Long Wall
American aerospace and defense company developing rapidly deployable launch, missile-defense, and hypersonic flight-test systems.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Long Wall is an American aerospace and defense company headquartered in Long Beach, California. The company was founded in 2017 as ABL Space Systems by Harry O'Hanley and Dan Piemont, who had backgrounds at SpaceX and Morgan Stanley. It initially pursued a commercial small-satellite launch business, designing launch vehicles and associated ground infrastructure for customers seeking responsive access to orbit. The company manufactured its components in the United States and developed facilities intended to support vehicle production, testing, and launch operations. During its early development, the company explored several operating locations. In 2018, it entered into a lease arrangement with Camden County, Georgia, connected with the proposed Spaceport Camden project. In 2019, it signed an agreement with Spaceport America in New Mexico for testing operations and facilities, although that location was later absent from the company's publicly listed facilities. In 2021, it leased facilities at the Port of Long Beach that had previously been associated with Sea Launch, establishing a significant California industrial base. The company's original commercial-launch strategy centered on the RS1 rocket and related launch infrastructure. RS1 was intended to provide a flexible, relatively rapidly deployable service for small satellites. Long Wall also developed Ironwood, a ground-support-equipment system designed to make launch operations more mobile and quickly deployable. Although the company attracted substantial private capital and launch-related commitments, it had not completed a successful commercial orbital launch before changing strategic direction. In March 2023, the company received a $60 million contract through a U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force Strategic Funding Increase program. The award was intended to expand responsive-launch capabilities, linking the company's commercial launch technology to national-security requirements. By 2024, the company had reportedly raised more than $500 million through a combination of venture funding and secured launch contracts with major customers. In November 2024, before completing a successful commercial launch, the company announced that it was shifting its emphasis toward military applications. The new direction contemplated adapting existing launch vehicles and engines for missile-defense technologies and related government missions. In February 2025, chief executive Dan Piemont announced that the business would adopt the name Long Wall. The name references the Long Walls of ancient Athens and expresses the company's defense-oriented repositioning. Under the new identity, the company focuses on missile-defense systems and hypersonic flight-test vehicles while drawing on its previous work in rockets, propulsion, manufacturing, and responsive launch operations.
History
Long Wall began in 2017 under the name ABL Space Systems. Its founders, Harry O'Hanley and Dan Piemont, brought experience associated with SpaceX and Morgan Stanley and established the company to develop launch vehicles and infrastructure for the small-satellite market. The initial business model emphasized an integrated American manufacturing and launch capability, with the aim of supporting customers that required flexible and potentially responsive orbital launch services. The company pursued a network of locations during its early expansion. In 2018, it signed a lease with Camden County, Georgia, for future operations connected to Spaceport Camden. The following year, it signed with Spaceport America in New Mexico to locate testing operations and facilities there. Public descriptions later stopped identifying the New Mexico location as one of the company's facilities. In 2021, the company leased industrial space at the Port of Long Beach in California. The property had previously been occupied by Sea Launch and became an important base for the company's manufacturing and development activities. ABL Space Systems developed the RS1 launch vehicle for small-satellite missions and created supporting systems intended to simplify deployment and launch operations. Its Ironwood system was designed as rapidly deployable ground support equipment, reflecting the company's interest in making launch infrastructure more mobile and operationally flexible. The company also worked on rocket engines and other components in the United States. Its commercial ambitions attracted venture investment and launch commitments, but the company had not achieved a successful commercial orbital launch before its later strategic pivot. Government defense work became increasingly important. In March 2023, the company received a $60 million award through a U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force Strategic Funding Increase program. The contract supported the expansion of responsive-launch capacity and provided a direct connection between the company's commercial launch technology and national-security requirements. By 2024, reported funding and contracted-launch commitments exceeded $500 million in aggregate, combining venture capital with secured customer contracts. In November 2024, the company publicly described a change in emphasis toward military applications. Rather than continuing to rely primarily on commercial small-satellite launches, it began considering how its vehicles and engines could contribute to missile-defense technologies and other government missions. In February 2025, Dan Piemont announced a formal rebrand from ABL Space Systems to Long Wall. The new name was inspired by the defensive Long Walls associated with ancient Athens. The rebranded company presented itself as a developer of missile-defense systems and hypersonic flight-test vehicles, extending its launch and propulsion heritage into defense applications.
- 2025
Rebrand to Long Wall
[1]Dan Piemont announced the change from ABL Space Systems to Long Wall and a strategic focus on missile defense and hypersonic flight-test vehicles.
- 2024
Reported funding exceeds $500 million
[1]The company was reported to have raised more than $500 million through venture funding and secured launch contracts.
- 2023
Responsive-launch contract awarded
[1]The U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force Strategic Funding Increase program awarded the company a $60 million contract to expand responsive-launch capacity.
- 2021
Long Beach industrial site leased
[1]The company leased facilities at the Port of Long Beach that had previously been occupied by Sea Launch.
- 2019
Spaceport America agreement
[1]The company signed with Spaceport America in New Mexico for testing operations and facilities.
- 2018
Lease connected with Spaceport Camden
[1]The company signed a lease with Camden County, Georgia, for future operations at the proposed Spaceport Camden.
- 2017
ABL Space Systems is founded
[1]Harry O'Hanley and Dan Piemont founded the company to develop launch vehicles and infrastructure, initially with a commercial small-satellite launch focus.
Products and positioning
A United States aerospace and defense developer applying commercial launch-vehicle, propulsion, and deployable-infrastructure capabilities to responsive launch, missile defense, and hypersonic flight testing.
Launch vehicle and flight-test system
RSX
RSX is a Long Wall launch vehicle used for flight testing and threat replication. It represents the company's continued use of rocket and propulsion expertise in defense-oriented missions rather than solely in commercial orbital launch services.
Ground support equipment
Ironwood
Ironwood is a rapidly deployable ground-support-equipment system. It is intended to provide operational infrastructure for launch and related aerospace activities, supporting the company's emphasis on mobility, responsiveness, and expeditionary deployment.
Small-satellite launch vehicle
RS1
RS1 was the company's earlier launch-vehicle program, developed under the ABL Space Systems name for commercial small-satellite missions. The vehicle and its engines later formed part of the technical foundation considered for military and missile-defense applications.
Brand decisions
2025
Rebrand from ABL Space Systems to Long WallStrategyBackground
The company wanted its public identity to reflect its expanding defense mission rather than its earlier commercial small-satellite launch positioning.
Action taken
Chief executive Dan Piemont announced the Long Wall name, inspired by the defensive Long Walls of ancient Athens, together with a focus on missile-defense systems and hypersonic flight-test vehicles.
Aftermath
The business continued under the Long Wall identity while retaining technology and capabilities developed during the ABL Space Systems period.
2024
Shift from commercial launch toward defense applicationsStrategyBackground
The company had not completed a successful commercial launch and was evaluating how its existing launch vehicles and engines could serve military requirements.
Action taken
In November 2024, it announced a pivot toward missile-defense technologies and other military applications.
Aftermath
The change prepared the way for the subsequent Long Wall identity and a focus on missile defense and hypersonic flight testing.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
ABL Space Systems closes $170 million Series B funding round[3]
Reported:
ABL Space Systems closed a $170 million Series B funding round led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.; existing investors participated and Fidelity Management & Research LLC and an unnamed global investment management firm joined as new investors.
Sources3 sources
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