Portal Space Systems introduced Starburst, an ESPA-class rapid maneuverability spacecraft, and confirmed Starburst-1 will launch on SpaceX's Transporter-18 in Q4 2026 for the company’s first free-flying mission with live payloads. The mission will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), rapid retasking, and rapid orbital change for national security and commercial use cases.

Starburst is built to bring maneuverability to proliferated space architectures, giving operators a maneuverable bus that can be delivered to an orbit of interest and maneuver rapidly within LEO, MEO, or GEO. It is being developed in sync with Portal’s trans-orbital vehicle, Supernova, which is designed for cross-domain transitions from LEO to cislunar and a 6 km/s-class maneuverability profile. The two platforms share many core subsystems and manufacturing processes, including Supernova's high performance RCS thrusters which will serve as the main translational propulsion for the Starburst vehicle. The shared architectures mean the 2026 mission will demonstrate the Starburst product while simultaneously validating key systems for Supernova. Starburst will be available for customer missions in 2027.

“Our strategy is to deliver what customers need now and accelerate what they’ll need next,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems. “Starburst gives operators a maneuverable bus that supports proliferated architectures in the orbit that matters to them. Supernova brings the trans-orbital reach. Flying Starburst-1 in 2026 lets us field capability quickly and advance the shared systems that raise confidence for Supernova’s 2027 debut.”

Starburst-1 will fly to sun-synchronous orbit for a one-year primary mission. Targeted maneuverability is 1 km/sof total delta-v and will host two payload partners onboard. TRL11 will provide full-motion video with onboard edge processing to enable mission assurance through real-time health monitoring while capturing visuals for documenting mission outcomes. Zenno will demonstrate superconducting magnet technology for fuel-free control authority and precision interactions during close operations, using the world’s most powerful magnetic actuator ever built and flown to space.

“Zenno is building next-gen hardware for maneuverability in space, leveraging solar energy and Earth’s magnetic field to drive real impact,” said Max Arshavsky, Founder and CEO at Zenno. “Portal’s Starburst platform embodies that vision, and we’re proud to provide its debut flight with our Supertorquer - the world’s most powerful magnetic actuator ever flown.” Together, these payloads highlight how on-orbit maneuverability converts sensing into decision speed for defense and commercial use cases.

Mission highlights

• Launch: Starburst-1 → SpaceX Transporter-18, Q4 2026, sun-synchronous orbit
• Spacecraft: ESPA-class free-flying product with end-to-end ops and ground segment
• Demonstrations: RPO, rapid retasking, rapid orbital change
• Duration: one year
• Payload partners: TRL11 (video and edge processing) and Zenno (superconducting magnet control)
• Targeted maneuverability: >1km/s of delta-v
• Program cadence: Supernova debut mission in 2027; Starburst customer missions in 2027