Home / Business and Economy / Ex-SpaceX Team Raises $350M for Hypersonic Missile Production
Ex-SpaceX Team Raises $350M for Hypersonic Missile Production
6 Dec
Summary
- Castelion secured $350 million in Series B funding for hypersonic weapons.
- The startup aims to close America's hypersonic capability gap.
- A new 1,000-acre campus in New Mexico will support production.
Defense technology startup Castelion, led by former SpaceX engineers, announced on December 5 that it has raised $350 million in Series B financing. This significant capital infusion is earmarked to accelerate the high-volume production of hypersonic weapons for the Pentagon, addressing a critical U.S. defense need.
The California-based company is vertically integrated in its approach to building hypersonic missiles, a field where U.S. officials acknowledge a strategic lag behind China and Russia. Castelion's initial weapon is being developed for the U.S. Army and Navy. The firm has also secured multiple research and development contracts from the Air Force Research Laboratory, underscoring its strategic importance.
This funding round, led by Altimeter Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners, highlights growing investor interest in defense startups utilizing commercial-style production methods. Castelion plans to establish a 1,000-acre campus in New Mexico to support the production of solid rocket motors, static testing, and final assembly of hypersonic systems, aiming to bolster national security capabilities.
