- Lux Aeterna, a Denver-based startup, has unveiled Delphi, a reusable satellite designed to survive reentry and be launched multiple times, with a first mission planned for 2027.
- The company aims to reduce costs and increase mission flexibility by moving away from the traditional single-use satellite model.
- Backed by $4 million in pre-seed funding and interest from the U.S. Department of Defense, the startup is led by former SpaceX and Amazon engineer Brian Taylor.
- Delphi will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 and features a NASA-inspired heat shield, with future plans to scale up to more advanced reusable satellite platforms.
In a bold move to reshape how satellites are designed, deployed, and reused, Denver-based space startup Lux Aeterna has stepped out of stealth mode. The company has revealed its plans to build a new kind of satellite that can survive reentry, be recovered, and then flown again. Called Delphi, the reusable satellite is expected to complete its first orbital flight and return mission in 2027.
This innovation could mark a major shift in space operations, slashing costs and increasing flexibility for both commercial and government missions. Unlike traditional satellites that are built for single-use and often become space debris or burn up during reentry, Delphi is being designed to return to Earth intact, making it possible to refurbish and relaunch it multiple times.
A New Era of Reusability in Space
Lux Aeterna’s vision stands in contrast to the current norm in the satellite industry, where even highly sophisticated spacecraft have short, fixed lifespans and are treated as disposable. Many satellites, once they run out of fuel or complete their missions, are either left in a “graveyard” orbit or guided into Earth’s atmosphere to burn up.
Brian Taylor, founder and CEO of Lux Aeterna, believes that reusability is the key to unlocking the next stage of growth in the space economy. The idea for Delphi came to him while watching a SpaceX Starship test launch. The size and power of Starship and other upcoming heavy-lift rockets, like Blue Origin’s New Glenn, inspired him to consider new possibilities.
“I want to fill Starship with something amazing, and something that changes the entire industry,” Taylor said in an interview. “With these powerful rockets, we’re no longer limited by size in the way we used to be. That changes everything.”
Lux Aeterna’s approach is to use the extra payload space to include features that make the satellite capable of surviving the brutal forces of atmospheric reentry. That includes a heat shield, which Taylor says was inspired by proven NASA spacecraft like those used in the Apollo and sample return missions.
“We studied NASA’s past missions carefully. Those designs worked, so we’re building on that legacy,” he added. “When you’re doing something this ambitious, it’s smart not to reinvent the wheel.”
Investor and Government Support Already Flowing In
Even before launching its first satellite, Lux Aeterna has attracted significant attention from both investors and the U.S. government. The Department of Defense, which has identified low-Earth orbit as a critical part of national defense, is watching the company’s progress closely.
On the financial side, Lux Aeterna has raised $4 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Space Capital and included contributions from early-stage investment firms such as Dynamo Ventures and Mission One Capital. The funding will support the development of Delphi and help build the infrastructure needed for testing, recovery, and refurbishment.
Taylor’s background gives investors added confidence. Before founding Lux Aeterna, he worked on SpaceX’s Starlink program, contributed to Amazon’s Kuiper satellite project, and was involved in space infrastructure development at Loft Orbital.
The Road Ahead: A 2027 Test and Beyond
The plan for Delphi is clear. The first satellite will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2027, perform a full orbital mission, and return to Earth. A second flight is planned shortly after, which will use the same hardware to prove the satellite’s reusability.
Taylor and his team are already working on a larger production version of Delphi that could perform even more missions with minimal refurbishment. Although he has not disclosed exact details about how the satellite is recovered or prepared for reflight, Taylor hinted at innovative design features such as a foldable satellite bus that tucks behind the heat shield during reentry.
Despite decades of advancement in spaceflight, Taylor believes the industry is still in its infancy compared to other mature sectors like automotive or semiconductor manufacturing.
“Space technology is still developing. Reusability is a major step toward maturity,” he said. “It’s not just about saving money. It’s about opening the door to missions and business models we haven’t even imagined yet.”
As Lux Aeterna builds toward its first test flight, Taylor remains focused on a bigger picture. For him, the most exciting part is not just what Delphi can do today, but what this kind of reusable technology could make possible tomorrow.
“We don’t know what we don’t know is going to come,” he said. “And that’s probably the most exciting part of all.”