Stoke Space has raised $1 billion in a new funding round, bringing its total capital to $2.3 billion. The company will use these funds to finalize the Nova Pathfinder orbital rocket and develop the more powerful Nova Block 2, which is designed to carry up to 15 tons to low Earth orbit.
The Nova family features fully reusable stages. The Pathfinder rocket utilizes seven Zenith engines running on liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas, employing a full-flow staged combustion cycle. The second stage features a unique metallic heat shield with active liquid hydrogen cooling, allowing for atmospheric reentry without traditional ceramic tiles.
The Andromeda propulsion system on the second stage consists of 12 small combustion chambers arranged around the heat shield. In the Block 2 version, the number of Zenith engines on the first stage will increase to 14, and the upper stage thrust will be boosted by more than five times. The Block 2 will also feature cylindrical tanks and a 5-meter fairing.
The first orbital launch of Nova Pathfinder is scheduled for early 2027, with several subsequent missions planned through 2028. The larger Nova Block 2 is expected to debut in 2029, targeting commercial and military satellite deployments. It will compete in the same class as the SpaceX Falcon 9 and the Rocket Lab Neutron.
Stoke Space is expanding its Moses Lake test facility in Washington by approximately 192 hectares. Additionally, the company is developing launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral, specifically at SLC-14, and building a dedicated sea-based landing platform for its rocket stages.
