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🛰️ Portal Space Systems Raises $17.5M for Orbital Spacecraft Powered by Solar Heating

🛰️ Portal Space Systems Raises $17.5M for Orbital Spacecraft Powered by Solar Heating

Colorado-based Portal Space Systems has raised $17.5 million in seed funding to develop orbital spacecraft that use concentrated solar power to generate thermal energy.

Dallas Hartley
April 03, 2025

🪽 Air Force Activates ‘Doomsday Wing’ for Nuclear Command and Control LINK

🫰 Senate Keeps $150 Billion Defense Topline in Updated Budget Blueprint LINK

💥 DoD Floats 2035 as Goal for Zero Trust in Weapons Systems LINK

🌌 Space Force Awards Northrop Grumman Two In-Space Refueling Contracts LINK

🛰️ Portal Space Systems Raises $17.5M for Orbital Spacecraft Powered by Solar Heating LINK

🎱 Plus 13 other stories you may like

The Air Force has stood up the 595th Command and Control Group as a dedicated “Doomsday Wing” to oversee nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) operations.
Based at Offutt Air Force Base, the unit is tasked with managing airborne command posts that would operate in the event of a nuclear conflict or strategic crisis.
Officials say the move centralizes critical NC3 capabilities and enhances readiness for nuclear scenarios amid rising global tensions.

Senate Republicans’ new budget reconciliation framework retains a $150 billion defense discretionary increase, maintaining levels proposed in the earlier Trump budget.
The topline increase would support procurement, R&D, and readiness priorities as the Pentagon ramps up for a potential long-term competition with China.
GOP leadership framed the boost as a necessary hedge against peer threats and ongoing modernization needs, even as budget hawks continue to raise debt concerns.

The Pentagon is considering 2035 as its target date for implementing zero trust architecture across all major weapons systems.
The shift reflects growing concern about cyber vulnerabilities in platforms that were not designed with modern network defense principles in mind.
Officials say retrofitting legacy systems will be a major challenge, requiring new tooling, standards, and cooperation across acquisition and cyber communities.

Northrop Grumman won two contracts from the U.S. Space Force to develop in-orbit refueling capabilities for future satellite and space-based assets.
The projects fall under the Space Force’s push for more resilient, maneuverable systems that can stay operational longer and adapt to changing mission demands.
In-space refueling could be a game-changer for extending satellite life and reducing launch frequency, supporting long-term strategic advantage in orbit.

Colorado-based Portal Space Systems has raised $17.5 million in seed funding to develop orbital spacecraft that use concentrated solar power to generate thermal energy.
The startup's technology enables in-space manufacturing and payload delivery without relying on traditional chemical propulsion or electric thrusters.
Investors see the platform as a novel way to unlock long-term operations in orbit, supporting both commercial and national security applications as demand grows for persistent space infrastructure.

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