
United States development
Stoke Space
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, Stoke Space Technologies is a launch vehicle company focused on developing fully reusable rockets.
- Headquarters
- Kent, United States
- Founded
- 2019
- Type
- commercial
- Founded
- 2019
- Headquarters
- Kent, United States
- Stage
- Late stage
- Ownership
- Private
- Total raised
- $2.3B
- Last valuation
- $2.0B
- Employees
- 400+ as of 2021
- Last round
- Series E · $1B 2026-09
- Investors
- 6
Quick Facts
About Stoke Space
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, Stoke Space Technologies is a launch vehicle company focused on developing fully reusable rockets. Their core product is the Nova rocket, designed for affordable and rapid access to orbit, and beyond, with a stated goal of reducing orbital access costs by a factor of twenty. Stoke differentiates itself through a commitment to full reusability – encompassing both the first and second stages – enabling dynamic space operations including on-demand access to any orbit, asset repositioning, and cargo logistics.
Key to Stoke’s approach is vertically integrated manufacturing at their 168,000-square-foot facility, allowing for rapid prototyping and iteration of rocket engines, structures, and avionics. Recent technological milestones include successful hotfires of both the Zenith and Andromeda engines, demonstration of reentry heat shield technology under flight conditions, and a flight demonstration of a full-scale reusable upper stage prototype.
Stoke Space has secured significant funding, including a $510 million Series D round in September 2025, to scale manufacturing of the Nova vehicle. Notably, the company was selected to participate in the U.S. Space Force’s $5.6 billion National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 program, indicating a growing role in national security space access. Stoke emphasizes sustainability, aiming to reduce atmospheric impact by 98% compared to conventional rockets, and positions itself as a key enabler of a scalable and environmentally responsible space economy.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nova (Pathfinder) | Launch vehicle | Fully reusable two-stage medium-lift rocket; Stoke's September 2026 Series E announcement targets a first orbital launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-14 in early 2027. |
| Nova Block 2 | Launch vehicle (in development) | Larger, 15-ton-class fully reusable follow-on vehicle Stoke says it is developing in parallel with Pathfinder, targeting a first launch in 2029. |
| Zenith | Engine (first stage) | Full-flow staged-combustion engine producing over 100,000 lbf thrust; completed its first successful hotfire test at Moses Lake, Washington on June 5, 2024. |
| Andromeda 2 | Engine (upper stage) | Reusable upper-stage engine with an integrated, actively cooled metal heat shield and 24 dual-mode thrusters designed to survive orbital reentry; unveiled February 13, 2025. |
| LC-14 launch and recovery site | Launch infrastructure | Historic Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launch complex allocated to Stoke in March 2023 and being rebuilt for Nova, including a new offshore booster-recovery platform under construction as of September 2026. |
Timeline
- 2024 Stoke completes the first successful hotfire test of its Zenith full-flow staged-combustion first-stage engine at Moses Lake, Washington, ramping to full target power in under one second. [source]
- 2025 Stoke unveils Andromeda 2, its second-generation reusable upper-stage engine with an actively cooled metal heat shield and 24 dual-mode thrusters, on February 13. [source]
- 2025 The U.S. Space Force selects Stoke on March 27 as one of five providers for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 IDIQ, with an initial $5 million task order against a program worth up to $5.6 billion. [source]
- 2026 Nova's Stage 1 completes a three-week proto-qualification test campaign at Moses Lake on June 8, verifying 46 structural test objectives including tank pressures beyond maximum expected levels. [source]
- 2026 Stoke and NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate announce a partnership on June 26 to use NASA Ames hypervelocity-testing facilities to advance Nova's upper-stage reentry and heat-shield technology. [source]
- 2026 Former OpenAI VP of Science Kevin Weil, who previously helped take Twitter and Planet Labs public, joins Stoke's board of directors on July 8. [source]
- 2026 Stoke announces an initial $1 billion closing of its Series E on September 8, led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital, bringing total capital raised to $2.3 billion to fund Nova Pathfinder's early-2027 debut and Nova Block 2 development. [source]
Andy Lapsa (CEO, Co-founder), Tom Feldman (Co-founder)
Funding history
5 events · $2.3B raised| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-08 | Series E | $1B | Point72 VenturesSpark Capital Initial $1 billion closing of the Series E, led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital, 8 September 2026; total raised $2.3 billion. | stokespace.com |
| 2026-02-10 | Undisclosed round | $350M | — Series D-II extension for LC-14 Cape Canaveral pad refurbishment and supply chain investment | stokespace.com |
| 2025-09-23 | Series D | $510M | US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT)Silicon Valley Bank Series D led by US Innovative Technology Fund with $100M SVB debt facility; Nova rocket manufacturing scale-up | stokespace.com |
| 2024-01-10 | Series B | $100M | Data Collective DCVCIndustrious Ventures Series B funding for fully reusable rocket | stokespace.com |
| 2023-09-15 | Undisclosed round | $146.0M | — Form D filed 2025-01-23 by STOKE Space Technologies, Inc.: $146.0M sold of a $146.0M offering (first sale 2023-09-15). | sec.gov |
Investors
From the sourced rounds above. Investors with two or more deals in the directory link to a portfolio page.
Team
- Andy Lapsa CEO · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
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Frequently asked about Stoke Space
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Stoke Space founded?
- Stoke Space was founded in 2019 in United States.
- Where is Stoke Space headquartered?
- Stoke Space is headquartered in Kent, United States.
- What does Stoke Space do?
- Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, Stoke Space Technologies is a launch vehicle company focused on developing fully reusable rockets. Their core product is the Nova rocket, designed for affordable and rapid access to orbit, and beyond, with a stated goal of reducing orbital access costs by a factor …
- Is Stoke Space a public or private company?
- Stoke Space is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does Stoke Space operate in?
- Stoke Space works in launch services and Avionics.
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Stoke Space is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.
