How Did ABL Space Systems Become Long Wall?

The Great Pivot

In the dynamic and often harsh landscape of the modern space industry, ambition and capital collide with the unforgiving laws of physics and economics. For every celebrated success, there are countless unlit fuses and grounded dreams. The story of ABL Space Systems is a powerful case study of this reality. Once a celebrated contender in the race to launch small satellites, the company has undergone a fundamental transformation, rebranding as Long Wall and trading its commercial aspirations for a focused, new mission in national defense. This is the story of that pivot, a shift from the crowded commercial launchpad to the strategic bulwark of military technology.

The New Space Race: A Promise of Simple, Rapid Launch

The 2010s witnessed an explosion in the small-satellite, or “smallsat,” market. Universities, startups, and even established corporations were designing and building shoebox-sized satellites capable of everything from Earth imaging to global internet communications. This boom created a significant bottleneck: getting to space.

For years, these small payloads had to “hitchhike” to orbit, flying as secondary passengers on massive rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon 9. This “rideshare” model was cheap, but it was also restrictive. Small-satellite operators had no control over the launch schedule or the final orbit; they had to go where the primary, multi-ton payload was going.

This gap created a new market opportunity: the dedicated small-launch vehicle. A new generation of rocket companies emerged, promising to be the FedEx to SpaceX’s freight train, offering flexible, dedicated, and rapid launches directly to the customer’s desired orbital “address.”

Into this fervent environment, ABL Space Systems was founded in 2017. Its founders, Harry O’Hanley, a former SpaceX engineer, and Dan Piemont, with a background in finance at Morgan Stanley, brought a compelling vision to the table. They didn’t propose to reinvent the rocket. Instead, they championed a philosophy of radical simplicity.

The company’s core idea was to build a reliable, mass-producible rocket using proven technologies and an efficient, vertically integrated manufacturing process. They would avoid the complex, headline-grabbing technologies of their rivals. Their rocket wouldn’t land itself, and it wouldn’t be built by giant 3D printers. It would be a simple, rugged, and cost-effective workhorse. This pragmatic approach quickly attracted attention and, more importantly, capital.

The “Simple Rocket”: ABL’s RS1 and GS0 System

ABL’s entire business model was built on two key pieces of hardware: the RS1 rocket and the GS0 ground system. Together, they represented a “launch-on-demand” capability that was deeply appealing to the growing smallsat industry.

The RS1 Vehicle

The RS1 was the rocket itself. It was a two-stage vehicle designed from the ground up for simplicity and ease of manufacturing. Standing roughly 88 feet (27 meters) tall, it was designed to lift a payload of up to 1,350 kilograms (nearly 3,000 pounds) into Low Earth Orbit, or LEO. This capacity placed it squarely in the most desirable part of the small-launch market, capable of handling a single large smallsat or a “constellation” of smaller ones.

Its design philosophy was evident in its construction. It used a simple gas-generator engine cycle, a technology proven for decades, and its tanks were made from conventional aluminum alloys. The target price point was just $12 million per launch, a figure that made it highly competitive against other dedicated small launchers.

The E2 Engine

The heart of the RS1 was the E2 engine. ABL developed this engine in-house, aligning with its goal of controlling its own production and costs. The first stage of the RS1 would be powered by nine E2 engines, while the second stage would use a single, vacuum-optimized version.

The E2 burned a common and cost-effective propellant combination: RP-1 (a highly refined form of kerosene) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX). While ABL used modern techniques like 3D printing for some complex components, the engine’s core design was intentionally conservative. It was meant to be a reliable, easy-to-build “truck engine” for space, not a high-performance, temperamental “sports car” engine.

The “Launch Pad in a Box”: The GS0 Ground System

If the RS1 was the workhorse, the GS0 was ABL’s strategic masterstroke. GS0 stood for “Ground System Zero,” and it was a complete, deployable launch system that could fit entirely within a set of standard shipping containers.

This was ABL’s key differentiator. Most rockets require a permanent, billion-dollar launch complex with concrete flame trenches, propellant storage facilities, and complex integration towers. ABL’s GS0 system, in contrast, contained everything: the launch mount, propellant handling equipment, power generators, and command-and-control systems.

The strategic advantage was immense. With GS0, ABL could, in theory, turn any flat concrete pad in the world into a rocket launch site in a matter of days. This “launch-anywhere” capability was not just a commercial gimmick; it was a feature of significant interest to government and military clients. The U.S. Department of Defense has a growing strategic need for “responsive launch” – the ability to quickly deploy a satellite from an unpredictable location, safe from enemy targeting of fixed launch sites. ABL’s GS0 was a direct answer to that need.

Building Momentum: Customers, Contracts, and Capital

ABL’s pragmatic vision and innovative ground system were a powerful combination. The company quickly moved from a concept to a major industry player, building an impressive backlog of customers, contracts, and capital.

