Inversion officially introduces the world’s first space-based delivery vehicle- Arc; First mission in 2026
Inversion, the aerospace and defense technology company that is known for building highly maneuverable reentry spacecraft, has now officially introduced the world’s first space-based delivery vehicle called Arc.
Introducing Arc – the world’s first space-based delivery vehicle.
Arc enables the on-demand delivery of cargo and effects to anywhere on Earth in under an hour, and offers unparalleled hypersonic testing capabilities.
Arc reshapes defense readiness by enabling access to… pic.twitter.com/zdbwiVbjDa
— Inversion (@InversionSpace) October 2, 2025
Arc: Space-based delivery vehicle
Arc reshapes defense readiness by enabling the on-demand delivery of cargo and effects to anywhere on earth in under an hour, and offers unparalleled hypersonic testing capabilities. This capability establishes space as a new global logistics domain, introducing unprecedented speed, reach, and resiliency for national security.
It features a versatile payload bay designed to accommodate a wide range of mission-critical cargo and effects. When launched to Earth orbit, Arc vehicles will form constellations of varying sizes and locations tailored to each customer’s needs. When called down on demand, Arc spacecraft descend from orbit, maneuver through hypersonic reentry, and touch down safely under parachutes- all autonomously. To ensure that Arc lands softly within feet of its target, it uses an actively controlled parachute system that combines AI, advanced guidance, navigation, and control algorithms, and computer vision.
It provides unmatched hypersonic testing capabilities, including maneuverability at Mach 20+, prolonged time on condition, and sustained high–loading. Arc is fully reusable and capable of precise landings for rapid recovery, making hypersonic testing faster, repeatable, and more affordable.
Inversion has revealed that Arc is built on the flight heritage of its first spacecraft, Ray. Nearly every component was developed internally by a team of just 25 people for under $1 million.
Upon the details of its first flight, Austin Briggs, Co-Founder and CTO of Inversion, said, “Our team is on schedule to fly Arc’s first mission in 2026. We’ve already built a full-scale manufacturing development unit of the primary structure, completed our first mission profile, and run dozens of drop tests to fine-tune accurate landings. We have completed advanced aerodynamic modeling, detailed component design, and partnered with NASA on a next-generation thermal protection system designed for the most extreme reentry environments. Every milestone brings Arc closer to flight maturity, and the pace of progress is only accelerating.”
Arc is said to represent the next leap, creating a logistics network in space that will make Earth radically more accessible.
