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Private company

Masten Space Systems

Logo: Masten Space Systems, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

American aerospace company

Masten Space Systems was an aerospace manufacturer startup company in Mojave, California (formerly in Santa Clara, California) that was developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets, initially for uncrewed research sub-orbital spaceflights and eventually intended to support robotic orbital spaceflight launches.2 It ceased to exist in 2022.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

2004Founded1
  • Industryaerospace industry1
  • HeadquartersMojave1
  • Websitemasten.aero
  • Legal formcorporation1

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Masten Space Systems was an aerospace manufacturer startup company in Mojave, California (formerly in Santa Clara, California) that was developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets, initially for uncrewed research sub-orbital spaceflights and eventually intended to support robotic orbital spaceflight launches.2

Products and brands

In addition to its line of vehicles, Masten Space Systems was offering its internally developed igniters and engines commercially to interested and qualified parties. Masten also had stated its intent at multiple conferences to participate in technology maturation and proof of concept projects.

Broadsword

Broadsword was a 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN) methane/liquid oxygen rocket engine Masten Space Systems was developing for the US government. Advanced manufacturing techniques would permit the engine to be used to provide a lower-cost reusable launch service for the growing CubeSat and smallsat launch market. The prototype engine took 1.5 months to construct and was made of aluminium. The engine consisted of 3 parts that were bolted together. The engine used an expander cycle and was planned to produce 35,000 pounds-force (160 kN) with a bell extension in vacuum.

The development of a technology demonstration unit was completed in September 2016. The hot-fire test campaign concluded with the demonstration of six successful engine starts.

As of 2017, a second development unit containing enhancements was being developed for NASA under the Tipping Point program with the aim of being flight qualified.

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Cutlass

Cutlass was a 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN) methane/liquid oxygen rocket engine Masten Space Systems was developing for the US government. Built using aluminium alloy via additive manufacturing techniques. Cutlass evolved into a low cost expendable upper stage engine using a gas generator cycle. A Phase 2 SBIR grant was not awarded so development was put on hold.

Katana

Katana class engines were designed to produce up to 4,000 pounds-force (18 kN) of thrust and to be regeneratively cooled. They were designed for indefinite runtime and good throttle response. A video of the all aluminium Katana KA6A Regen 2800 lbf engine's shake down test burning LOX/IPA (Isopropyl alcohol).

Machete

Machete was the name for a family of throttleable rocket engine designs Masten Space Systems was developing to permit their XL-1 lunar lander to land on the Moon. The Machete rocket engines burned the nontoxic storable hypergolic propellant combination MXP-351. The first Machete had an experimental injector design that was used to test MXP-351 in 2016, producing a thrust of 225 lbf. As of March 2017, Masten was modifying the design to make the engines additively-manufactured with regeneratively-cooled thrust chambers. Machete engines were being scaled up to produce 1000 lb thrust for a terrestrial test-bed version dubbed (XL-1T).

MXP-351

MXP-351 was Masten Space's internal name for a self-igniting bipropellant combination invented to fuel its small lunar landers. Unlike the traditional NTO/MMH bipropellant, the two propellant chemicals in MXP-351 were safer to handle because they are nontoxic. The bipropellant could also be stored at room temperatures, unlike liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The hypergolic combination had an ISP of 322 seconds. The storage life of MXP-351 before use was undergoing long-term studies but was expected to be a few years. The reduced operation constraints might have permitted a reduction in recurring operating costs.

Masten Space used similar precautions when handling MXP-351 to those used for HTP (High-Test Peroxide). These included wearing splash protection clothing plus a simple chemical respirator. They claimed that spills could be rectified by diluting with water and rinsing away.

Masten Mission One

Masten Space Systems was to launch a lunar lander mission called Masten Mission One or MM1 in November 2023, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. It was to have a suite of payloads for NASA.

From Wikipedia’s article on Masten Space Systems, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 2022Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 2004Founded Founded1

Funding

Where the company's money came from, by calendar year: private offerings filed with the SEC, federal grants, loans, contracts and other assistance from USAspending.gov, and PPP loans from the SBA. Each bar links to the records below.

Money received by year$235.8K 2020–2020
Money received by yearMoney received by year, 2020–2020: $235.8K in all. PPP loans $235.8K.$0$100K$200K$300K2020 · PPP loans: $235.8K2020
Figures by year
YearPPP loansTotal
2020$235.8K$235.8K

PPP loans

Paycheck Protection Program loans of $150,000 and up, approved April 2020 to July 2021, from the SBA5. Matched to this company by name and state.

  1. Apr 28, 2020$235.8K PPP loan (first draw) from Banc of California5To MASTEN SPACE SYSTEMS, INC., Mojave CA; $238.9K forgiven Sep 9, 2021

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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