# Letara raises $16 million to expand hybrid rocket work

_Published Friday, August 21, 2026 at 10:07 PM EDT · Capital, Infrastructure · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Letara raises $16 million to expand hybrid rocket work — Primary](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GettyImages-2238027332.jpg?resize=1200,675)

Letara, a Sapporo spacecraft-propulsion startup, has raised ¥2.6 billion, about $16 million, to expand from hybrid thrusters for small satellites into larger rocket systems for space, defense and security markets. The round was co-led by Headline Asia, JIC Venture Growth Investment and Incubate Fund. Letara says it has orders from rocket and satellite companies and the Japanese government, without disclosing their value. Its next stated milestone is an in-orbit firing test with an overseas partner.

## Sources

- [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/21/japanese-space-tech-startup-letara-expands-beyond-satellite-thrusters-with-16m/)
- [theaiinsider.tech](https://theaiinsider.tech/2026/08/24/uk-startup-oshen-raises-5m-in-funding-for-data-collecting-autonomous-ocean-robotics/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/u_Wm7UZA9btB27I9xcoG9X
Published: 2026-08-22T02:07:24.505Z
Story chronology: 2026-08-22T01:03:06.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-06T14:23:50.059Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)