
Phantom Express
An autonomous, experimental spaceplane designed to transform the future of rapid, reusable space launch for small satellites.
Boeing and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency are collaborating to design, build and test a technology demonstration vehicle for the agency’s Experimental Spaceplane program. The spaceplane—called Phantom Express—would reinvent space missions for commercial and government customers by providing rapid, aircraft-like access to space. Within minutes, the autonomous, reusable spaceplane would launch its upper stage to deploy small satellites into low Earth orbit. It would then land on a runway to be prepared for its next flight.
The Aerojet Rocketdyne engine is designed to be reusable and would power the Phantom Express spaceplane using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel.
The Phantom Express design reduces the turnaround time on the launch pad with an efficient, streamlined system to quickly prepare for its next flight.
Phantom Express would carry and deploy an expendable upper stage to launch small satellites (3,000 lb / 1,361 kg) into low Earth orbit. Following deployment, the spaceplane would return back to Earth, landing like an airplane on a runway.