Stoke Space Advances Nova Rocket Manufacturing with Key Component Completions Towards 2025 Orbital Flight

Kent, Washington – Stoke Space, a burgeoning aerospace company, announced significant manufacturing advancements for its Nova rocket, signaling accelerated progress towards its ambitious goal of daily, fully reusable space access. The company's latest update highlights key milestones at its rocket factory, pushing the Nova vehicle closer to its anticipated 2025 orbital flight.

"Manufacturing for Nova is in full swing — upgraded Zenith complete, Andromeda’s base heat shield wrapped, Stage 2 structural testing commences. Progress everywhere you look from the rocket factory and beyond," Stoke Space stated in a recent tweet. This update underscores the tangible development of critical systems for their two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle.

The "Zenith" component, understood to be an integral part of Nova's engine system, has completed its upgrade, indicating refinements in propulsion technology. Concurrently, "Andromeda," identified as a structural or thermal protection element, has seen its base heat shield wrapped. This is particularly significant for the second stage, which employs a unique deployable heat shield and uses its engine bell for atmospheric re-entry and propulsive landing.

Stoke Space, founded by former Blue Origin employees Andy Lapsa and Tom Feldman, is developing the Nova rocket with a primary focus on full and rapid reusability for both its stages. This approach aims to drastically reduce the cost of space launches, making access to low Earth orbit (LEO) more affordable and frequent. The Nova is designed to carry a payload of 3,000 kg to LEO, positioning it competitively in the small to medium satellite launch market.

The company has secured over $100 million in funding, enabling the rapid development and extensive testing of its innovative reusability technologies. With the commencement of Stage 2 structural testing, Stoke Space is progressing through crucial validation phases for its second stage, a key differentiator in its design. The ongoing manufacturing and testing efforts align with the company's revised target of achieving Nova's first orbital flight in 2025, a critical step toward demonstrating its full reusability capabilities.