Phantom Space Corporation is an American space transportation and rocket manufacturing startup based in Tucson, Arizona. [1]
Company history
Phantom Space Corporation was founded in 2019 by Jim Cantrell and Michael D'Angelo.[citation needed] Chris Thompson, the second employee at SpaceX and ten-year veteran, joined Phantom Space in October of 2021 as Phantom's Chief Technology Officer in charge of launch and satellite system development.[2]
In May 2021, it acquired StratSpace, a satellite program designer and manager[3] Cantrell founded in 2000.[4] 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.[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.[7]
As of March 2024[update] the company is building a two-stage rocket called Daytona. As designed, the vehicle will be 18 meters tall, 1.5 meters in diameter. It will be able to loft 180 kilograms to low Earth orbit 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.[8] The first launch is projected to take place in Q4 2025.[9]
Tropical Weather Analytics, Inc. (TWA), with a revolutionary 3D measurement capability for improved hurricane forecasting and weather intelligence, is announcing a strategic partnership with Phantom Space Corporation (Phantom) to design, manufacture, launch, and operate its Hurricane Hunter Satellite Constellation.
Daytona II
Daytona II is an upgraded version of the Daytona I rocket, It will use one Ripley engine on the first stage and one vacuum-optimized Hadley engine on the second stage, the rocket will be capable of delivering 440 kg to LEO and has been advertised at 4 million USD per launch. launches are planned to start in 2027[11]
Daytona III
Daytona III is the third upgrade of the Daytona rocket, the first stage has a second Ripley engine and the second stage has one vacuum-optimized Hadley engine. The second stage will be capable of delivering 950 kg to LEO, the maiden launch is planned for 2028[12]
