ACME Space, based in London, has announced its plans to start hardware tests for its balloon-launched orbital manufacturing vehicle, Hyperion, next year. The company aims to commence commercial operations by 2027. The Hyperion Orbital Factory Vehicle (OFV) is designed to transport up to 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO), using a hydrogen-filled balloon to navigate the densest part of the atmosphere. Once in orbit, Hyperion OFV will serve as a microgravity manufacturing facility for biomedical and materials companies.
The company, recognized in this year’s NASA LunaRecycle Challenge across two categories, is the brainchild of Czech entrepreneur Tomas Guryca, who self-funded the venture after selling a previous AI endeavor. He noted that utilizing advanced AI-aided design technologies has allowed the company to accelerate its progress, reducing the development timeline by 80% and the development cost by as much as 80% compared to traditional methods. Within two years, the team developed and validated a balloon system for lifting the orbital factory into the stratosphere, as well as a returnable launcher for delivering the payload into orbit.
“We are preparing for a drop test in Oman in Q1 or Q2 of 2026,” Guryca told SpaceNews. “After that, we will do some engine tests and we hope to have our first suborbital flight test by the end of 2026 from the Saxavord spaceport in the U.K.” The company is currently raising funds to expand its operations and is collaborating with two undisclosed pharmaceutical firms to develop protein crystal growth boxes for its initial orbital missions in 2027.
The Hyperion OFV employs a combination of balloon and rocket technology to achieve orbit. It initiates its ascent with a hydrogen balloon, which carries it through the lower atmosphere. At the stratospheric altitude of 30 kilometers (19 miles), the Hyperion micro-rocket separates from the balloon and activates its liquid-oxygen/methane engine. The rocket’s main stage then releases the orbital capsule at an altitude of 100 kilometers (60 miles), considered the boundary of space, after which the capsule proceeds to its target orbit in LEO, approximately 300 to 500 km above Earth, using its own propulsion. Following two to three weeks, the orbital capsule returns to Earth with its cargo, expected to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. Guryca stated that all components of the system are designed for reuse up to 15 times.
The company intends to sell capacity on Hyperion OFV at prices ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per kilogram and aims for a mission frequency of up to 20 missions per year by 2030. Alongside protein crystals, ACME Space plans to extend its services to optical fiber manufacturers, with a particular focus on fluoride glass ZBLAN optical fibers, previously manufactured on the International Space Station.
The company is focusing on selling payload capacity rather than operating as a launcher service. “There is a lot of competition from rocket launchers and prices are really going down,” Guryca said. “They are going to get really low with Starship and for us, since we only have 200 kilos of payload, offering launch wouldn’t be enough.” Guryca added that the use of a stratospheric balloon to bypass the thickest part of the Earth’s atmosphere helps to minimize costs. This concept has also been explored by Spain-based Zero2Infinity, which has been developing a balloon-based small satellite launcher named the Bloostar, though the company has faced funding challenges.