Unastella

What Unastella does

Unastella (우나스텔라) is a South Korean private space launch company founded in February 2022 and headquartered in Seoul, focused on developing suborbital and orbital launch vehicles for microgravity research, satellite deployment, and future human spaceflight. The company designs and manufactures all core propulsion components in-house, including the VOLTA-52P pressure-fed cycle combustor (52 kN) and the VOLTA-52H electric motor pump-fed engine (50 kN, claimed to be the world's largest thrust electric motor pump-based liquid rocket engine), using a proven LOX (liquid oxygen) and kerosene (Jet A-1) propellant combination. Its product portfolio spans the UNA EXPRESS-I suborbital rocket (9.45 m tall, 0.7 m diameter, 40-second microgravity, ~50 km altitude), planned successors UNA EXPRESS-II (targeting 100 km altitude), UNA EXPRESS-III and UNA STELLA-I, plus two commercial launch services: ARC 100 (suborbital microgravity research flights) and APEX 400S (400 kg-class satellite deployment to 400 km SSO).

The business operates on a direct enterprise sales motion targeting research institutions, satellite operators, and government aerospace agencies, with launch services sold as bespoke contracts on undisclosed pricing terms. Unastella runs a fabless-style model that concentrates engineering effort on engines and system integration while outsourcing manufacturing, and operates an integrated design-testing-launch footprint within a 200 km Korean radius: a design center in Yeoju, a testing center in Daejeon, and its own launch site in Goheung, Jeollanam-do — making it the only private Korean company with both a launch permit and an operational launch site on Korean territory. In May 2025 the company completed a successful test launch of UNA EXPRESS-I from Goheung, the first privately developed rocket independently launched on South Korean territory. Strategic relationships with KARI (technology transfer and expert consultation) and KASA (program cooperation and policy/technical support) anchor the company's positioning in the Korean space ecosystem.

The company has raised approximately ₩61.5 billion (~$44 million) in cumulative venture funding across a pre-Series A (Jan 2023, ₩5.5B led by Strong Ventures), Series A (Sep 2024, ₩19.5B), and Series B (Jun 2026, ₩33.5B led by Altos Ventures), with strategic corporate investors including Hyundai Motor Group, Naver, and ITeyes participating alongside financial investors Korea Development Bank, KDB Capital, Woori Venture Partners, Samho Green Investment, and Hana Ventures. The company has ~22 employees, is led by CEO Park Jae-hong (박재홍), and remains privately held with no disclosed revenue.

Name

Unastella

Legal name

Unastella (우나스텔라)

Website

https://unastella.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Unastella is a South Korean private space company that designs and manufactures electric pump-fed LOX/kerosene rocket engines and suborbital launch vehicles, offering microgravity research flights (ARC 100) and planned 400 kg-class satellite launches (APEX 400S) to research institutions, satellite operators, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Launch Vehicles

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rocket Engines (Liquid) (IMABADAE), Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters (IMABACAE)

Keywords

• Orbital launch services
• Suborbital microgravity
• Satellite deployment
• Rocket engine manufacturing
• Space launch vehicles

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Launch Services: Revenue generated from providing rocket launch services including suborbital microgravity experiments (ARC 100) and low Earth orbit satellite deployment (APEX 400S). The company offers controlled microgravity environments for research and precise orbit insertion for satellites.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Unastella designs, manufactures, and operates launch vehicles and rocket engines, providing suborbital microgravity experiment flights (ARC 100) and low Earth orbit satellite deployment services (APEX 400S) to enterprise customers. The company also offers space engineering services (propulsion and vehicle engineering) and ground solution services (equipment, launch, and hybrid testing). All core propulsion components, including igniters, combustors, and electric motor pumps, are designed and manufactured in-house using kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

Product overview

Unastella is a South Korean private rocket company that develops and manufactures complete launch vehicles and rocket engines in-house. The product portfolio includes the UNA EXPRESS rocket family (UNA EXPRESS-I, II, III) and UNA STELLA-I targeting suborbital and orbital flight, complemented by launch services (ARC 100 for microgravity experiments, APEX 400S for satellite deployment), space engineering services (PES, VES), and ground solutions (ELS, HTS). The company also manufactures proprietary rocket engines including the VOLTA-52P and VOLTA-52H series, with kerosene and liquid oxygen as propellants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNA EXPRESS-I: 1-stage suborbital launch vehicle with 40 seconds of microgravity, using LOX/Jet A-1 propellant and VOLTA-52P engine (52 kN thrust). Height: 9.45m, Max Altitude: 50km, Diameter: 0.7m.
• UNA EXPRESS-II
• UNA EXPRESS-III
• UNA STELLA-I
• ARC 100
• APEX 400S
• VOLTA-52H
• VOLTA-52P