Funding rounds poured in, with the company eventually raising over $500 million from a roster of top-tier investors. Its valuation soared, placing it among the most valuable private space startups in the world. This financial war chest allowed ABL to scale rapidly, leasing major facilities at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California for engine testing and a large manufacturing and headquarters complex at the Port of Long Beach.

The customer list was even more impressive. In 2021, ABL stunned the industry by announcing a massive contract with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. The deal was for up to 58 launches, making it one of the largest launch contracts ever awarded to a startup. This wasn’t just a vote of confidence; it was a cornerstone order that promised a steady revenue stream for years to come.

More high-profile clients followed. Amazon selected ABL for a critical mission: to launch the first two prototype satellites for its Project Kuiper internet constellation. The U.S. Space Force, the military branch most interested in responsive launch, also awarded ABL key contracts, validating the strategic appeal of the GS0 system. By 2022, ABL had a full manifest, a massive valuation, and all the components seemingly in place for a successful debut.

The Brutal Reality of Rockets: A Series of Failures

Rockets are, as the saying goes, “hard.” They are immensely complex machines operating at the very edge of material science and controlled-combustion. ABL’s philosophy of simplicity was intended to mitigate this risk, but it could not eliminate it. The company was about to learn just how unforgiving rocket development can be.

The 2022 Mojave Test Stand Fire

The first major public setback occurred in January 2022. During a routine “static fire” test of the RS1’s second stage at its Mojave test site, an anomaly occurred. The E2 engine experienced what is known as a “hard start,” a rapid and uncontrolled ignition that leads to a destructive over-pressure event.

The results were catastrophic. The engine exploded on the test stand, completely destroying the stage and much of the surrounding test infrastructure. While no one was injured, the incident was a significant blow. It destroyed expensive hardware, forced a months-long delay for an investigation and facility rebuild, and cast the first shadow of doubt on the reliability of the E2 engine.

ABL identified the cause – a flaw in the ignition sequence – and redesigned the components. The team worked quickly to rebuild and resume testing, but they had lost precious time.

The First Launch: “Lift-off and Anomaly”

After recovering from the test stand fire, ABL pressed on toward its first orbital launch. The mission, carrying Amazon’s two prototype Kuiper satellites, was moved to a different launch provider due to the delays. ABL’s new debut mission, “Demo-1,” would fly from the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska.

On January 10, 2023, after several weather-related scrubs, the RS1 rocket stood on the launch pad, ready for its maiden flight. The countdown reached zero, and the nine E2 engines ignited. The rocket began to climb, clearing the launch tower. For a few brief seconds, it looked like a success.

Then, it all went wrong.

Just seconds into the flight, all nine first-stage engines shut down simultaneously. The rocket, now powerless, lost its upward momentum, arced over, and fell directly back onto the launch pad. It exploded in a massive fireball, completely destroying the rocket, the payload, and a significant portion of the launch facility it had been launched from.

The failure was total and public. An investigation was immediately convened. The company later reported that a fire had broken out in the engine bay, the “aft” section of the rocket, almost immediately at lift-off. This fire caused a cascading loss of electrical power, which in turn triggered the engines to shut down. The rocket, as designed, had failed safely by terminating thrust, but the result was the same: a total loss of the mission and the vehicle.

This second, more dramatic failure was a devastating blow. It not only destroyed hardware but also vaporized market confidence. The company now had two major explosions on its record and zero successful flights.

A Market That Won’t Wait: The Squeeze on Small Launch

In the time ABL spent developing its rocket and recovering from its failures, the small-launch market it was built to serve had changed dramatically. The competitive landscape had become not just crowded, but fundamentally disrupted.

The primary disruptor was SpaceX. While ABL and its peers were trying to build the “FedEx” of space, SpaceX perfected its “freight” business with its Transporter rideshare program. These missions, flying several times a year, offered small-satellite operators a ride to orbit for a fraction of the price of a dedicated launch. SpaceX’s prices were so low that they reset the entire market’s expectations, making a $12 million price tag for a dedicated launch seem expensive, not cheap.

At the same time, other competitors were reaching orbit. Rocket Lab, another pioneer in the field, had long-since proven the reliability of its Electron rocket and was flying regular, successful missions. Firefly Aerospace had achieved orbit with its Alpha rocket. Relativity Space had also made it to space on its first attempt, even if it didn’t reach orbit.

Suddenly, ABL was no longer a promising newcomer. It was a company with a history of failures, lagging far behind competitors who were already generating revenue and proving their technology. This difficult reality was compounded by a broader shift in the financial markets. The era of “easy money” for tech startups was over. Venture capital investors, once eager to fund ambitious space companies, were now demanding a clear and quick path to profitability.

