Nova

In Development
Stoke Space
Stoke Space
Nova

Overview

Fully reusable two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle with a reusable fairing and a downmass-capable upper stage designed for rapid turnaround and high-energy missions.

Upper-stage flight testing was completed in 2023, the Zenith first-stage engine hotfired in 2024, and in early June 2026 Stoke completed proto-qualification of the first stage at Moses Lake (46 structural verification tests). By mid-August 2026 Stoke had completed and shipped Nova's flight-configuration first-stage engines and conducted second-stage fit checks (payload module, tanks, Andromeda 2 engine), while the SLC-14 launch pad at Cape Canaveral is essentially complete and awaiting flight hardware ahead of Nova's first flight, targeted for late 2026.

Key Specs

Payload to LEO

3,000 kg reusable / 7,000 kg max

Reusable

100% rocket + fairing

Payload to GTO

2,500 kg

Stage 1 Engine

7 × Zenith FFSC (methalox), 100,000+ lbf thrust each

Stage 2 Engine

Andromeda 2, 24 thrust chambers (hydrolox), 25,000+ lbf thrust

Propellants

Stage 1 LNG/LOX; Stage 2 LH2/LOX

Stage 1 Height

27.1 m

Combined Liftoff Thrust

~3,110 kN (7 Zenith engines)