Unastella develops reusable launch vehicle technology for suborbital space tourism. Their system features a vertically taking-off launch vehicle carrying passengers to the edge of space for a zero-gravity experience. The vehicle then separates, allowing the capsule to land at a desired location while the booster stage executes an active landing for reuse.
Funding
$44M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
BIEIHSHV+3Founders
Product
Problem
The high cost and complexity of traditional space access limit opportunities for individuals to experience spaceflight and for researchers to conduct microgravity experiments. Current suborbital tourism options are often inaccessible due to logistical and financial barriers.
Solution
Unastella is developing a reusable launch vehicle, the USB Bravo, designed to carry up to six passengers on suborbital spaceflights, exceeding an altitude of 100km. The vehicle provides passengers with a brief period of weightlessness and a view of Earth from space. Following separation of the cabin capsule, the booster stage executes a powered landing on a designated pad, enabling rapid reusability. The capsule descends under parachute to a planned landing site. This approach aims to lower the cost per flight, making suborbital space tourism and microgravity research more accessible.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes individuals interested in suborbital space tourism and research organizations seeking affordable access to microgravity environments.
Features
- Reusable booster stage with active landing capabilities for rapid turnaround
- Cabin capsule designed to accommodate six passengers
- Flight trajectory achieving altitudes exceeding 100km, providing a suborbital space experience
- Parachute-assisted capsule landing for passenger safety
- Electric motor pump engine technology for enhanced reliability
- Microgravity experiment payload integration capabilities