catalyx space

Catalyx Space is a space company based in San Francisco, California. It builds reusable orbital return vehicles called ReX. The vehicles bring payloads back from orbit. The site says the company runs the full mission from launch to recovery. The company has announced a $5.4M fundraise.

The site lists three ReX models. The ReX-3 is a small vehicle with a 2026 launch slot. It carries a 4 kg payload in a 3U format and is listed as fully booked. The ReX-Heavy has a 1,250 kg return mass and 30 cubic meters of volume. The ReX-Super Heavy has a 12,000 kg return mass and 60 cubic meters of volume.

The company's main idea is a deployable heat shield. The site describes it as origami inspired. It uses a cable tensioned hypersonic decelerator. The site says the heat shield spans 10 to 40 meters. It says this gives lower heat loads and a larger landing surface.

The site compares the ReX vehicle with rigid capsules and ADEPT mechanical heat shields. It says ReX returns more mass and more volume at a lower cost. The site says the vehicles are built from commercial off-the-shelf components.

The site lists several possible uses. These include contested logistics, nuclear power reactors in low Earth orbit, and asset recovery. Other uses include a hypersonic testbed, space station cargo return, and interplanetary cargo.

Co-founder and CEO Rifath Shaarook leads the company. The site has pages for its team, careers, updates, and media. The phone number is +1 310 714 4046. The company's address is 2 Marina Boulevard in San Francisco.