Products and services

• UNA EXPRESS-I Single-stage suborbital launch vehicle achieving 40 seconds of microgravity, using kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants with the VOLTA-52P pressure-fed combustor. Stands at 9.45 m height with a 0.7 m diameter and 52 kN thrust, with a maximum altitude of 50 km. Used to deliver microgravity experiment payloads for research institutions.
• ARC 100 Suborbital launch service providing approximately 100 km altitude microgravity environment with controlled residence time for easy experimental condition setting and fast turnaround operations optimized for repeated testing. Targeted at research institutions and academic organizations.
• APEX 400S Low Earth orbit dedicated launch service for 400 kg-class satellites to 400 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Provides stable orbital access, dedicated launch, and mission-customized deployment. Targeted at satellite operators.
• PES (Propulsion Engineering Service) Space engineering service offering propulsion-related technical capabilities to enterprise customers in the aerospace sector.
• VES (Vehicle Engineering Service) Space engineering service for vehicle-related technical capabilities to enterprise customers in the aerospace sector.
• ELS (Equipment and Launch Service) Ground solution service for equipment and launch operations supporting customer launch campaigns.
• HTS (Hybrid Test Service) Ground solution service for hybrid testing capabilities supporting customer test campaigns.
• VOLTA-52P Engine Pressure-fed cycle combustor engine with 52 kN thrust, designed and manufactured in-house by Unastella to power the UNA EXPRESS-I launch vehicle. Uses kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 38 months from founding to first launch attempt
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer KARI experts provide consultation and technology transfer to strengthen core capabilities. This network combining public experience and private innovation is a key driver for faster and safer space development.
• KASA (Korea Space Aviation Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceives program cooperation and policy/technical support from KASA. Collaborates on space program development within Korean space ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• INNOSPACE: South Korean private small-launch vehicle startup developing the HANBIT-Nano and HANBIT-Mini orbital launchers. Direct domestic competitor also targeting the Korean smallsat launch market and pursuing orbital capability.
• Perigee Aerospace: Korean private launch startup developing the Blue Whale 1 small-satellite launcher. Direct competitor in the Korean private launch space, similarly focused on smallsat orbital delivery from Korean territory.
• Rocket Lab: US-listed small launch operator (Electron, Neutron) serving the smallsat and satellite deployment market with a vertically-integrated electric-pump-fed engine (Rutherford). Closest global analog to Unastella's launch services and electric-pump engine strategy.
• Firefly Aerospace: US small-to-medium launch operator with Alpha and upcoming MLV rockets. Competes in the same smallsat and responsive launch segment that Unastella targets with APEX 400S.
• Astra: Early-stage US small launch company developing Rocket 4.0 after pivoting from its original launch vehicle. Comparable in stage and product category (small launch vehicles for smallsats).

Emerging players

• Relativity Space: US launch startup (Terrans R1/R2) pursuing 3D-printed rockets with a focus on manufacturability and iteration speed — same philosophy of fast iteration and structural simplification that Unastella applies via electric pump-fed engines.

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX: Global launch incumbent with Falcon 9 and Starship; offers smallsat rideshare services and sets the cost/competitiveness benchmark across all small launch operators including Unastella.

Regional players

• Isar Aerospace: German private small-launch startup developing Spectrum for smallsat deployment. Comparable in stage and product (small orbital launcher), but serving the European market rather than Korea.
• Skyroot Aerospace: Indian private launch startup developing Vikram-series smallsat launchers. Comparable small-launch technology and stage, but focused on the Indian domestic and commercial market.

Others

• Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI): South Korean public aerospace R&D agency and operator of the Nuri orbital launch vehicle. Not a direct competitor but a critical ecosystem participant providing expertise transfer and a benchmark for Korean launch capability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/unastellaco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unastella

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unastella