Auriga Space Awarded $1.25 Million Direct-to-Phase II SBIR
INTRODUCTION
Auriga Space has been awarded a $1.25 million Direct-to-Phase II SBIR contract by AFWERX to advance development of its laboratory-scale electromagnetic accelerator for hypersonic testing.This milestone reinforces Auriga’s mission to demonstrate that sustainable, electric launch systems can outperform traditional propellant-based approaches.
From Fuel to Field: The Electric Future of Launch
Auriga Space — a California-based aerospace startup — is developing a linear electromagnetic launch track designed to propel test sleds at extreme velocities using controlled magnetic levitation and acceleration.
Unlike conventional rocket systems, which burn large quantities of fuel, Auriga’s approach relies on electricity, precision control, and reusability.
The new contract enables the company to build and test a laboratory-scale demonstrator that will validate the core physics and engineering behind its full-scale launch system. Prometheus will support research for government and defense partners, including the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), enabling faster and more affordable hypersonic testing.
Shifting Gears: How Electric Technology is Transforming Space Launches
Auriga’s technology aims to redefine access to space and high-velocity testing by offering high-frequency, low-cost launches — an alternative to the expensive, infrequent cadence of rocket-based systems.
By integrating electromagnetic propulsion with modular, repeatable launch infrastructure, Auriga seeks to close the gap between simulation and real-world testing, helping teams iterate hardware at a pace never before possible in aerospace R&D. The company’s long-term vision extends beyond testing.
Auriga is developing scalable systems that could one day accelerate upper-stage payloads directly toward suborbital trajectories, providing an energy-efficient bridge between Earth and space. This approach could dramatically reduce the cost per launch, minimize environmental impact, and open new possibilities for on-demand logistics in both defense and commercial applications.
Every generation of aerospace innovation has been defined by access — access to data, access to altitude, access to orbit, Our goal is to make that access continuous, electric, and reusable.
From Fuel to Field: The Electric Future of Launch
Auriga Space — a California-based aerospace startup — is developing a linear electromagnetic launch track designed to propel test sleds at extreme velocities using controlled magnetic levitation and acceleration.
Unlike conventional rocket systems, which burn large quantities of fuel, Auriga’s approach relies on electricity, precision control, and reusability.
The new contract enables the company to build and test Prometheus, alaboratory-scale demonstrator that will validate the core physics and engineering behind its full-scale launch system. Prometheus will support research for government and defense partners, including the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), enabling faster and more affordable hypersonic testing.
