Equatorial Space Industries secures Angel round, moves to a new location

Singapore’s own space launch startup, Equatorial Space Industries, secured Angel capital from individual investors earlier this year to continue developing its innovative, hybrid rocket systems.

The investment round allows the previously all-volunteer organisation to move towards a full-time business operations, and to secure new premises in the Pioneer area of Singapore. The new facility marks a drastic leap from our previous office at The Hangar by NUS Enterprise - a startup incubator instrumental in the Company’s survival in the early days.

With its two levels it will support development of ESI’s upcoming suborbital SHARP (Suborbital Hybrid Ascent and Recovery Program) vehicle slated to fly in early 2020. The vehicle’s engine will markedly use liquid Nitrous Oxide as compared Liquid Oxygen used in the previous v.2.2 Engine ground prototype, and will be capable of in-flight restartability.

The location of the test flight, as well as cooperation and arrangements with local suppliers and authorities, will be revealed in the next few months. ESI’s Volans microlauncher is expected to conduct its first test flight in 2021 from a yet-to-be determined location in the APAC region.