Stellar Alpina lands $176K grant to shrink in-space rocket engines
What's the deal? Zurich-based space startup Stellar AlpinaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured a 150,000 CHF ($176,000) grant from Venture KickDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to advance its compact rocket engine technology for in-space propulsion.
What's the endgame? The startup develops rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs), which use continuously rotating, supersonic combustion waves to generate thrust. It says the approach can improve efficiency while cutting engine size and complexity.
Why now? As access to space becomes more frequent, satellites increasingly need to change orbits, reposition and travel beyond Earth orbit. Conventional engines add weight and complexity, limiting what in-space vehicles can do.
Stellar Alpina emerged from ARIS, the Academic Spaceflight Initiative SwitzerlandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, where members of the team worked on propulsion technology in 2024. It was founded by Rick Röthlisberger, Simi Y. Wespi, Victor Elliesen and Patrick Egli.
Where the money goes: The grant will fund expanded testing infrastructure, further hotfire campaigns and development of the company's first flight engine. Target applications include orbital transfers, satellite repositioning and inspection, and future deep-space missions.
The signal: The round sits around the middle of the pack by size, in the 52nd percentile — modest capital, but typical for early hardware startups moving from lab work toward a first flight engine.
Read more: Tech.eu
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
