Inversion Space, a startup focused on bringing cargo back to Earth, is making waves in the transportation industry with its ambitious plan for ultra-fast, on-demand deliveries anywhere on the planet. While the concept may seem like science fiction, the company’s innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize terrestrial cargo transportation.
At the heart of Inversion’s vision is the development of earth-orbiting vehicles that can quickly descend back to Earth at speeds comparable to Mach speeds. This would be made possible through the use of specially-made parachutes and advanced propulsion systems. The goal is to enable cargo delivery in a matter of minutes, transforming the way goods are transported across the globe.
To pave the way for their future plans, Inversion has created a pathfinder vehicle called Ray. Roughly twice the diameter of a standard frisbee, Ray will be launched into space this October on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 ride share mission. The mission will consist of three phases: the initial on-orbit phase where the spacecraft powers on and sends telemetry to the ground, the descent phase where Ray uses its onboard propulsion system to slow down and reenter the atmosphere, and the final phase where it deploys parachutes to achieve a soft splashdown off the coast of California.
What sets Inversion apart from other space companies is its strong vertical integration. The company has designed and built almost all components of the Ray vehicle in-house, including the propulsion system, structure, and parachutes. This level of control and expertise is rare in the industry, as most space companies outsource parachute design due to its complexity and engineering challenges. Inversion’s engineering team successfully completed qualification testing of the deployment and parachute systems last year, showcasing their technical prowess.
Inversion’s CEO, Justin Fiaschetti, attributes their rapid progress to their decision to tackle the hardest aspects of building a reentry vehicle in-house. By doing so, they have laid a solid foundation for scaling quickly and meeting customer needs. While Ray is a passive vehicle without active controls, Inversion’s next-gen vehicle, Arc, will possess “football field-level” accuracy for reentry navigation.
Founded in 2021 by Fiaschetti and CTO Austin Briggs, Inversion has come a long way in a short time. The duo’s shared vision of developing technology to deliver cargo anywhere on Earth led them to embark on this ambitious venture. After going through Y Combinator in 2021 and closing a $10 million seed round, the company has grown to 25 employees and operates out of a 5,000-square-foot facility in Torrance, California. They also own five acres of land in the Mojave Desert for engine testing.
Inversion sees promising opportunities in both government agencies and private companies. Their reusable platform can be utilized as an on-orbit testbed or as a delivery vehicle to private commercial space stations. By maximizing reusability and duration-on-orbit, Inversion aims to bring down costs and support various mission profiles.
Looking ahead, Inversion plans to fly its next-gen vehicle, Arc, for the first time in 2026. While details about Arc remain under wraps, the company’s website hints at its capabilities, stating that it will be able to carry over 150 kilograms of cargo for “proliferated” delivery in space.
Fiaschetti emphasized that Inversion is consistently testing hardware and building the necessary infrastructure to scale. By making strategic decisions like bringing parachute design in-house, the company can move much faster compared to competitors. These key decisions are propelling Inversion towards its goal of transforming cargo transportation and establishing a transportation layer for Earth.
