Luxembourg-based startups Space Cargo Unlimited has secured a contract with SpaceX to launch a one-tonne modular space factory aboard the new Starfall reentry capsule. The mission, targeted for 2028, marks a significant capacity increase for commercial in-space manufacturing and establishes the company as the first known European customer for the Starfall vehicle.

Announced on September 15, 2026, the agreement will utilize Space Cargo Unlimited’s BentoBox payload platform to produce materials in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) before returning them to Earth. According to Reuters, the startup is currently in discussions with more than 100 potential customers, with approximately 40 percent originating from the life sciences and biotechnology sectors.

Scaling up microgravity production

The upcoming 2028 mission represents a tenfold increase in payload capacity for Space Cargo Unlimited. The company previously operated missions with a 100-kilogram limit. The Starfall contract expands that capacity to 1,000 kilograms, or one metric ton.

In a press release detailing the agreement, Space Cargo Unlimited Co-founder and CEO Nicolas Gaume highlighted the historical barriers to orbital production.

“For more than thirty years, we’ve known that manufacturing in microgravity can create materials and products that simply cannot be produced on Earth. The challenge has never been the science. The challenge has been making access commercially practical, repeatable and scalable.”

Demand for the expanded capacity appears robust. Reporting by Payload indicates that Space Cargo Unlimited has already sold one-third of its 1,000-kilogram allocation for the 2028 flight.

Starfall and the commercialization of Starship

The Space Cargo Unlimited contract is part of a broader commercial rollout for SpaceX’s Starfall reentry vehicle, which is designed to fly on the heavy-lift Starship launch system. SpaceX conducted the first demonstration mission of the Starfall capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket on June 23, 2026.

Other aerospace integrators are also securing space on future Starfall flights. In August 2026, Redwire subsidiary SpaceMD announced plans to fly 32 variants of its PIL-BOX payloads on a 2028 Starfall mission to research microgravity drug development. On September 21, 2026, German launch integrator Exolaunch confirmed an agreement for a Starfall mission scheduled for no earlier than 2029.

SpaceX is actively transitioning the Starship program from developmental testing to revenue-generating operations. Speaking to the vehicle’s long-term capabilities, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk noted the company’s aspirations are to deliver well over one million tons to orbit annually.

While Space Cargo Unlimited has publicized the 2028 target for its BentoBox mission, SpaceX has not officially confirmed the specific timetable for this flight.

AirPro News analysis

We view the transition from 100-kilogram research payloads to one-tonne commercial batches as a critical threshold for the in-space manufacturing sector. The high concentration of prospective biotechnology customers suggests that pharmaceuticals and advanced materials will likely drive the initial economic viability of orbital factories. If SpaceX can maintain the projected 2028 timeline for Starfall operations, the bottleneck for microgravity manufacturing will shift from launch availability to payload integration and terrestrial market demand.

Sources: Space Cargo Unlimited

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is preparing to launch its Starship vehicle into a sustained orbital trajectory for the first time, targeting a launch window on September 28, 2026, from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The mission, designated Flight 14, marks a critical transition from suborbital testing to operational payload delivery, carrying 26 Starlink V3 satellites.

The 124-meter-tall rocket system, comprising the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, is scheduled for a 75-minute launch window opening at 7:15 a.m. Central Time, pending final regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to a company press release, achieving orbit will allow SpaceX to begin the next phase of developing a fully and rapidly reusable launch system. This capability is central to both the company’s commercial satellite deployment and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis lunar program.

Orbital profile and payload deployment

Flight 14 introduces a significantly more ambitious flight profile than previous iterations. SpaceX stated the Starship upper stage will target an altitude of approximately 275 kilometers above Earth. The vehicle is planned to complete approximately six orbits during a flight lasting nearly 10 hours.

During this orbital phase, SpaceX plans to deploy its operational payload. The company highlighted the significance of this milestone in its official statement:

“This will also mark the first time we plan to deploy Starlink V3 satellites into the constellation, delivering a payload that will dramatically expand connectivity speeds and reliability around the world.”

Following the orbital coast, the Starship upper stage is targeted to splash down in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. The Super Heavy booster, designated Booster 21, is targeted for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico shortly after stage separation.

Hardware reuse and safety contingencies

The September 28 mission will feature the first instance of heat shield tile reuse in the Starship program. SpaceX confirmed that two tiles recovered from Ship 40, which splashed down in the Indian Ocean during Flight 13, have been installed on the current upper stage, Ship 41.

