Reusable Flight Infrastructure for Orbital Program Derisking
EXOS Aerospace is an FAA-licensed reusable suborbital launch operator providing wet-leased flight test infrastructure for orbital vehicle development, advanced space technologies, and defense applications. Our reusable launch platforms deliver repeatable access to suborbital flight environments, enabling teams to validate avionics, guidance and navigation systems, flight controls, and reentry architectures before committing to full-scale orbital attempts.
Orbital programs carry significant technical and reputational risk. Avionics, GNC, landing algorithms, reentry systems, and propulsion controls are often first flown on high-value launch vehicles where failure can cost tens of millions of dollars. EXOS addresses this challenge by providing flight-proven reusable launch vehicles as operational test platforms. Customers can fly critical systems as hosted payloads aboard an already licensed and recoverable rocket, gathering real flight data without risking a full orbital asset.
Our integrated wet lease model reduces integration burden while accelerating campaign timelines. Following ascent to space and atmospheric reentry, flight simulations - such as vertical landing control validation - can be executed at altitude. Regardless of test outcome, the vehicle is recovered through our guided canopy system, enabling hardware retrieval, data analysis, and rapid iteration.
In addition to reusable launch services, EXOS advances integrated Type V composite pressurized structures, fractional parts count architectures supporting repeatable reuse, and LOX/methane propulsion systems with extensive in-flight relight heritage. Our focus is operational flight infrastructure designed to reduce program risk, support sustained testing, and accelerate orbital readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is wet lease launch?
Wet lease launch is a service model in which EXOS provides and operates the reusable launch vehicle, reducing integration burden for the customer. Instead of owning or integrating a full launch system, government and commercial payload teams fly on an operational EXOS platform, accelerating timelines and lowering program risk.
2. How does EXOS support hypersonic flight test cadence?
Hypersonic programs are constrained by limited access to repeatable flight testing. EXOS increases national flight test cadence by providing reusable suborbital launch vehicles designed for repeatability, payload recovery, and rapid campaign iteration. Our operational model enables more frequent test opportunities compared to one-off launch approaches.
3. What types of payloads can fly on EXOS vehicles?
EXOS supports a wide range of payloads requiring suborbital flight or microgravity exposure. This includes hypersonic sensors, avionics systems, guidance and control packages, thermal protection systems, reentry technologies, and other advanced aerospace hardware.
In addition, EXOS supports university research, biomedical and materials science experiments, educational payloads, technology demonstrations, and commercial microgravity investigations. Our reusable suborbital platforms provide brief but meaningful microgravity environments and controlled reentry conditions suitable for research, testing, and validation across government, academic, and commercial sectors.
4. What are Type V composite pressurized structures?
Type V composite pressurized structures are linerless composite tanks engineered for high-performance and cryogenic propulsion applications. When integrated with surrounding vehicle structure, Type V architectures can enable fractional parts count design approaches by reducing interface complexity and combining structural functions at the system level.
Through its ownership position in Scorpius Space Launch Company, EXOS expands industrial capability in advanced composite pressurized structures that support reusable launch vehicles and next-generation propulsion systems.
5. What does “fractional parts count” mean?
Fractional parts count architecture refers to reducing the number of structural components within a launch vehicle stage. Fewer parts reduce inspection points, simplify maintenance, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support repeatable reuse - critical factors in increasing flight cadence.
6. Is EXOS FAA licensed for launch operations?
Yes. EXOS is an FAA-licensed reusable suborbital launch operator, authorized to conduct commercial launch activities in the United States. Our flight operations are structured to support government and commercial customers requiring compliant and repeatable access to space environments.
For procurement and program briefing purposes, a downloadable PDF version is available below.
