What Kepler Shipyards does

Kepler Shipyards is a privately held NewSpace engineering firm incorporated in Austin, Texas in January 2014, focused on building modular, reconfigurable space exploration technologies for orbital and extraterrestrial operations. The company operates through eight product and service divisions spanning Space Vehicles (Speck Lunar Lander, Aethon Lander, The Sled microgravity vehicle, and 931/12-331 launch vehicles), Space Activity Suits (a common-core pressure liner reconfigurable into Martian, asteroid, spacediving, and combat variants), Surface Structures (Mk 1 Outpost habitats and Aquaponics Modules), Carbon ReCapture (ocean-based autonomous carbon capture and desalination platforms via the Kepler ReCapture subsidiary), Military Spaceborn Operations (combat suits and weapons), and two consultancy arms (Intergroup Technologies and Technology Services). The core technical thesis is a common-core modular architecture that allows components — tankage, engines, pressure liners, life support — to be reused across multiple mission types, reducing per-mission development cost and enabling dual-use commercialization for terrestrial applications.

Name

Kepler Shipyards

Legal name

Kepler Shipyards

Website

https://keplershipyards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kepler Shipyards is a privately held Austin, Texas NewSpace engineering firm founded in 2014 that designs modular, reconfigurable space exploration hardware — landers, space suits, habitats, and life support systems — for government space agencies, military organizations, and the OpenLuna Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Exploration Hardware

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL), Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control (IMABACAF), Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM)

Keywords

• Space exploration hardware
• Lunar lander systems
• Space activity suits
• Orbital transportation vehicles
• Space habitation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Space Hardware Sales: Sale of space vehicles, landers, modular components, space suits, and habitation systems. The company builds configurable hardware for space exploration missions including the Speck lander family, Aethon transporters, and various suit configurations.
2. Technology Licensing: License existing proprietary technologies to other companies and organizations. Customers can license space exploration technology, suit systems, flight operations support, and specialized equipment.
3. Technology Services Consultancy: Engineering consultancy providing assistance with design, flight operations, suits, habitation, and equipment. Services include project design assistance, equipment provision, training, and flight integration arrangement.
4. Earth-Based Commercial Products: Commercialization of space technology for terrestrial use including quick-deploy emergency shelters, aquaponics modules for remote areas and developing regions, and countertop/backyard aquaponics systems.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kepler Shipyards designs, manufactures, and licenses modular space exploration hardware and life support systems, including lunar landers, launch vehicles, reconfigurable space suits, surface habitats, aquaponics life support modules, ocean-based carbon capture platforms, and military space combat equipment. The firm also provides engineering consultancy and technology licensing services to space agencies, private space companies, military organizations, and space-focused foundations.

Product overview

Kepler Shipyards is a NewSpace engineering firm offering a diversified portfolio of space exploration technologies organized into divisions. The core products include Space Vehicles (931 & 12-331 launch vehicles, Speck Lunar Launch System, Aethon lander, and The Sled for microgravity operations), Space Activity Suits (SAS common core with modular configurations including Martian Excursion/Expedition suits, Asteroid Operation suits, and Jump suits for spacediving), Surface Structures (Mk 1 Outpost habitats and Aquaponics Modules for life support), and Carbon ReCapture (ocean-based autonomous carbon capture platforms). The company also serves military applications with Space Combat Suits and Advanced Space-operations Weapons Systems (ASWS), and provides Technology Services and Intergroup Technologies as consultancy offerings. The product architecture emphasizes modularity, reusability, and adaptability—technology designed for space can be retooled for terrestrial use, such as aquaponics systems available in commercial, backyard, and countertop scales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kepler ReCapture: Ocean-based autonomous platform for CO2 harvesting and carbon-negative desalination, competing for the $100M Carbon Capture XPRIZE

Products and services

• 931 & 12-331 Launch Vehicles
• Speck Lunar Launch System
• Aethon Lander
• The Sled
• Space Activity Suit (SAS)
• Mk 1 Outpost
• Aquaponics Modules
• Kepler ReCapture Platform
• Space Combat Suit (SCS)
• Advanced Space-operations Weapons Systems (ASWS)
• Individual De-orbit System (IDS)
• Intergroup Technologies
• Technology Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Speck Lander delivers 250kg return or 400kg one-way with same configuration
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OpenLuna FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKepler Shipyards has been selected as the prime contractor for all non-volunteer manufacturing for the OpenLuna Foundation. The company is developing OpenLuna's Mk 1 Outpost and Aquaponics Module for deployment on the lunar surface. The partnership also includes spacediving equipment for returning OpenLuna explorers to Earth's surface.
• Drasco InccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint solution partnership for the Aqua Fresca initiative combining Drasco's expertise with Kepler ReCapture's desalination technology. Drasco provides community consultation, site assessment, funding guidance, turn-key build and commissioning, and long-term operations under multi-year agreements.
• Circular Carbon Network (CCN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular Carbon Network partners with Kepler ReCapture as part of the carbon removal ecosystem, supporting the company's mission to address climate change through carbon-negative desalination.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Final Frontier Design: Brooklyn-based space suit manufacturer targeting commercial and government customers. Directly comparable to Kepler's Space Activity Suit (SAS) and modular suit family in product category, though Kepler's scope extends to combat configurations Final Frontier does not pursue.
• Firefly Aerospace: Small launch vehicle (Alpha) and lunar lander (Blue Ghost) developer. Comparable in addressing the small-payload lunar delivery market, though more capital-intensive and with NASA CLPS task orders Kepler does not have.

Direct peers

• Intuitive Machines: Houston-based lunar lander (Nova-C) and lunar services provider with NASA CLPS awards and a lunar data relay business. Closely comparable to Kepler in product class and in targeting near-term commercial and government cislunar customers.
• Moon Express: Early commercial lunar lander entrant (MX-1 series) that has pivoted multiple times. Comparable in product class and NewSpace era to Kepler, with similar small-team / big-ambition structure.
• Astrobotic Technology: Pittsburgh-based lunar lander developer (Peregrine, Griffin) and leading CLPS provider. Directly comparable to Kepler's Speck lander in customer base (NASA, commercial), product class (small lunar landers), and NewSpace positioning.
• Masten Space Systems: Small-sat and lunar lander developer (XL-1) that has experienced funding turbulence. Comparable in scale, product class, and target market to Kepler's Speck lander program; illustrates the capital-intensity risk in this segment.

Broad incumbents

• Rocket Lab: Public small-launch and space systems company (Electron, Neutron, Photon, Space Systems). Adjacent comparable: shares Kepler's small-payload and modular philosophy, but operates at vastly greater scale and capitalization.
• Collins Aerospace: Major aerospace incumbent (formerly Hamilton Standard) supplying EMUs, life support, and space suit systems for NASA. Represents the broad incumbent alternative to Kepler's modular suit platform — much larger and entrenched, but a benchmark for the suit market Kepler is entering.
• Sierra Space: Commercial space habitats and life support systems developer (LIFE inflatable habitat, Dream Chaser). Comparable in pursuing the cislunar habitat and life-support market Kepler targets with the Mk 1 Outpost, but at substantially greater scale and with established NASA partnerships.

Regional players

• ispace: Tokyo-headquartered lunar lander company (Hakuto-R) pursuing the same small-lander market as Kepler. Directly comparable product and mission profile; operates primarily outside the U.S. but competes in the same customer RFPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Keplershipyards
• Facebookfacebook.com/keplershipyards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kepler-shipyards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Kepler Shipyards