Aspire Space Unveils Oryx, a Fully Reusable Orbital Transportation System
Next-generation rocketship for high-cadence LEO missions
Aspire Space today introduced Oryx, a next-generation, fully reusable space transportation system. The two-stage architecture pairs a reusable booster with a reusable upper-stage spacecraft, creating a unified system designed for rapid turnaround and high-cadence operations.
Heritage and development. Oryx is the result of a focused two-year development effort, marking a technical milestone that builds on decades of aerospace heritage, drawing on engineering principles proven in Zenit and Energia–Buran, and refined through programs such as Sea Launch and Argo.
Mission profile and performance. Optimized for low Earth orbit (LEO) missions, Oryx rocketship can deliver up to 3 t in a fully reusable configuration (12.5 t with first stage reuse, 15 t expandable). The architecture is designed for future adaptation to crewed and lunar missions.
Propulsion. The vehicle employs ten methalox (liquid methane/liquid oxygen) engines: five main engines rated at 1,000 kN each and five upper-stage engines at 200 kN each. The engines are being developed in partnership with Dubai-based LEAP 71, a pioneer in computational engineering for propulsion systems.
Orbital segment. The upper stage, D2 Cargo, operates as an autonomous orbital spacecraft. It can deliver up to 3 t to orbit, supports in-orbit refueling, enables maneuvering of orbital platforms, and can return up to 3 t safely to Earth. D2 Cargo can also serve as a standalone orbital laboratory hub, unlocking new opportunities for high-value industries such as pharma, biotechnology, semiconductors.
Program milestones. The upper-stage engine hot-fire test is targeted for Q3 2026. The first integrated flight is planned for 2030.
Leadership statements.
“Since my work on the Energia–Buran program, I’ve believed that the future of spaceflight lies in fully reusable transportation systems. Now, we’re ready to bring that vision to life,” said Sergey Sopov, Chief Technology Officer at Aspire Space.
“Rapidly reusable and highly versatile systems will become the backbone of a new space economy. With Oryx, we are going to redefine industry standards,” said Stan Rudenko, CEO and Founder of Aspire Space.
Manufacturing and launch sites.Aspire Space’s manufacturing and operations base is located in the United Arab Emirates. Launch operations are planned in the UAE and Kazakhstan.
About Aspire Space
Aspire Space is developing fully reusable launch and orbital transportation systems to enable high-cadence, cost-efficient access to low Earth orbit and beyond.
Founded by a team of space pioneers who led the prominent projects such as Zenit, Soyuz and Sea Launch, Aspire Space aims to advance humanity to the New Space Age by providing cutting-edge launch and space transportation services.
