Alabama-based spacecraft maker Quantum Space saidit has acquired Phase Four’s multi-modal propulsion technology and its integration and testing facility in Hawthorne, California, for an undisclosed sum. The move follows Quantum’s $40 million Series A extension round earlier this year.
The deal will allow Quantum to integrate Phase Four’s propulsion systems — which combine chemical and electric thrusters for either high thrust or high efficiency maneuvers — into its spacecraft portfolio. The Hawthorne facility has the capacity to produce up to 100 engines annually, according to the company.
Quantum said the acquisition supports its ambitions for the Golden Dome project, a proposed multi-billion-dollar missile defense architecture that could include sensor networks, satellite swarms, directed energy weapons and space-based interceptors. In May, the company hired Richard Matlock, a former Missile Defense Agency executive, to lead its defense division.
Quantum’s flagship spacecraft, the Ranger, was unveiled in 2023 as a multi-orbit, highly maneuverable platform designed for long-duration operations with refueling capabilities. The company said the addition of Phase Four’s propulsion could expand Ranger’s mission range for the U.S. Department of Defense.
For Phase Four, the deal offers access to defense-focused missions, even as its assets are absorbed into Quantum. “Partnering with Quantum Space ensures that this technology scales and finds its way into the missions that matter most—defense, science, commercial infrastructure,” Phase Four Chief Executive Steve Kiser said.
