Stoke Space completes Nova first-stage qualification, books Celestis flight

Stoke Space said it completed proto-qualification of its Nova rocket's first stage at Moses Lake, Washington, in early June, passing 46 structural verification tests plus fluid-system, avionics and ground-support checks over three weeks - including operation through hurricane-force winds and lightning. The milestone keeps the fully reusable medium-lift Nova on track for its debut from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex-14 by the end of 2026. Separately, memorial-spaceflight firm Celestis booked Nova for 'Infinite Flight,' its second deep-space mission carrying cremated remains into heliocentric orbit.