DoD Office Awards Three $150 Million Loans to Space Companies

The Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital awarded Rocket Lab, Stoke Space and LeoLabs loans of $150 million each. The companies plan to use the funding for Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket, a second launch pad for Stoke’s Nova rocket, and LeoLabs radar infrastructure and software.

Key details

• Rocket Lab will use its loan to support a higher flight rate for Neutron, a reusable medium-lift rocket. Its first launch is planned for 2027.
• Stoke Space will use its loan to help build a second launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for Nova, with its first launch planned for March 2027.
• LeoLabs will use its loan for radar infrastructure and decision-science software, including deployment of its Scout mobile radar. The company said it plans to complete two large manufacturing facilities by 2028.
• The loans are conditional on financial due diligence and matching company investment.
• Rocket Lab and Stoke Space joined the potential-provider pool for National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 in March 2025.

LeoLabs plans to complete two large manufacturing facilities by 2028 with support from its loan.

Why it matters

The funding targets three parts of the space sector: launch vehicles, launch-site infrastructure and radar systems used to track objects in space. Rocket Lab and Stoke Space also appear in a potential-provider pool for a national security launch program.