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§ Private Profile · Tucson, AZ, USA
Vector Launch is a technology company.
Vector Launch develops and provides launch services for suborbital and orbital payloads, primarily targeting the burgeoning micro-satellite market. The company engineers two primary vehicles, the Vector-R and the larger Vector-H, both utilizing liquid oxygen and propylene propellants across their multi-engine first stages and single-engine second stages. Their technical approach emphasizes efficient and dedicated access to space, with a recent focus on demonstrating capabilities pertinent to national security missions.
The company was founded on March 2, 2016, by a team including Jim Cantrell, John Garvey, Shaun Coleman, Ken Sunshine, and Eric Besnard. Cantrell brought significant experience from his involvement in the early days of SpaceX, co-founding that venture with Elon Musk. Vector Launch’s formation was driven by the insight to serve the growing demand for smaller, more agile launch solutions for compact satellites, building upon designs developed by Garvey Spacecraft.
Vector Launch currently targets both governmental and commercial sectors, with a pronounced emphasis on national security-related missions. The company’s long-term vision centers on consistently providing responsive and affordable access to space, enabling various organizations to deploy their payloads into suborbital and orbital trajectories. It continues to pursue its mission of supporting the evolving space economy through dedicated launch capabilities.
Vector Launch has raised $98.3M across 5 funding rounds.
Vector Launch has raised $98.3M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Vector Launch is a U.S.-based space technology company founded in 2016 that develops small satellite launch vehicles and a software-defined satellite platform called GalacticSky to provide affordable access to orbit for startups and innovators.[1][2][3] It builds rockets like the Vector-R (capable of 200 kg to LEO at ~$1.5M per launch) and Vector-H, using LOX/propylene propellants, targeting microsatellites up to 45 kg in LEO, while serving commercial, government, and space startup customers by solving high launch costs and long wait times that hinder space application development.[2][3][5] The company filed for bankruptcy in December 2019 amid delays but re-emerged in 2020 under new ownership, with assets acquired by TLS Bidco; as of 2025, it remains dormant or in slow development with no confirmed launches, though second-stage integration was noted in 2023.[2][3][4][5]
Vector Launch, originally Vector Space Systems, was founded in March 2016 in Huntington Beach, California, by Jim Cantrell (early SpaceX collaborator and investor in Skybox/Planet Labs, BlackSky), John Garvey, Shaun Coleman, Ken Sunshine (ex-Virgin Galactic, Orbital Sciences), and Eric Besnard (former NASA/Air Force engineer).[2][3] The idea emerged to democratize space access with low-cost launches for the small satellite boom, acquiring Garvey Spacecraft in 2016 to base designs on its propulsion tech and raising $21M Series A in 2017 led by Sequoia Capital.[2][3] Early traction included deals like Iceye as first client and Open Cosmos securing launches in 2018, but development delays led to bankruptcy in 2019 with 150 layoffs; it restarted in Tucson, Arizona, in 2020 as a sister to Q Networks, shifting some focus to national security via GalacticSky.[2][3][4][5]
Vector rides the small satellite revolution, fueled by constellations for Earth observation, comms, and defense amid falling sensor costs and rising demand from firms like Planet Labs and BlackSky.[2][3][5] Timing aligned with post-2010s NewSpace boom, where micro-launches counter SpaceX dominance by serving the "very small end" market (under 50 kg payloads), backed by $100M+ funding from Sequoia/Lightspeed.[2][4] Market forces like U.S. DoD/intelligence needs for proliferated LEO architectures favor its national security pivot, influencing the ecosystem by inspiring competitors (e.g., Rocket Lab) and enabling software-first space apps via GalacticSky, though bankruptcy highlights execution risks in capital-intensive launches.[3][5][6]
Vector's path forward hinges on resuming Vector-R flights—delayed from 2017 targets, with 2023 integration hints but no 2025 progress, potentially restarting via TLS Bidco's resources for DoD contracts.[4][5] Proliferated LEO trends and reusable small launchers will shape it, possibly evolving into a GalacticSky-focused software provider if hardware stalls, amplifying influence in accessible space tech. This echoes its founding vow to shatter elite barriers, now testing resilience in a matured NewSpace arena.[1][3]
Vector Launch has raised $98.3M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $70.0M Series B in October 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2018 | $70M Series B | Phil Friedman | Accel, America's Frontier Fund, Core Ventures, FPV Fund, Sequoia Capital, Shasta Ventures, SV Angel, Unusual Ventures, Webb Investment Network, Tracy Young, Alexander Taussig, Morgan Stanley | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2017 | $21M Series A | Sequoia Capital | Accel, America's Frontier Fund, Core Ventures, FPV Fund, Shasta Ventures, SV Angel, Unusual Ventures, Webb Investment Network, Tracy Young | Announced |
| Apr 1, 2017 | $5M Seed | — | Ayana Capital LLC, Brewer Lane Ventures, Cervin Ventures, LUX Capital, Trucks Venture Capital | Announced |
| Nov 20, 2016 | $1.3M Venture Round | Space Angels | — | Announced |
| Nov 1, 2016 | $1M Seed | — | Ayana Capital LLC, Brewer Lane Ventures, Cervin Ventures, LUX Capital, Trucks Venture Capital, Matt Conover, Nick Karangelan, Shaun Coleman | Announced |
Vector Launch has raised $98.3M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Vector Launch's investors include Phil Friedman, Accel, America's Frontier Fund, Core Ventures, FPV Fund, Sequoia Capital, Shasta Ventures, SV Angel, Unusual Ventures, Webb Investment Network, Tracy Young, Alexander Taussig.