Long Wall, formerly known as ABL Space Systems, is an American aerospace company that pivoted from developing low-cost launch vehicles for small satellites to focusing on missile defense technology. They manufacture deployable launch vehicles and infrastructure, leveraging their RS1 rocket and mobile ground system for military applications such as hypersonic flight testing and missile defense systems. The company aims to offer cost-effective solutions for missile testing and defense in collaboration with partners like the U.S. Department of Defense.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
ABL Space Systems announced on 2024-11-15 that it was pivoting from launch to missile defense.
The display included a scale model of an ABL Space Systems RS1 rocket featuring the logos of Lockheed Martin and the UK Space Agency.
Lockheed Martin selected ABL to carry out the planned UK Pathfinder mission.
ABL Space Systems raised several hundred million dollars, including $200,000,000 in October 2021 and $170,000,000 in March 2021.
ABL Space Systems laid off an unspecified number of employees in late August 2023 to reduce costs after the loss of a rocket in a static-fire test.
ABL Space Systems lost its second RS1 rocket in a fire after a static-fire test at the Pacific Spaceport Complex–Alaska on Kodiak Island on 2023-07-19.
ABL Space Systems listed about 170 employees on its website as of late August 2023.
Lockheed Martin is both an investor in ABL Space Systems and a major customer that made a block buy of up to 58 RS1 launches in 2021.
El Segundo, California-based ABL Space Systems’ plan to launch from SaxaVord next year is uncertain after the company recently lost a rocket during a static-fire test.
ABL Space Systems received a $60,000,000 STRATFI award in March 2023 from the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force to demonstrate tactically responsive capabilities, consisting of $30,000,000 in government funding and $30,000,000 in matching private investment.
ABL Space Systems has committed to launching the Owlet mission before the end of the year.
Scout Space signed a launch services agreement with ABL Space Systems on 2024-06-10.
ABL Space Systems builds rockets to launch small satellites.
ABL Space Systems’ RS1 launch vehicle can deploy over 1,000 kg of payload into orbit.
In 2021 Lockheed Martin signed an agreement to launch up to 58 payloads with ABL Space.
ABL Space Systems will develop a launch site at SLC-15 for its RS1 small launch vehicle.
Last year, ABL Space Systems' RS1 and Relativity Space's Terran 1 failed to reach orbit.
Companies planning to launch from SaxaVord include ABL Space Systems, HyImpulse, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Skyrora.
ABL Space Systems planned to conduct its SaxaVord Spaceport launch in 2023 but has not announced a date for its next launch attempt after its inaugural mission from Alaska failed to reach orbit on 2023-01-10.
ABL Space Systems received a $15,000,000 task order from the U.S. Space Force to demonstrate it can launch a payload on short notice from either one of the company’s two launch pads.