Catalyx Space

Catalyx Space Inc. is developing the next generation of orbital return vehicles, capable of bringing large payloads back from low Earth orbit to designated ocean recovery zones at dramatically lower cost than existing systems. The company raised $5.4 million in funding to accelerate development of its ReX vehicle family.

The ReX series is built around an origami-inspired deployable thermal protection system (TPS) — a hypersonic decelerator that enables the heat shield to fold compactly for launch and deploy at full size for reentry. This approach allows Catalyx to offer class-leading payload capacity at lower $/kg compared to conventional rigid capsules.

The ReX product line spans four configurations: ReX-3 (in-orbit demonstration, 2026), ReX-ITD (4 kg payload), ReX-Heavy (1,250 kg / 30 m³, launching 2029 on Falcon 9), and ReX-Super Heavy (12,000 kg / 60 m³). Pricing ranges from $17,500/kg for 2.5T class to $7,700/kg for the 20T class.

Catalyx is vertically integrated across the full mission cycle — from spacecraft development and payload integration to launch logistics, mission control, and ocean recovery. Target applications include contested logistics, nuclear power deployment, asset recovery, hypersonic testbeds, and space station cargo resupply.