Venture Capital is creeping back into the space sector, with Earth's a major, one of the latest recipients.

The Rocket Propulsion startup, which has been featured on this podcast previously,

recently announced it had raised $138 million in Series D and D1

funding rounds.

Investors include Explorer One Fund and Eclipse, RTX Ventures, funds and accounts managed by Black Rock and others.

The capital will help Ursa to produce the engines it has been developing for rocket

launches and hypersonic vehicles, but it will also enable the start-ups expansion into a new defense-focused market.

This is really about scale for us.

So we, really since our last capital raise, we started deploying engines, we started mass-producing engines for space and hypersonics, but getting those into the field, getting those flying.

I think last time I spoke with you was with Zach Trevor from Strattle Launch.

So really getting our engines deployed and flying was a big focus of the

capital rays and then we kind of unveiled this tactical munitions and solid rocket

motors effort that we have pushing forward.

Founder and CEO Joe Lorienti says Ursa Major will 3D print solid rocket motor cases,

addressing a market in which few competitors operate and supply chain issues have plagued production, even as demand

skyrockets. The strategy places Ursa Major more squarely in the defense tech

category. A category investors have become increasingly keen to fund even as private capital has

dwindled amid a tougher macroeconomic environment.

I'm Morgan Brennan and this is Manifest Space.

I can't believe it's been a year since we were sitting here having a

conversation at this event. It feels like a few weeks. It does. Well you've had a very

busy year. Yes. You just announced a capital race. Congratulations. Walk me through it. It was a hard fought one. It's not an easy

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