AssetID: 55161655
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Sci-fi style 'space delivery vehicle' can send medical kits or military supplies anywhere on Earth in UNDER AN HOUR
Caption: WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain A Los Angeles aerospace start-up has unveiled a jaw-dropping new spacecraft that promises to deliver everything from medical kits to high-tech drones anywhere on Earth in less than an hour. The company, Inversion, has revealed Arc, a sleek, reusable space capsule roughly the size of a large coffee table — yet capable of re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at more than 20 times the speed of sound. Dubbed the world’s first orbital drop pod, Arc is designed to store essential cargo in orbit and release it on demand — even to the most remote or dangerous corners of the globe. Unveiled at the company’s futuristic Los Angeles factory earlier this month, the capsule has already caught the attention of U.S. defence officials, who see it as a potential game-changer for rapid-response logistics. Whether it’s a battlefield in the Middle East or a disaster-stricken island in the Pacific, Arc can deliver up to 500 pounds of equipment with pinpoint precision — no runway, no crew, and no waiting around. “In a crisis, minutes matter,” said Inversion CEO and co-founder Justin Fiaschetti. “Arc is designed to bring mission-critical supplies from orbit to Earth in under an hour. It’s a completely new logistics platform.” The capsule’s creators describe Arc as a “space warehouse with wings” — a vehicle built to remain in orbit for up to five years, ready to deploy when needed. When a request comes in, it detaches from its orbital station, re-enters the atmosphere, and deploys parachutes to land safely within a 621-mile target zone. But Arc isn’t just about lightning-fast delivery. It also places Inversion at the cutting edge of the United States’ growing race for hypersonic technology — systems capable of flying at speeds of Mach 20, or over 15,000 mph. As countries like China and Russia push ahead with hypersonic weapons, the Pentagon has been searching for cheaper, reusable ways to test this next-generation technology. Arc’s versatility could be the breakthrough they’ve been waiting for. “Arc makes hypersonic testing faster, repeatable, and more affordable,” said Inversion’s Chief Technology Officer Austin Briggs. That potential hasn’t gone unnoticed: Inversion has already been chosen for the Kratos-led MACH-TB 2.0 hypersonic testing programme, a major U.S. government initiative. While Arc has yet to fly, Inversion has already proven its space credentials. In January, the company launched its earlier prototype, Ray, aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission. Though Ray wasn’t built to return, it successfully demonstrated key systems that have since been incorporated into Arc. The firm — founded in 2021 and now employing around 60 engineers — has since completed aerodynamic modelling, dozens of drop tests, and partnered with NASA to design an advanced heat shield capable of surviving the extreme heat of atmospheric re-entry. With its first full-scale mission planned for 2026, Inversion says Arc could transform everything from disaster relief to pharmaceutical distribution. The vehicle’s non-toxic propellants make it safe to handle immediately after landing — a key advantage for soldiers or rescue workers on the ground. Still, not everyone is convinced. Critics warn that the technology’s dual-use potential — both humanitarian and military — could trigger a new race to weaponise orbital logistics, effectively turning space into the next battlefield. For now, Inversion is remaining tight-lipped about who its first customers will be.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Inversion,Arc,orbital drop pod,aerospace,space capsule,re-entering,speed of sound,U.S. defence,rapid-response logistics,hypersonic technology,Mach 20,SpaceX,Ray,NASA,heat shield,military logistics,disaster relief,pharmaceutical distribution,non-toxic propellants,dual-use potential,weaponise orbital logistics,2026 mission
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