Launcher

Launcher was an American space transportation company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Hawthorne, California, that developed the E-2 liquid rocket engine and the Orbiter space tug (orbital transfer vehicle) before being acquired by Vast Space in 2023 to support the company's commercial space station development program.

Launcher's E-2 engine used liquid oxygen and kerosene (RP-1) propellant, producing approximately 22,000 pounds of thrust, and was manufactured using advanced 3D printing techniques in copper alloy — with the engine chamber and nozzle 3D printed to reduce part count and manufacturing cost. CEO Max Haot positioned the E-2 as a cost-competitive alternative to heritage rocket engines for small launch vehicles, targeting a $1 million cost per engine through advanced manufacturing.

The Orbiter space tug was designed as a rideshare-compatible orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) that would deploy from a primary launch vehicle and deliver satellite payloads to precise target orbits — particularly beneficial for constellations requiring exact orbital slots that standard rideshare cannot provide. The Orbiter carried a xenon electric propulsion system for orbit-raising and precise disposal maneuvers.

Vast Space — a commercial space station company funded by Jed McCaleb — acquired Launcher in 2023, absorbing its engineering team, propulsion development assets, and manufacturing capabilities to accelerate development of the Haven-1 commercial space station and future Haven-2 platforms. The acquisition gave Vast in-house propulsion expertise and a team experienced in in-space transportation systems design. Launcher's Orbiter technology is now being adapted to support space station rendezvous and logistics mission requirements.