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Tech News
Asteroid-mining startup AstroForge has built an in-house AI system called Solo, using a transformer model to autonomously operate spacecraft without relying on large ground control teams. The company plans to test this system on its first autonomous mission in 2027, launching aboard Stoke Space's debut rocket in a NASA-backed flight that will collect solar data.
European space startup The Exploration Company has secured $450 million in a Series C round, which it calls the largest ever raised by a European space company. The Germany-based firm, led by former Airbus and ArianeGroup executive Hélène Huby, plans to use the funds to develop a reusable heavy-lift launcher aimed at rivaling SpaceX. The company says it already has 10 missions booked and over $2 billion in contracts, including commitments from the European Space Agency and NASA.
Stoke Space announced a $1 billion Series E funding round co-led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital, bringing its total funding to $2.3 billion. CEO Andy Lapsa said the money will accelerate development of a bigger 'Block 2' version of its Nova rocket capable of lifting 15 metric tons to low-Earth orbit while remaining fully reusable, even as the original Nova vehicle nears its debut launch next year.
Stoke Space Technologies has completed the first close of a $1 billion Series E funding round, led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital with participation from Y Combinator and other investors. The company says the capital will support scaling production and flight frequency of its current rocket while funding development of a larger, second-generation vehicle, bringing its total funding to $2.3 billion.