Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No performance specsNo structured payload capacity rows are linked to this vehicle family. | |||||
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| Launch 2023-F02 | RS1 | Jan 10, 2023 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
RS1 | Not stated | 1 | Retired |
ABL is planning the first orbital launch of its RS1 vehicle in 2021.
ABL plans the RS1’s maiden launch in the first quarter of 2021.
The RS1 is being developed to carry up to 1,350 kg to low Earth orbit.
The $44,500,000 Air Force contracts include a one-year AFWERX deal to demonstrate launch technology and an agreement with the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Enterprise Consortium to conduct three demonstrations of an RS1 vehicle variant and deployable ground infrastructure in 2022.
ABL has expanded its El Segundo facility to support full-scale production of the RS1 vehicle.
ABL Space Systems’ RS1 vehicle was designed to lift 1,200 kg into low Earth orbit for $12,000,000 per launch.
ABL Space Systems completed testing of its E2 rocket engine for the RS1 vehicle at Spaceport America in New Mexico prior to 2025-12-17.
ABL Space Systems plans the RS1 to place 1,200 kg into low Earth orbit at a per-launch price of $12,000,000.
ABL Space Systems will use funds from Lockheed Martin Ventures’ investment to support the RS1 development and test program, including an integrated stage test later 2019.
ABL Space Systems is planning a first launch of the RS1 vehicle in 2020.
ABL Space Systems of El Segundo, California increased the lift capacity of its planned RS1 rocket by one third to 1,200 kg.
A single E2 engine, producing 5,897 kg-force of thrust, will power the RS1 second stage.
ABL Space Systems expects additional demand for RS1 from customers seeking to launch smallsats into higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, and from growing government interest in small satellites.
ABL Space Systems is offering an upgraded version of the RS1 rocket at a price of $12,000,000 per launch, down from an earlier price of $17,000,000.
ABL Space Systems has conceptual frameworks for operating RS1 at all major U.S. launch sites but has not selected a launch site.
ABL Space Systems planned a first launch of the RS1 in the third quarter of 2020.
The upgraded RS1 rocket’s payload capacity to low Earth orbit has increased from 900 kg to 1,200 kg.
Three E1 engines, each producing 19,051 kg-force of thrust, will power the RS1 first stage.
The RS1 vehicle is designed to place up to 900 kg into low Earth orbit for $17,000,000 per launch.
ABL Space Systems planned a test launch of the RS1 vehicle for the third quarter of 2020.