Y Combinator Startup Podcast Inside The Startup Building Reusable Rockets
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Jan 8, 2026 
Andy Lapsa and Tom Feldman, co-founders of Stoke Space, dive into the ambitious challenge of creating fully reusable rockets. They share their passion for propulsion, detailing the innovations behind their Nova and Andromeda rockets designed for efficiency. The duo discusses the risks they took leaving secure jobs, conducting early tests from a shipping container, and the lessons learned from fundraising. With nearly $1 billion raised, they emphasize rapid iteration and in-house manufacturing as keys to success in the race for space.
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Reusability As The Core Design Principle
- Stoke Space builds fully reusable rockets to lower cost, increase availability, and improve reliability of access to space.
- Focusing on reusability from day one is their core architectural and business advantage.
Launch Frequency Is The Bottleneck
- Current launch cadence (~150 commercial launches/year) limits availability and market diversity.
- Full reusability could unlock far greater flight frequency and new space business models.
Whole-Rocket Reuse: First And Second Stage
- The Nova first stage reuses high-performance engines and lands to be flown again, while Andromeda is a reusable second-stage capsule.
- Andromeda survives 17,000 mph reentry using a LH2-cooled heat exchanger and small thrusters for controlled landing.