Portal Space Systems
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Investors
Founders
About
Portal Space Systems is a Bothell, Washington-based aerospace startup developing highly maneuverable spacecraft using solar thermal propulsion technology 1. Founded in 2021 by Jeff Thornburg, a former SpaceX engineer who helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine, the company develops the Starburst spacecraft bus and Supernova vehicle designed for rapid orbital transfers 12. Portal launched its first payload, Mini Nova, in March 2026 aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission 2. The company plans to open a 52,000-square-foot production facility in Bothell in June 2026 with capacity to manufacture 12 Supernova and 16 Starburst vehicles annually 2.
Funding History
| Date | Round | Amount | Lead | Co-investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | Series A | $50M | Geodesic Capital, Mach33 | Booz Allen Ventures, ARK Invest, AlleyCorp, FUSE 12 |
| ~2025 | Seed | $17.5M | — | — 2 |
The company has also received $45 million in strategic funding from the U.S. military 2.
What Investors Say
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What Founders Say
No verified founder quotes available at this time.
Sources
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TechCrunch, “This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit,’” April 9, 2026. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/09/portal-raises-50-million-to-build-a-new-kind-of-high-power-rocket-engine/↩↩↩
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SpaceNews, “Portal Space Systems raises $50 million to accelerate spacecraft development,” April 9, 2026. https://spacenews.com/portal-space-systems-raises-50-million-to-accelerate-spacecraft-development/↩↩↩↩↩↩