Momentus Inc. launched its second demonstration flight of the Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle to low-Earth orbit aboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission. Momentus established contact with its Vigoride vehicle on its first orbital pass and confirmed that both solar arrays are deployed, and the vehicle is generating power and charging its batteries. The Vigoride OSV is designed to support a range of transportation and in-space infrastructure services.

A key part of the Vigoride spacecraft is the Microwave Electrothermal Thruster that is designed to use water as a propellant. The MET is designed to produce thrust by expelling extremely hot gases through a rocket nozzle. Unlike a conventional chemical rocket engine, which creates thrust through a chemical reaction, the MET is designed to create a plasma and thrust using microwave energy.

Using the MET, Momentus aims to offer cost-effective, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly propulsion to meet the demands for in-space transportation and infrastructure services. Priorities for this flight include hosting Caltech's Space-based Solar Power Project payload, deploying a satellite with the Qosmosys Zeus-1 payload, and testing Vigoride's performance in space, including its MET system. Momentus launched its inaugural mission in May 2022.

The Company deployed eight customer satellites during that mission for FOSSA Systems, Orbit NTNU and Bronco Space at the California State Polytechnic University.