Moonshot Space Emerges from Stealth to Build Electromagnetic-Based Launch System that Accelerates Payloads

Moonshot Space, an Israeli startup building an affordable, on-demand delivery system for space infrastructure, led by Hilla Haddad Chmelnik, Fred Simon, and Shahar Bahiri, has emerged from stealth with $12 million in funding to continue the development of a launch system, powered by electromagnetism.

Moonshot plans to offer A&D primes its technology as a hypersonic test platform, while progressively developing capabilities to provide orbital launch services for companies seeking to resupply raw materials to orbit.

The technology: a launch system that accelerates a reinforced capsule to hypersonic speeds using a series of electromagnetic coils.

Moonshot is developing a scaled-down accelerator capable of Mach 6 to meet demand for hypersonic test capabilities, while simultaneously working on a full-scale version for orbital launches. The focus is not on competing with chemical rockets for high-tech satellites, but on delivering raw materials that can endure high-acceleration launches, lowering costs for in-space servicing, refueling, and manufacturing. Preliminary agreements with D-Orbit and Orbit Fab will leverage the system for their orbital refueling and servicing operations.

Moonshot was founded in 2024 by leaders from Israel’s aerospace, defense, and technology sectors. CEO Hilla Haddad Chmelnik, an Iron Dome veteran, previously served as director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Science. CTO Fred Simon co-founded JFrog, the Israeli software company that went public on Nasdaq in 2020. Chief Engineer Gil Eilam is the former chief systems engineer for David’s Sling missile defense, while Head of Business Development Ran Livne previously led The Ramon Foundation, a non-profit supporting Israel’s space industry. Alon Ushpiz, another founding member, served as director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry.