The ex-Raptor engineer building a fighter jet for orbit just raised $50M — Starburst launches in October
GeekWire reports Portal Space Systems' $50M Series A from Geodesic Capital and Mach33. CEO Jeff Thornburg describes the company's solar thermal HEX thruster as delivering performance comparable to nuclear without the reactor. Starburst-1 manifested on SpaceX Transporter-18 (Q4 2026). Key investor thesis from Mach33: a world of 1.2 million planned orbital assets needs propulsion architecture that delivers speed and endurance, and Portal fills a structural gap.
1d ago #propulsion#funding#orbital-maneuverability 
