California-based Auriga Space is developing an electromagnetic launch system to make rocket launches more efficient.

The startup is creating a launch track powered by electricity and magnets, which will accelerate rockets to hypersonic speeds before igniting their engines for the final ascent to orbit..

Earlier this year, Auriga secured US$4.6 million in seed funding led by OTB Ventures, with contributions from Trucks Venture Capital and Seraphim Space.

The company has also received US$1.4 million in contracts from AFWERX and SpaceWERX.

This brings its total funding to US$12.2 million, which includes venture capital and Department of Defense grants.

Auriga’s system uses electricity and magnets to launch rockets, cutting fuel use and improving reusability, though high-G forces pose payload challenges.

It plans to launch a lab-scale track, Prometheus, next year and build a full-scale version, Thor, while continuing work on its orbital launcher, Zeus.

Auriga ultimately aims to enable near-instant launches to meet rising demand for fast, flexible space missions.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Electromagnetic launch systems build on a century of evolving technology

Auriga’s concept isn’t entirely new, but represents the commercial maturation of ideas dating back to the early 20th century when Kristian Birkeland experimented with electromagnetic launchers in 19011.

This technology has evolved steadily through various applications, most notably in military contexts where the U.S. Navy has developed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) to replace steam catapults on aircraft carriers2.

What makes Auriga’s approach commercially viable now is recent advancements in power electronics that can operate at higher voltages and powers, solving technical challenges that previously limited practical applications.

The progression from theoretical concept to military application and now potential commercial viability follows a common pattern in aerospace technology development, where concepts often require decades of incremental improvements before reaching market readiness.

The history suggests that while electromagnetic launch technology is proven in principle, scaling it to orbital velocities represents a significant engineering leap that no company has yet achieved commercially.