Vaya Space
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
| Predecessor | Rocket Crafters |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Cocoa , United States |
| Products | Orbital launch vehicles, vortex-hybrid rocket engines |
| Website | vayaspace |
Vaya Space is a defense and aerospace firm established in 2017 under the name Rocket Crafters, located in Cocoa, Florida. The company specializes in the design and production of orbital launch vehicles along with vortex-hybrid rocket engines. In 2022, it earned the International Green Apple Environment Award and was honored as a Green World Ambassador.
In 2024, Vaya Space obtained contracts from the Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX to advance hybrid engine technologies for hypersonic missile applications. Additionally, it entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center (DEVCOM AvMC).
The company’s hybrid rocket achieved a successful launch on January 29, 2022, conducted in the Mojave Desert. Known as the Dauntless rocket, it incorporates a three-stage design powered by hybrid propulsion that utilizes 3D-printed recycled thermoplastic fuel paired with liquid oxygen (LOX). Measuring 19.7 meters long, it is capable of delivering payloads weighing up to 1,100 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 600 kg to Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). The inaugural orbital mission is targeted for 2028.