The collapse and bankruptcy of Virgin Orbit in early 2023 served as a stark warning to the entire industry. Virgin Orbit had a unique, air-launched rocket, a charismatic founder, and had even reached orbit. But it couldn’t achieve a profitable launch rate and burned through its cash. Its failure signaled that the small-launch market was entering a period of consolidation; there simply wasn’t room for a dozen different companies.

The Pivot: From ABL Space Systems to Long Wall

Faced with a devastating launch failure, intense market competition, and a skeptical investment climate, ABL’s leadership made a difficult and decisive choice. In late 2024, the company announced a strategic pivot.

It was exiting the commercial small-launch market.

The fight to compete with SpaceX’s rideshare prices and catch up to Rocket Lab’s flight heritage was no longer viable. Instead, ABL would repurpose its technology, its talent, and its core strategic advantage – the deployable GS0 system – for a market that desperately needed it: national defense.

In February 2025, the transformation was made official. ABL Space Systems announced it was rebranding, complete with a new name and a new mission. The company would now be known as Long Wall.

The Meaning of “Long Wall”

The new name was not arbitrary. It was a direct reference to the Long Walls of ancient Athens. These were fortified stone walls built in the 5th century BC to connect the city of Athens to its vital ports at Piraeus and Phalerum. During a siege, these walls ensured the city could not be cut off from the sea, its lifeline for trade and naval power.

The symbolism was clear. Long Wall, the company, would no longer be a commercial taxi service. It would be a builder of resilient, defensive “walls” for the United States. Its purpose would be to provide a secure and reliable connection to the “high ground” of space for national defense, a link that could not be easily severed by an adversary.

The New Mission: Defense and Deterrence

Under the Long Wall banner, the company’s technology was reborn with a new purpose.

The RS1 rocket evolved into the RSX. This new vehicle is optimized not for commercial LEO deliveries but for the specific needs of the U.S. Department of Defense. Its missions now include serving as a testbed for hypersonic flight – vehicles that travel at more than five times the speed of sound – and acting as a “threat replicator” to help the military test its missile defense systems.

The GS0 ground system, ABL’s original trump card, was rebranded as Ironwood. The “launch-pad-in-a-box” concept, once marketed for its commercial flexibility, is now promoted for its military and strategic value. Ironwood represents a “responsive launch” capability, allowing the U.S. Space Force to launch critical assets from austere, unpredictable locations around the globe, far from traditional, vulnerable launch sites.

Why Defense?

The pivot to defense was a pragmatic move. The U.S. Department of Defense and its various agencies have a growing, well-funded need for the exact capabilities Long Wall can provide. This market is not as sensitive to per-kilogram pricing as the commercial sector. Instead, it values reliability, speed of deployment, and strategic flexibility – all things that were core to ABL’s original design.

Long Wall was already on this path, having previously secured a $60 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to demonstrate its responsive launch capabilities. The pivot was a full-throated commitment to this line of business. It abandoned the crowded, low-margin commercial fight to become a specialized provider for a single, high-value customer.

The New Landscape for Long Wall

The transformation from ABL to Long Wall also involved a physical consolidation. The company closed its original headquarters in El Segundo and its test site in Mojave, moving all of its operations to its large facility at the Port of Long Beach. This move streamlined operations and signaled a more focused, lean-forward approach.

The challenge for Long Wall is now one of execution. It must transition from the culture of a fast-moving, venture-backed startup to that of a reliable, high-security defense contractor. It must prove to its new, singular customer that its technology, which failed so spectacularly in its commercial debut, is now robust and dependable enough for critical national security missions.

The company’s new competitors are no longer just other small-launch startups, but also established defense giants. However, Long Wall brings a legacy of agile development and cost-conscious engineering from its startup days, which could give it an edge over slower, more traditional contractors.

Summary

The story of ABL Space Systems‘ pivot to Long Wall is a defining narrative of the “New Space” era. It’s a story of incredible ambition, innovative design, and the brutal physics that govern rocket science. It’s also a story of harsh market realities, where a good idea and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding are not always enough to succeed against dominant players and shifting economic tides.

ABL was founded with a clear vision: to simplify access to space. Its failure to reach orbit as a commercial company was not just a technical failure, but a market one. The company was squeezed between the low-cost dominance of SpaceX and the proven track record of its competitors.

The rebirth as Long Wall is a strategic masterclass in survival and adaptation. By recognizing that its most valuable asset wasn’t its rocket but its deployable, responsive launch system, the company found a new, more sustainable path forward. The future of Long Wall is no longer tied to the volatile commercial small-satellite boom, but to the urgent and well-defined priorities of national defense. The company has traded its dream of launching a thousand satellites for a mission to build a resilient wall to the stars.