period, Sequoia Capital withdrew financial support, triggering the collapse of a broader prospective financing round. Cantrell left as chief executive on August 9, 2019, and John Garvey assumed the role. On December 13, 2019, Vector Launch and an affiliated company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. The company sought to sell assets under the bankruptcy code. Lockheed Martin became the stalking-horse bidder for GalacticSky and ultimately acquired those assets after no qualified competing bid was received. Other launch-vehicle assets went to another buyer. Vector announced a post-bankruptcy re-emergence in October 2020 under Robert Spalding, describing a renewed focus on suborbital and eventual orbital flight for government and commercial markets. Nevertheless, shareholders approved a wind-down plan in January 2021. Later announcements indicated that the Vector name and certain assets continued to be used for national-security-oriented development. In October 2022, the company announced a renewed national-security focus and added Shaun Coleman to its board. In March 2023, Ursa Major said it would supply Hadley engines for Vector-R-related demonstrations. In February 2026, Phantom Space, led by original Vector chief executive Jim Cantrell, was reported to have agreed to acquire Vector Launch. The reported transaction included communications and launch-control equipment, ground-support equipment, engineering data, patents, tooling, parts inventory, a test vehicle, and several engines. The acquisition's reported purpose was to accelerate Phantom's Daytona rocket program, leaving Vector's final independent corporate status uncertain.

• 2026

  Reported acquisition by Phantom Space

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Phantom Space reportedly agreed to acquire Vector Launch assets to support development of its Daytona rocket.

• 2023

  Hadley engine supply announced

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Ursa Major announced that it would supply Hadley engines for Vector-R-related demonstration work.

• 2022

  National-security focus renewed

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector announced a renewed focus on national-security missions and added Shaun Coleman to its board.

• 2021

  Wind-down plan approved

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Remaining shareholders unanimously voted for a corporate wind-down plan.

• 2020

  Post-bankruptcy re-emergence

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector announced that it had re-emerged with a focus on suborbital and eventual orbital flight.

• 2019

  Air Force mission cancelled

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  The planned ASLON-45 launch contract was cancelled after the U.S. Air Force found that Vector did not meet its solvency requirements.

• 2019

  Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector Launch and an affiliated company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware.

• 2017

  Venture financing secured

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector raised a reported $21 million from Sequoia Capital, Shasta Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

• 2016

  Company founded

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector Space Systems, later renamed Vector Launch, was established by Jim Cantrell, John Garvey, Shaun Coleman, Ken Sunshine, and Eric Besnard.

• 2016

  Garvey Spacecraft acquired

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Vector acquired Garvey Spacecraft and began developing launch vehicles based partly on Garvey's earlier designs.

• 2016

  Early suborbital testing

  [1]Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org

  The company tested the P-20 prototype and conducted early Vector-R atmospheric and suborbital flight work.

A venture-backed small-launch and space-technology company positioned around dedicated, responsive, lower-infrastructure launch services and flexible software-defined satellite capabilities.

• Small orbital launch vehicle

  Vector-R

  Vector-R was the company's smaller proposed orbital rocket for dedicated small-satellite missions. Its design used a clustered first stage with three engines and a single-engine second stage, with liquid oxygen and propylene as propellants. Vector promoted a lightweight carbon-fiber structure, selected additively manufactured components, recoverability of the first stage, and launch operations requiring comparatively limited fixed infrastructure. The vehicle underwent related atmospheric and suborbital testing but did not complete an orbital launch.

• Medium small-satellite launch vehicle

  Vector-H

  Vector-H was the company's larger proposed launcher, intended to carry heavier payloads than Vector-R. The concept used six first-stage engines and a single second-stage engine, with the same general liquid-oxygen and propylene propulsion approach. Vector publicly discussed a first launch around 2019, but the program did not reach an operational orbital flight before the company's financial collapse.

• Software-defined satellite platform

  GalacticSky

  GalacticSky was a software-defined satellite operating system and related platform intended to let customers develop, test, and run satellite applications without creating dedicated spacecraft hardware for every experiment. The technology was associated with more than 40 issued patents. Following Vector's bankruptcy, the GalacticSky assets were acquired by Lockheed Martin.

• 2026

  Reported acquisition by Phantom SpaceM&A

  Background

  Phantom Space, led by Vector co-founder and former chief executive Jim Cantrell, sought assets that could accelerate its Daytona rocket development.

  Action taken

  Phantom Space reportedly agreed to acquire Vector Launch and a broad set of its remaining technical and operational assets.

  Aftermath

  The reported transaction would transfer Vector equipment, intellectual property, engineering data, inventory, and test hardware to Phantom Space. The final standalone status of Vector Launch is unclear.

  Reported acquisition value. (2026)

  Source

• 2022

  Renewed national-security strategyStrategy

  Background

  After bankruptcy and a shareholder-approved wind-down plan, Vector announced a renewed attempt to pursue government and national-security opportunities.

  Action taken

  The company refocused its public strategy on national-security-related missions and added Shaun Coleman to its board.

  Aftermath

  The strategy was followed by planned Vector-R demonstration work involving Hadley engines supplied by Ursa Major.

  Source

• 2019

  Chapter 11 restructuring and asset saleOther

  Background

  Investor support weakened after Sequoia Capital withdrew from a planned financing round, leaving Vector unable to sustain its operations.

  Action taken

  Vector filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sought court approval to sell its assets under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

  Aftermath

  Lockheed Martin acquired GalacticSky, while other launch-related assets were sold separately.

  Source

• 2016

  Acquisition of Garvey SpacecraftM&A

  Background

  Vector sought to accelerate its launcher program by acquiring Garvey Spacecraft, a company whose designs influenced Vector's subsequent rockets.

  Action taken

  Vector acquired Garvey Spacecraft and incorporated its launch-vehicle work into the Vector program.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition became part of the technical foundation for Vector-R and Vector-H.

  Source

1. 1Vector Launchen.wikipedia.org