Atlas Cup
Atlas Cup is establishing the world's first professional satellite racing championship, where leading space companies race highly maneuverable commercial spacecraft around Earth at 28,000 km/h on a defined orbital circuit at approximately 500km altitude. The league features a common technical framework for all competitors, live fan engagement through onboard cameras and trajectory maps, and a $1M prize pool in its inaugural year, with the first race scheduled for H2 2028.
- Events
- Sports Technology
- Space Technology
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Traditional motorsports are confined to terrestrial tracks, limiting the pace and scale of competition. No existing sporting championship operates in orbit, leaving a gap for competition that pushes the boundaries of spaceflight technology and human achievement.
Solution
Atlas Cup is establishing the first professional satellite racing championship, where leading space companies race highly maneuverable spacecraft around Earth. The league operates a defined orbital circuit at approximately 500km altitude, with vehicles traveling at 28,000 km/h and executing precision burns, climbs, dives, and turns. Each team flies commercial spacecraft built on existing space economy technologies, competing within a common technical framework that rewards maneuverability, strategy, and execution. The racing season runs annually with a recurring championship calendar, culminating in the inaugural Atlas Cup in H2 2028.
Target Audience
Primary participants are leading space companies such as Axios Space, Vector Aerospace, Strata Orbital, Solis, and Apogee Flight Dynamics, with the broader audience being global sports fans and the commercial space industry.
Features
- Orbital racing circuit at ~500km altitude with vehicles traveling at 28,000 km/h (nearly 8 km per second)
- Common technical framework for all competitors, using commercial spacecraft with 360° maneuverability across three dimensions
- Live fan experience including onboard cameras, chase satellites, real-time trajectory maps, and a live studio
- Teams execute precision orbital maneuvers with propellant management, delta-v budgeting, and reaction wheel control
- Proving Grounds phase underway with committed teams and in-progress course design
- Spacecraft launch and on-orbit qualification scheduled within 12 months, with first race in H2 2028
- $1M in prizes offered in year one