Malaysian indigenous LOX/RP-1 small launch vehicle — 200 kg to 500 km LEO/SSO, US$4.5M per mission, equatorial launch site, 24 missions/year target. Only Malaysian/SE Asian team in Google Lunar XPRIZE.
DNLV — Dedicated Nano Launch Vehicle
Malaysian indigenous LOX/RP-1 small launch vehicle — 200 kg to 500 km LEO/SSO, US$4.5M per mission, equatorial launch site, 24 missions/year target. Only Malaysian/SE Asian team in Google Lunar XPRIZE.
Description
The DNLV (Dedicated Nano Launch Vehicle) is Independence-X Aerospace's flagship launch vehicle program — an indigenously designed and built Malaysian rocket capable of delivering nanosatellites and microsatellites to low Earth orbit. The DNLV is powered by a liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 kerosene cryogenic propulsion system, providing a high-performance propellant combination suited to orbital flight requirements.
The vehicle targets the rapidly growing small satellite market with a dedicated ride model — ensuring customers control their orbit, inclination, and launch schedule rather than sharing a rideshare manifest. Malaysia's near-equatorial launch location provides a strategic advantage for low-inclination LEO deployments, increasingly sought for communications constellations and Earth observation platforms targeting tropical and equatorial regions.
Independence-X targets a launch cadence of at least 24 missions per year once commercial operations begin, reflecting high-frequency demand from small satellite operators needing reliable, affordable, and frequent orbital access. At US$4.5 million per launch, the vehicle is positioned competitively within the nano and microsatellite market, particularly for Asia-Pacific customers seeking proximity to a regional provider.
The DNLV program progressed through a stratospheric test flight with the Independence-3A suborbital vehicle and reached Technology Readiness Level 4 in its development roadmap. NASA endorsed the program in its 2015 'Small Spacecraft Technology: State of the Art' report. The company's 400+ member team spans propulsion, ADCS, orbital mechanics, EPS, structures, and communications. The DNLV is also the intended launch platform for IDXA's MERCAP re-entry capsule missions, enabling fully domestic Malaysian space transportation.
Specifications
| Propulsion | Liquid oxygen (LOX) + RP-1 kerosene (cryogenic) |
|---|---|
| Payload to 500 km LEO | 200 kg |
| Payload to SSO | 200 kg |
| Launch price | US$4.5 million per mission |
| Target launch cadence | 24 launches/year |
| Launch site | Near-equatorial (Malaysia) |
| Development TRL | TRL 4 (Independence-3A stratospheric vehicle flown) |
| NASA endorsement | 'Small Spacecraft Technology: State of the Art', December 2015 |
| Notable distinction | Only Malaysian/Southeast Asian team in Google Lunar XPRIZE |
| Team size | 400+ members across 20+ technical departments |
| HQ | Seremban / Technology Park Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur |
