Space Minds Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit with Mark Bigham
Mar 30, 2026
Mark Bigham, VP of Defense Programs at Longshot Space Technologies and former Raytheon innovation lead, discusses hypersonic mass-driver launch tech. He explains a flat, multi-injection launcher that could boost launch cadence dramatically. Topics include launcher scale and energy, survivability of heavy projectiles, safety and environmental tradeoffs, autonomy needs, test plans and early markets.
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Side Injection Mass Driver Can Cut Launch Costs
- Longshot uses a multi-injection mass driver — a long ground-laid tube that injects high-pressure gas sideways to accelerate a projectile to orbital speeds.
- A ~4–5 mile, 2–3 meter diameter tube with side pressure vessels could cut launch cost to about one-tenth of rockets.
Mass Becomes An Advantage At Hypersonic Speeds
- Mass helps survival in hypersonic atmospheric transit: larger, properly shaped projectiles generate lift and punch through heating rather than burning up like light objects.
- Using a wave-riding geometry and brute acceleration lets heavy payloads climb to LEO affordably at multi-km/s speeds.
Begin Commercialization With Hypersonic Test Services
- Start by offering hypersonic test services to defense customers to validate technology and generate revenue quickly.
- Longshot plans hypersonic tests within six months using a reusable launcher and compressed hydrogen/oxygen.