Stellar Alpina Secures €160K to Develop Smaller, More Efficient Rocket Engines

The company will use the funding to further develop its compact rocket engine technology, which is designed to provide propulsion for spacecraft while they are in space.

Stellar Alpina is developing rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs) for spacecraft. These engines are designed to be smaller, lighter, and more efficient than traditional rocket engines.

As space missions become more common, satellites and spacecraft often need to change orbits, move to new positions, or travel farther from Earth. Traditional rocket engines can be heavy and complex, which can limit what spacecraft can do.

Stellar Alpina’s technology uses continuously rotating supersonic combustion waves to produce thrust. This allows the engine to generate the power needed to move spacecraft in space.

The company believes its technology can make propulsion systems more efficient while reducing their size and complexity. This could help spacecraft perform more missions using less space and weight.

The engines could be used for tasks such as changing orbits, repositioning satellites, and inspecting spacecraft. In the future, the technology could also support space infrastructure and deep-space missions.

Stellar Alpina will use the Venture Kick funding to expand its testing facilities, carry out more engine tests, and continue developing its first flight-ready engine.

Stellar Alpina was founded by Rick Röthlisberger, Simi Y. Wespi, Victor Elliesen, and Patrick Egli.

The company grew out of ARIS (Academic Spaceflight Initiative Switzerland), where the founders worked on advanced rocket propulsion technology in 2024.

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