TOKYO, October 21, 2026 — The world’s most powerful magnetic actuator ever built and flown to space launched aboard Portal Space Systems’ Starburst-1 mission, powered by custom high-temperature superconductor tape supplied by Faraday Factory Japan. The launch took place on October 20, 2026, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Bandwagon-5 mission, marking a major milestone for space-based superconducting technology.
How Superconducting Magnets Function in Orbit
The science behind the mission relies on advanced superconducting magnet technology engineered by Zenno Astronautics. Developed as the largest Supertorquer to date, the Almighty Magnet generates powerful magnetic interactions with Earth’s magnetic field while in orbit. High-temperature superconductor magnets enable exceptionally strong magnetic fields while minimizing energy consumption, according to project details. This capability paves the way for compact, powerful, and energy-efficient space systems that can operate without traditional fuel supplies for positioning.
Intrigingly, the system harnesses one of the fundamental forces of the universe, electromagnetism, to transform how spacecraft interact in orbit. “Almighty Magnet is opening the door to a whole new set of capabilities in space, from mass drivers and magnetic radiation shields to advanced satellite mobility,” said Max Arshavsky, Founder and CEO of Zenno. “We’re building and flying the superconducting technology that makes this possible, and Faraday Factory Japan is our partner in that effort.”
Partnership and Manufacturing Scale
The successful launch is the result of a collaborative partnership between Faraday Factory Japan and Zenno Astronautics that began in 2024. Faraday Factory supplied specially customized high-temperature superconducting tape to meet the demanding performance requirements of the Supertorquer system. “The launch of Starburst-1 marks an important milestone for Faraday Factory, demonstrating the HTS potential to enable some of the most demanding and innovative applications of superconductivity,” said Sergey Lee, Founder and CEO of Faraday Factory Japan.
To support such advanced missions, Faraday Factory Japan operates the largest manufacturing facility of high-temperature superconductor tape worldwide. Over recent years, the company has delivered more than 10,000 kilometers of HTS tape to hundreds of customers globally. This production scale underpins the supply chain for experimental and operational space hardware alike.
Future Market Growth for HTS Technology
Beyond aerospace applications, the market for high-temperature superconductor tape is experiencing rapidly increasing demand across multiple high-tech sectors. According to company background data, this growth is led by expanding requirements in fusion energy, power grids, aerospace, railway, and healthcare markets. As industries seek compact and high-efficiency solutions, superconducting materials continue to gain traction.
The broader adoption of these systems points toward a new era of infrastructure development in space and on Earth. Zenno develops these superconducting systems to power human expansion by relying on stable and scalable technologies, including electromagnetic acceleration systems for defense, transportation, and industrial activity in orbit.
Mission Launch Details
The Starburst-1 mission, which carried the Almighty Magnet into orbit, was successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This specific flight was designated as the Bandwagon-5 mission. The launch occurred on October 20, 2026, serving as the delivery vehicle for the Zenno Astronautics technology integrated with Faraday Factory Japan’s high-temperature superconducting tape.
The mission was facilitated by Portal Space Systems, which served as the host for the payload. The successful deployment of this hardware highlights the ongoing collaboration between the involved companies to electrify space technologies. By utilizing the SpaceX Falcon 9 Bandwagon-5 mission, the team was able to place the world’s most powerful magnetic actuator into its operational environment, marking a significant step in the development of advanced space-based superconducting systems.
Sources
- The most powerful superconducting magnet ever flown to space, made with Faraday Factory HTS tape, launches aboard Starburst-1
- The most powerful superconducting magnet ever flown to space, made with Faraday Factory HTS tape, launches aboard Starburst-1
- The most powerful superconducting magnet ever flown to space, made with Faraday Factory HTS tape, launches aboard Starburst-1
Photo: SpaceX Photos (CC0)
