{"city":"Hawthorne","name":"Phase Four","slug":"phase-four","facts":[{"date":"2026-05-12","type":"deployment","value":"Multimode propulsion technology at Quantum Space's Hawthorne, CA facility","source":"SpaceNews"},{"date":"2026-04-22","type":"ownership_change","value":"Acquired by Quantum Space; propulsion assets transferred","source":"SpaceNews"},{"date":"2025-10-22","type":"ownership_change","value":"Quantum Space acquired Phase Four's propulsion technology","source":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","type":"funding_round","value":"Series A extension","source":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","type":"ownership_change","value":"Apex purchased Phase Four's Hall-effect thruster technology, hardware, and personnel","source":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","type":"ownership_change","value":"Quantum Space acquired Phase Four's multimode propulsion technology and Hawthorne integration facility","source":"Payload"}],"peers":[],"stage":null,"state":"California","aliases":[],"country":"United States","domains":[{"why":"Phase Four developed the Maxwell RF plasma thruster for spacecraft; its propulsion assets now belong to Quantum Space, where the technology powers the Ranger program.","list":null,"rank":null,"tier":"retired","layer":null,"total":36,"domain":"Space","scores":{"leverage":2,"position":2,"progress":2,"firepower":2,"commercial":1,"deployment":2,"production":2,"technology":3},"edition":null,"segment":null}],"founded":null,"signals":[{"date":"2025-10-22","header":"Quantum Space is developing the Ranger 2000 spacecraft with a 2,000-kilogram payload capacity.","outlet":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-10-22","header":"Quantum Space acquired Phase Four's propulsion technology for $40 million.","outlet":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","header":"Quantum Space raised a $40 million Series A extension.","outlet":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","header":"Apex purchased Phase Four’s Hall-effect thruster technology, hardware, and personnel.","outlet":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","header":"Quantum Space acquired Phase Four’s multi-modal propulsion technology and Hawthorne integration facility.","outlet":"Payload"},{"date":"2025-09-22","header":"Quantum Space is integrating Phase Four propulsion technology into its defense-oriented Ranger spacecraft program.","outlet":"Payload"}],"website":"https://phasefour.io","category":"Space · Components","categories":[{"name":"Propulsion components","domain":"Space","parent":"Space · Components"}],"last_round":null,"updated_at":"2026-10-25T23:18:47.108753+00:00","facts_total":17,"positioning":"Phase Four was a Hawthorne, California space-propulsion company developing Maxwell RF plasma thrusters, Valkyrie Hall-effect propulsion, and AFRL-supported multimode chemical/electric propulsion. In September 2025, Quantum Space acquired Phase Four's multimode propulsion assets and Los Angeles integration-and-test facility for use in Ranger spacecraft, while Apex separately acquired Phase Four's Hall-effect thruster technology in August 2025. The transactions indicate that Phase Four's technology and facility were absorbed by other companies rather than continuing as an independent propulsion supplier. — acquired by Quantum Space and Apex (2025-09-22)","sub_category":"Propulsion components","signals_total":8,"url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/phase-four","title":"Phase Four · space, Hawthorne, California, United States · scores, facts and signals · Frontier Tech Intelligence","description":"Phase Four developed the Maxwell RF plasma thruster for spacecraft; its propulsion assets now belong to Quantum Space, where the technology powers the Ranger program. Space retired (score 36) 8 signals and 17 facts with sources.","publisher":"Frontier Tech Intelligence (Future Frontiers, a trade name of Essential Cognition Inc.)","note":"Assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence; facts and signals carry their sources."}