Venus Aerospace Raises $91M in Series B Funding Round

The round also saw participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, MESH, PEAK6, Draper Associates, Starboard Star Venture Capital, Green Sands Equity and other new and existing strategic and institutional investors.

The company will use the funding to expand its operations and accelerate product development.

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Unlike traditional rocket engines that use subsonic combustion, Venus Aerospace's RDRE uses a continuous supersonic detonation wave that rotates inside the combustion chamber. This design makes it about 15% more efficient than conventional rocket engines, helping increase range, carry larger payloads, and improve performance for defense and space missions.

Venus Aerospace's RDRE is built using 3D-printed components and widely available materials, making it easier to manufacture at scale in the United States. This approach also reduces dependence on hard-to-source or foreign-made parts.

The engine is reusable, throttleable, and designed to support a wide range of missions, including defense systems, space launches, orbital transfers, and lunar landers.

Instead of creating a different engine for every mission, Venus is developing a single propulsion platform that can be adapted for multiple aerospace and defense applications.

Demand for hypersonic and long-range systems is growing as the U.S. and its allies seek faster, longer-range capabilities than existing technologies can provide. Venus Aerospace is building its rocket engines in Texas using American engineering talent to deliver reliable, domestically developed propulsion systems for defense and space customers.

"This financing marks an important step in moving Venus from breakthrough demonstration to scaled capability," said Sassie Duggleby, co-founder and CEO of Venus Aerospace. "Our customers need propulsion systems that go farther, can be produced reliably and are built on supply chains they can trust.

"Venus is exactly the kind of company Houston capital should be backing," said Blair Garrou, co-founder and Managing Partner at Mercury Fund. "It combines multiple frontier technologies, domestic manufacturing and clear commercial and national security relevance. We believe this team is positioned to lead an important new chapter in defense and space, and we are proud to support a company building breakthrough technology here in Texas."

"Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in technologies to help increase mission effectiveness," said Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures. "Since our initial investment, Venus has progressed very quickly in its technology development. Our reinvestment in Venus recognizes Venus' accomplishments to date and focuses on speed to manufacture, cost management, and reduction of supply chain constraints.

About Venus Aerospace

Founded in 2020 by Sassie Duggleby and Andrew Duggleby, Venus Aerospace is a Houston, Texas-based aerospace company developing advanced propulsion systems for defense, space and future high speed flight. Its Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) technology is designed to improve efficiency, extend range, and support a wide range of defense and space missions.

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