Stellar Alpina secures €160K from Venture Kick for in-space propulsion

Zurich-based space technology company Stellar Alpina has received €160,000 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to develop its compact rocket engine technology for in-space propulsion. The startup, founded by Rick Röthlisberger, Simi Y. Wespi, Victor Elliesen, and Patrick Egli, was spun out of the Academic Spaceflight Initiative Switzerland (ARIS) in 2024.

Stellar Alpina is working on rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs), which aim to provide smaller, lighter, and more efficient propulsion for spacecraft after launch. As the demand for orbital changes, repositioning, and deep-space missions grows, conventional rocket engines weigh down spacecraft, limiting their capabilities.

Stellar Alpina's RDRE technology uses continuously rotating supersonic combustion waves to generate thrust, improving efficiency while reducing engine size and complexity. The Venture Kick funding will be used to enhance the startup's testing infrastructure, perform additional hotfire tests, and advance the development of its first flight engine.