Zurich-based space technology startup Stellar Alpina has secured CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to accelerate the development of compact propulsion systems designed for spacecraft operating beyond launch. The company is developing rotating detonation rocket engines, or RDREs, aimed at making in-space propulsion smaller, lighter, and more efficient than conventional systems. The funding will support additional testing, infrastructure expansion, and progress toward Stellar Alpina’s first flight-ready engine.
Addressing the Need for Orbital Mobility
As the cost and frequency of space launches continue to improve, the ability of spacecraft to maneuver efficiently after reaching orbit is becoming increasingly important. Satellites require propulsion systems to reposition themselves, change orbital trajectories, conduct inspections, and support transfers between different destinations in space. Conventional propulsion systems can add considerable weight and complexity, creating limitations for spacecraft where mass, volume, and efficiency are critical.
Stellar Alpina is addressing this challenge through rotating detonation propulsion, which relies on continuously circulating supersonic combustion waves to generate thrust. Compared with conventional rocket combustion approaches, the technology has the potential to improve propulsion efficiency while reducing the size and complexity of engine systems. These characteristics could make RDRE technology particularly attractive for satellites, orbital transfer vehicles, and future spacecraft requiring repeated or high-performance maneuvers.
Rapid Technical Development
The startup has moved quickly from incorporation to hardware testing, establishing its own testing infrastructure within its first months of operation. According to Stellar Alpina, just 82 days after incorporation the company completed what it describes as Europe’s first commercial rotating detonation rocket engine hotfire campaign. The campaign included eight detonative tests and demonstrated as many as five stable detonation waves, providing an early technical validation of the company’s propulsion approach.
The Venture Kick financing will allow Stellar Alpina to build on those results through further hotfire campaigns and expanded testing capabilities. The company plans to use the CHF 150,000 award to improve its infrastructure while advancing the design and development of its first flight engine. Successful progression toward flight-ready hardware would represent a significant step in demonstrating that rotating detonation technology can move beyond laboratory testing and into practical spacecraft applications.
From Student Engineering to Startup
Stellar Alpina was founded by Rick Röthlisberger, Simi Y. Wespi, Victor Elliesen, and Patrick Egli, whose work originated within ARIS, the Academic Spaceflight Initiative Switzerland. While participating in the student-led aerospace organization, members of the team developed a rotating detonation rocket engine in 2024, providing the technical foundation for the company’s subsequent commercialization efforts. The founders are now translating that experience into a dedicated propulsion business targeting the growing market for mobility beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Co-founder Victor Elliesen said Stellar Alpina has developed substantially since entering the Venture Kick program, particularly across its team, infrastructure, technical capabilities, and ambitions. He said the program supported the company during an important stage of its development while encouraging the founders to continuously test both their technological assumptions and business model. The latest financing marks another step in the startup’s transition from an academic engineering project into a commercially focused space propulsion company.
Expanding Opportunities in Space
Stellar Alpina ultimately sees rotating detonation engines supporting a broad range of missions that require efficient movement once spacecraft are already in orbit. Potential applications include orbital transfers, satellite repositioning, inspection missions, and emerging infrastructure designed to operate permanently or for extended periods in space. Longer term, the company intends to build on its propulsion technology to enable missions that travel farther beyond Earth orbit.
The CHF 150,000 Venture Kick award gives Stellar Alpina additional resources to advance a propulsion technology that could play a role in the expanding orbital economy. By combining compact engine architecture with the potential efficiency advantages of rotating detonation combustion, the startup is targeting one of the key technical challenges facing increasingly sophisticated spacecraft. Its next phase of testing and development will determine how effectively the technology can progress from successful ground demonstrations toward operational use in space.