NEPTUNE_100 Launch Vehicle
Interorbital Systems
Low-cost small-lift two-stage orbital rocket delivering 100 kg to 500-km polar orbit at $599,999 per dedicated launch.
Technical specifications
- Vehicle class
- Small-lift orbital
- Stages
- 2
- Payload to 500 km polar orbit
- 100 kg
- Dedicated launch price
- $599,999
- Price per kg to orbit
- $4,918/kg
- Rideshare price (3U CubeSat)
- < $100,000
- Primary orbit
- 500 km polar circular
- Rideshare deployment orbit
- 310 km polar
- Propellant
- WFNA + turpentine
- Feed system
- Pressure-fed
- Engine type
- Ablatively-cooled filament-wound composite
- Engine burn duration
- Up to 40 minutes
- Launch platform
- Land or ocean platform
About
The NEPTUNE_100 is Interorbital Systems small-lift two-stage orbital launch vehicle designed to deliver payloads to low Earth orbit at the lowest price point commercially available. The rocket is built around the Common Propulsion Module (CPM), using White Fuming Nitric Acid (WFNA) and turpentine as propellants in a pressure-fed system with ablatively-cooled filament-wound composite rocket engines. Each engine is rated for up to 40 minutes of operation.
The NEPTUNE_100 can launch from land-based or ocean-based platforms, providing flexibility for customers targeting polar and near-equatorial orbits. The primary mission profile targets a 310-km deployment orbit for CubeSat and TubeSat rideshare customers, with 500-km polar orbit capability for dedicated missions. Dedicated launch pricing is $599,999 per mission ($4,918/kg), while rideshare slots for 3U CubeSats are available for under $100,000.
The NEPTUNE family uses modular CPMs that can be clustered for higher payloads. A CPM test vehicle completed a successful flight to 10,000 ft altitude in March 2014. Over 180 pre-paid satellite customers are manifested for upcoming NEPTUNE launches.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
