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UP Aerospace

From Alfawiki
UP Aerospace, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryAerospace
Founded1998
FounderJerry Larson
Headquarters
Denver
,
United States
ProductsSpaceLoft XL sounding rocket series, Spyder orbital launch vehicle (in development)

UP Aerospace, Inc. is a privately held spaceflight enterprise based in Denver, Colorado. The company focuses on suborbital transport services for corporate, military, and academic payloads through its SpaceLoft XL sounding rocket series.

History and future plans

Established in 1998 by aerospace engineer Jerry Larson—formerly with Lockheed Martin and a participant in the Civilian Space eXploration Team (CSXT)—UP Aerospace was officially incorporated in 2004. Larson’s expertise and leadership have played a pivotal role in steering the company’s progression within the aerospace sector.

The inaugural flight of the SpaceLoft XL took place on September 25, 2006, launching from Spaceport America in New Mexico; however, it attained only 40,000 feet altitude due to aerodynamic complications related to fin design. From 2006 through 2009, UP Aerospace executed eight launches at Spaceport America, including three in 2009 alone, demonstrating consistent operational growth. The firm aimed to increase its annual customer launch frequency to six or more as market demand expanded.

By November 2015, UP Aerospace broadened its offerings by creating the Spyder, an orbital launch vehicle for small satellites developed with NASA’s backing. This initiative aligns with the company’s objective to penetrate emerging small satellite deployment markets.

On July 31, 2018, UP Aerospace was awarded a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program to provide suborbital launch services using SpaceLoft XL rockets. This contract represented the third such agreement granted to the company, underscoring its competitive positioning and ongoing partnership with NASA. As of that date, UP Aerospace had completed seven NASA-supported launches since 2012, reflecting its steady financial results and influence within the aerospace industry.

Completed Launches

By November 2019, UP Aerospace had conducted a total of 18 suborbital flights, including 13 utilizing its SpaceLoft XL rocket platform, all launched from Spaceport America. The majority of these missions were executed successfully.

The first SpaceLoft XL flight occurred on September 25, 2006. On April 28, 2007, UP Aerospace launched the cremated remains of actor James Doohan and astronaut Gordon Cooper, along with ashes from approximately 200 others—constituting the first successful launch from Spaceport America. The payload was retrieved in May 2007.

Starting August 2007, UP Aerospace began providing affordable launch opportunities targeted at youth and student groups through collaboration with the Space Generation Advisory Council, with experiment prices beginning at US$2,000. The Council organized competitions encouraging young participants to design TinySat payloads for these flights.

In April 2008, Lockheed Martin engaged UP Aerospace to conduct launch services at Spaceport America for testing a prototype low-cost cargo vehicle intended for orbit. UP Aerospace was selected due to its demonstrated launch experience at this facility.

On April 5, 2012, the U.S. Department of Defense contracted UP Aerospace for its sixth suborbital mission (SpaceLoft 6), which also included an experiment from NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program. This flight set a new altitude record for Spaceport America at 385,640 feet.

The SL-7 mission on June 21, 2013, transported seven NASA payloads and cremated remains for 39 individuals, achieving an altitude of 73.9 miles with full recovery of all payloads.

SL-8 launched on November 12, 2013, reaching approximately 385,000 feet carrying NASA-sponsored experiments. Notably, students from Albuquerque sent the first commercial text messages into space using a Satwest satellite phone onboard—a technology later adopted by Solstar Space.

After a weather-related delay, SL-9 launched on October 23, 2014, reaching an altitude of 408,035 feet (77.25 miles). This flight included four NASA technology payloads, cremated remains for 30 individuals via Celestis, and an experiment from a private company.

The SL-10 mission on November 6, 2015, carried four NASA experiments to about 75 miles altitude. For the first time in UP Aerospace history, payloads separated from the main rocket during descent and were individually recovered downrange.

SL-12 lifted off on September 12, 2018, carrying three NASA technology demonstration payloads—among them the ADEPT heat shield and Autonomous Flight Termination System—reaching an altitude of 114 km (70.84 miles).

Just five days later on September 17, 2018, SL-11 launched with additional NASA payloads and the Celestis-15 Starseeker, also attaining an altitude of approximately 114 km.

The SL-14 mission on November 22, 2019, transported NASA Flight Opportunities Program payloads to an altitude near 92 km (57 miles).

Upcoming Launches

UP Aerospace has scheduled several upcoming missions in collaboration with different clients. On November 29, 2022, the company announced it would carry out Celestis' 19th flight utilizing the SpaceLoft XL suborbital sounding rocket. Originally planned for November 30, 2022, the launch was delayed until December 1, 2022; however, as of January 10, 2023, the launch had yet to take place.

