New space startup Lux Aeterna wants to make satellites reusable
In a bold move poised to revolutionize space exploration, Lux Aeterna, a Denver-based startup, has emerged from stealth with a groundbreaking vision: making satellites reusable. Currently, thousands of satellites orbiting Earth face an inevitable end—either incinerating upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere or being relegated to desolate “graveyard” orbits. This prevailing practice incurs substantial costs and limits the adaptability of crucial space assets.
Lux Aeterna aims to disrupt this paradigm with its innovative reusable satellite, Delphi. Scheduled for its inaugural launch and landing in 2027, Delphi promises to dramatically reduce the expenses associated with deploying payloads into space. Beyond cost efficiency, this breakthrough also introduces unprecedented flexibility, allowing satellites to be modified or repurposed, a stark contrast to their current static operational lifespans of many years.
The potential implications of Lux Aeterna’s technology have already garnered significant attention, particularly from the Department of Defense. With low-Earth orbit identified as a critical component of the United States’ military strategy, the ability to deploy and retrieve satellites on demand presents a strategic advantage. This strategic appeal, combined with the technological promise, has successfully attracted venture capital, with the startup securing $4 million in pre-seed funding. The investment round was led by Space Capital, with additional contributions from early-stage funds like Dynamo Ventures and Mission One Capital.
The genesis of Lux Aeterna’s ambitious endeavor traces back to Brian Taylor, the founder and CEO, who previously held roles at SpaceX and Amazon’s Kuiper satellite program, as well as space infrastructure startup Loft Orbital. Taylor recounted his inspiration stemming from a SpaceX Starship test launch last year. “I want to fill Starship with something amazing, and something that changes the entire industry,” he recalled thinking during an interview with TechCrunch.
The advent of heavy-lift rockets, such as SpaceX’s colossal Starship—the largest rocket ever built—and Blue Origin’s forthcoming New Glenn, is instrumental to Lux Aeterna’s vision. These rockets offer significantly larger cargo capacities, overcoming previous limitations on satellite size and weight. This expanded volume allows for the incorporation of robust features necessary for re-entry, such as heat shields, without compromising technological capabilities due to weight or cost constraints.
Lux Aeterna’s Delphi satellite incorporates a conical heat shield, drawing inspiration from the successful designs of NASA’s historic exploratory and sample return missions. Taylor emphasized the wisdom of building upon proven engineering principles rather than “reinventing the wheel.” While specific details on Delphi’s internal mechanisms or post-flight refurbishment processes remain confidential, the design appears to facilitate the folding of the satellite bus structure for safe enclosure behind the heat shield during re-entry.
The immediate plan involves launching Delphi on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2027, executing a complete orbital flight, and then returning it to Earth. Following this initial success, Lux Aeterna intends to repeat the process to conclusively demonstrate Delphi’s reusability. Subsequently, Taylor’s team will focus on developing a larger production vehicle designed for even greater levels of reusability.
Despite decades of advancements, Taylor views the space industry as being in its nascent stages, presenting ample opportunity for disruptive innovation. He believes satellite reusability will be a pivotal step in maturing the sector, likening its current state to early phases of the computer chip or automotive industries. Taylor expressed profound excitement for the unforeseen possibilities that a future space-based economy, fueled by reusability, will unlock. “We don’t know what we don’t know is going to come,” he concluded, highlighting the vast, unexplored potential.
