A successful launch occurred at 4:02 a.m. PT today, marking Portal Space Systems' inaugural venture into Earth orbit. The company's technology demonstration, known as “Mini-Nova,” was among 119 payloads deployed during SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Portal’s Mini-Nova, which is roughly the size of a tissue box, was mounted on the Vigoride-7 vehicle operated by Momentus. Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage successfully landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean, while the second stage continued to deploy various spacecraft.
CEO Jeff Thornburg emphasized the significance of this milestone for Portal, stating that the company has officially become a space entity. Over the next six months, Mini-Nova will assist in testing critical systems intended for future vehicles, including the Starburst and Supernova, which are designed for rapid orbital maneuvers.
The first Starburst launch is anticipated in October during SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission, while the Supernova vehicle is projected to be ready for deployment by 2027.