Fenix Space

Fenix Space, Inc. is a San Bernardino, California aerospace company developing reusable tow-launch and hypersonic technologies for delivering payloads to orbit and enabling hypersonic transportation and testing. Its concept uses a winged booster that is towed behind a commercial aircraft to roughly 40,000 feet, after which a rocket is released and launched at about 60,000 feet, an architecture intended to deliver better performance at lower cost than conventional ground-based, rocket-propelled launch. The company markets the approach as responsive, launch-on-demand service at rideshare prices.

The company was incorporated in 2017 and is an independent offshoot of Kelly Space & Technology, the first commercial tenant at San Bernardino International Airport (the former Norton Air Force Base), with which it remains co-located and shares access to legacy test and machining infrastructure. As of late 2024 it described a core team of about 20 engineers and technicians occupying roughly 20,000 square feet of facilities, with plans to double headcount over the following 12 months and expand beyond 30,000 square feet. Company leadership includes co-founder and chief executive Jason Lee.

Founding story

Fenix Space was founded in 2017 by Jason Lee to commercialize reusable tow-launch aerospace technology carried over from Kelly Space & Technology, applying it to commercial space markets and hypersonic testing.

Business model

Fenix Space sells launch and flight-test services based on its tow-launch platform, positioning them as on-demand, affordable alternatives to ground-based launch, and executes government contracts and agreements for hypersonic and high-cadence airborne testing.

Revenue is derived from launch and hypersonic test services and from government development contracts and agreements; the company reported commercial customer agreements representing at least $32 million in prospective earnings as of December 2022.

Traction

By December 2022 the company had completed one sub-orbital test flight, was building a second vehicle for flight at White Sands Missile Range, reported about $9 million raised over five years and commercial agreements representing at least $32 million in prospective earnings. As of November 2024 it had roughly 20 staff, about 20,000 square feet of facilities and contracts covering Department of Defense hypersonic and high-cadence airborne testing.

Latest developments

On October 14, 2025 it was reported that Alaska Capital LLC, an Alaska-based investment and development company, had signed a letter of intent to invest $30 million in a Series A financing of Fenix Space. The parties also intend to collaborate on access to Alaskan airports and launch facilities for aerospace and defense operations, and Alaska Capital would appoint one director to the Fenix Space board upon completion of the transaction.