Founder Mode: Andy Lapsa, Founder & CEO, Stoke Space

Stoke Space's Vision for Space Mobility

• 🚀 Stoke Space is building fully rapidly reusable rockets to provide launch services, aiming to make space access a natural extension of global mobility solutions.
• 💡 The company's goal is to enable a space economy where transportation to, through, and from space is as accessible and affordable as other modes of transport.

The Economics of Reusable Rockets

• 💸 Before SpaceX, every rocket was discarded after a single flight, making space travel uneconomical and inaccessible.
• 🎯 SpaceX revolutionized the industry by reusing the first stage of their rockets, significantly improving cost-efficiency and flight frequency.
• ⚙️ Stoke Space aims for full reusability, including the second stage, which is currently a major cost driver and production rate limiter for existing solutions.

Scaling Space Access and Reducing Costs

• 📈 The two primary cost drivers in launch are the vehicle cost (tens of millions of dollars) and the extensive infrastructure required (factories, test facilities, launch complexes).
• ✅ Reusability amortizes the high vehicle cost, while higher flight frequency amortizes the fixed infrastructure and labor costs, making space more accessible.
• 📊 SpaceX's first-stage reuse allowed them to scale from approximately 16 flights per year to around 150 flights annually, by shifting production focus.

Stoke Space's Founding Journey and Challenges

• 🗓️ Founded in late 2019 and joining YC in Winter 2021, Stoke Space grew from two co-founders to over 260 employees.
• ⚠️ The company navigated challenging fundraising markets, including the initial COVID period and the