Inversion Awarded $71M by Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX for Delivery On-Demand from Space

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 10, 2024--

Inversion announces it has been selected by SpaceWERX for a STRATFI award in the amount of $71 million to develop the next generation of autonomous re-entry vehicles and enable precision delivery to any location on Earth in under an hour, addressing the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

The Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.

The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now, Inversion will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

“Autonomous re-entry vehicles that can be called to Earth on demand will transform logistics and provide rapid access to even the most remote parts of the globe,” said Justin Fiaschetti, CEO of Inversion. “This contract will allow us to develop and demonstrate the technologies that make it possible to deliver cargo anywhere on Earth in minutes, from remote islands, to uninhabitable mountains, to the middle of the ocean.”

(Mandatory disclaimer) “The views expressed are those of the author and do notnecessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, theDepartment of Defense, or the U.S. government.”

About Inversion

Inversion enables precision delivery on-demand from space to anywhere on Earth. Its fully autonomous re-entry vehicles deliver goods and gear to the planet’s toughest spots – remote islands, uninhabitable mountains, or the middle of the ocean – in less than an hour, within 20 feet (6 meters). Inversion is backed by companies like Spark Capital, Y Combinator, and Adjacent. To learn more about Inversion, visit https://www.inversionspace.com/. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and X.

About SpaceWERX

As the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, SpaceWERX inspires and empowers collaboration with innovators to accelerate capabilities and shape our future in space. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SpaceWERX employs 40 military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $457 million budget. Additionally, SpaceWERX partners with Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO) as a collaborative program. Since it was aligned under AFRL in Aug. 2021, SpaceWERX has executed 1106 contracts worth more than $897 million to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit spacewerx.us.

About AFWERX

As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: www.afwerx.com.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

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cynthia@inversionspace.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DEFENSE OTHER DEFENSE MILITARY OTHER TRANSPORT AIR AEROSPACE TRANSPORT MANUFACTURING

SOURCE: Inversion

Copyright Business Wire 2024.

PUB: 09/10/2024 11:07 AM/DISC: 09/10/2024 11:07 AM

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