Launch History and Planned Missions

Launch Date (UTC) Vehicle Payload Launch pad Outcome Notes
1 SL-1 September 25, 2006 SpaceLoft XL Various UA launch tower Failure Initial flight deviated from trajectory and lost control shortly after liftoff.
2 SL-2 April 28, 2007 SpaceLoft XL Celestis-06 Legacy and others UA launch tower Success First successful mission carrying cremated remains including astronaut Gordon Cooper and actor James Doohan.
3 December 19, 2007 Proprietary test vehicle Technology Demonstration UA launch tower Success Low-altitude atmospheric test reaching approximately 2,500 feet.
4 December 2007 Space plane prototype None UA launch tower Success Proprietary technology flight conducted for Lockheed Martin.
5 August 12, 2008 Space plane prototype None UA launch tower Success (Spaceport America & UP Aerospace view) / Anomalous (Lockheed Martin view) Proprietary Lockheed Martin technology demonstration.
6 SL-3 May 2, 2009 SpaceLoft XL New Mexico student payloads & Celestis-08 Discovery UA launch tower Anomalous Educational mission; rocket failed to reach space altitude.
7 August 4, 2009 Black Watch UAV prototype Ground-launched UAV prototype UA launch tower Success Test flight for Florida-based Moog-FTS.
8 October 10, 2009 "Reusable rocket plane" Lockheed proprietary payload UA launch tower Success Advanced launch technology test for Lockheed Martin.
9 SL-4 May 4, 2010 SpaceLoft XL Various, including Celestis-09 Pioneer UA launch tower Success Rocket attained altitude of 70 miles with four minutes of weightlessness.
10 SL-5 May 20, 2011 SpaceLoft XL Various, including Celestis-10 Goddard UA launch tower Success Established Spaceport America altitude record at 73.5 miles.
11 SL-6 April 5, 2012 SpaceLoft XL Multiple payloads including NASA Flight Opportunities and DoD experiments UA launch tower Success First experimental payloads launched under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program.
12 SL-7 June 21, 2013 SpaceLoft XL NASA Flight Opportunities Program, Celestis-12 Centennial UA launch tower Success First fully manifested NASA Flight Opportunities mission; set new altitude record of 73.9 miles.
13 SL-8 November 12, 2013 SpaceLoft XL NASA Flight Opportunities Program payloads UA launch tower Success Second fully manifested NASA Flight Opportunities flight; reached approximately 72.75 miles altitude.
14 SL-9 October 23, 2014 SpaceLoft XL NASA Flight Opportunities Program and Celestis-13 Conestoga payloads UA launch tower Success Third NASA Flight Opportunities mission; achieved new altitude record near 77.25 miles.
15 SL-10 November 6, 2015 SpaceLoft XL NASA Flight Opportunities Program and Celestis-14 Tribute payloads UA launch tower Success First private rocket to demonstrate autonomous payload ejection; attained roughly 75 miles altitude.
16 SL-12 September 12, 2018 SpaceLoft XL Three NASA technology demonstration payloads including ADEPT heat shield and autonomous flight termination system UA launch tower Success Attained an altitude near 70.8 miles.
17 SL-11 September 17, 2018 SpaceLoft XL NASA Flight Opportunities Program and Celestis-15 Starseeker payloads UA launch tower Success Sixth fully manifested NASA Flight Opportunities mission; reached about 70.8 miles altitude.
18 SL-14 November 22, 2019 SpaceLoft XL NASA FOP-7 and ADS-B experiment payloads UA launch tower Success Seventh mission under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program; reached approximately 57 miles altitude.
19 SL-16 August 11, 2021 SpaceLoft XL ReDX-1 mission for Los Alamos National Laboratory UA launch tower Success Achieved an altitude near 62 miles; research payload monitored during descent phase.
20 SL-17 May 1, 2023 SpaceLoft XL NASA FOP-8 and Celestis-18 Aurora memorial payloads including astronaut Philip Kenyon Chapman tributes UA launch tower Failure Rocket exploded shortly after liftoff; included student-selected NASA TechRise Challenge payloads.
21 SL-15 October 1, 2024 SpaceLoft XL NASA FOP-9 and ADS-B experiment payloads UA launch tower Success Ninth mission for NASA's Flight Opportunities Program; achieved about 57 miles altitude.
22 SL-20 November 8, 2024 SpaceLoft XL Cyclone-1 technology demonstration for Los Alamos National Laboratory payloads Spaceport America Success Research payload released at apogee and monitored during descent by laboratory scientists.

Products

  • SpaceLoft XL sounding rocket serves as a principal offering that underpins the organization's space launch capabilities.

External links

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