To mitigate risks associated with orbital debris, SpaceX has implemented a strict contingency protocol for the orbital insertion burn. The flight control team must verify sufficient redundancy on critical hardware required for the deorbit burn before committing to orbital insertion. If these systems do not meet operational parameters, the vehicle will remain on a passively safe suborbital trajectory to ensure it does not become an uncontrolled hazard.

The launch remains contingent on the FAA granting a license modification for the orbital flight plan. SpaceX adjusted the target date from September 22 to September 28 to accommodate this regulatory process.

AirPro News analysis

We view Flight 14 as a pivotal juncture for the Starship program. Transitioning from suborbital test flights to sustained orbital operations is a mandatory step before SpaceX can fulfill its contractual obligations for the NASA Artemis program. The Artemis architecture relies heavily on Starship functioning as a lunar lander. Delays in proving Starship’s orbital refueling and payload capabilities have previously placed pressure on the overall Artemis timeline, as noted in reporting by The Independent. Successfully deploying the Starlink V3 payload will also validate the vehicle’s commercial viability, shifting Starship from a developmental test article to an operational heavy-lift asset.

Sources: SpaceX, The Independent

Stoke Space Technologies, Inc. has secured an initial $1 billion in Series E financing to scale its launch infrastructure and accelerate development of its newly unveiled 15-ton-class Nova Block 2 rocket.

The funding round, announced in a September 8, 2026 press release, brings the Washington-based aerospace company’s total capital raised to $2.3 billion. The investments aims to address a sustained shortage in commercial launch availability by advancing Stoke Space’s fully reusable vehicle architecture.

Series E funding and infrastructure expansion

The Series E round was led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital. Additional participants included General Innovation, Glade Brook Capital, US Innovation Technology, Washington Harbour Partners, Woven Capital, and Y Combinator. The capital injection follows an $860 million Series D extension announced on February 10, 2026.

Stoke Space will direct the new funds toward the physical infrastructure required for orbital flight operations. According to company updates, Stoke Space is expanding its Moses Lake Test Site in Washington from 75 to 550 acres. Concurrently, the company is rebuilding Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to support upcoming orbital missions.

“Stoke is pursuing what we see as one of the most important opportunities in space transportation: making launch fully reusable, reliable, and scalable,” Chris Morales, Partner at Point72 Ventures, stated in the release.

Nova Pathfinder and Block 2 specifications

Alongside the funding announcement, Stoke Space publicly detailed its vehicle roadmap, which centers on two distinct launch systems designed for rapid reusability.

The Nova Pathfinder represents the company’s initial orbital vehicle. According to technical specifications reported by Payload Space, the Pathfinder features a liquid-hydrogen-cooled metallic heat shield designed to withstand 100 reuses. Stoke Space completed proto-qualification of the Pathfinder first stage in June 2026 following 46 structural tests. The vehicle is targeted for its first orbital launch in early 2027, a timeline that Payload Space notes represents a slight slip from an original late 2026 target.

The newly unveiled Nova Block 2 is a larger vehicle intended to capture a broader segment of the commercial and government launch market. The Block 2 is targeted for a first launch in 2029.

Vehicle payload capacities to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) include:

• Nova Pathfinder (reusable configuration): 3,000 kilograms
• Nova Pathfinder (expendable configuration): 7,000 kilograms
• Nova Block 2: 15 metric tons, utilizing a 5-meter payload fairing

“Every mature transportation system is built around fully reusable vehicles. It’s the only way to reach the cost floor while scaling availability. Space transportation will be no different,” Stoke Space Co-founder and CEO Andy Lapsa said in the September 8 statement.

AirPro News analysis

We view the $1 billion Series E close as a strong indicator of investor confidence in Stoke Space’s technical progress, particularly following the structural qualification of the Nova Pathfinder first stage. The commercial launch market is currently constrained by high demand and limited vehicle availability. By introducing the 15-ton Nova Block 2, Stoke Space is positioning itself to compete directly for medium-to-heavy payloads.

The company’s inclusion in the U.S. Space Force National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 pool in March 2025 provides a clear path to government revenue. However, securing those national security task orders will require Stoke Space to successfully execute the early 2027 Pathfinder flight and prove the viability of its novel liquid-hydrogen-cooled heat shield in orbital reentry conditions.

Sources: Stoke Space Technologies, Inc.