Dubai, June 26, 2025 — Aspire Space and LEAP 71 today announced a strategic partnership to develop a new large reusable launch vehicle capable of delivering up to 15 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO).
Founded in Luxembourg, Aspire Space is led by veterans of major launch programs, including Zenit, Soyuz, and Sea Launch. LEAP 71, based in Dubai, is a pioneer in AI-driven engineering, leveraging physics-based computational systems to design next-generation aerospace hardware.
As part of the agreement, LEAP 71 will create the complete propulsion stack for Aspire’s rockets using Noyron, its proprietary Large Computational Engineering Model. The first-stage engines will be based on the company’s XRB-2E6 reference design — a high-performance, reusable liquid methane/liquid oxygen (Methalox) engine producing 2,000 kilonewtons of thrust, placing it in the same performance class as top-tier U.S. launch systems.
Aspire Space is relocating its primary operations to the United Arab Emirates to support the country’s growing ambitions to become a leader in the emerging space economy.
Stan Rudenko, CEO of Aspire, commented: “Sovereign access to space and rapid reusability are foundational to participating in one of the world’s most dynamic and aspirational sectors. LEAP 71 gives us direct access to propulsion systems right here in the UAE — a strategic advantage that made relocating our entire team an easy decision. We are excited to help the Emirates take a bold next step as a spacefaring nation.”
Josefine Lissner, CEO of LEAP 71, said: “Engineering lies at the core of human civilization, and we founded LEAP 71 to accelerate engineering itself — to push real-world progress forward using computational systems. But it needs the hard-won knowledge of industry veterans to be meaningful. We are opening up that treasure trove of experience by working with Aspire’s team.”
LEAP 71’s Noyron Large Computational Engineering Model distills advanced engineering logic, physics models, manufacturing constraints, and practical feedback into a coherent system that generates manufacturable space hardware without human intervention. It’s been called the first “AI that builds machines.” Rather than generative, probabilistic AI systems, it relies on a deterministic scientific foundation rooted in first principles.
Lin Kayser, Co-Founder of LEAP 71, added: “Innovation requires iteration — but human-driven design of complex machines takes enormous amounts of manual work. By systematically translating the body of knowledge of a field of engineering to Noyron, we radically reduce iteration time from months to days. The next generation of space systems won’t be drawn by humans — they’ll be computed.”
Over the past year, LEAP 71 has, on average, completed and hot-fired a new rocket engine design every 30 days, including a working aerospike — one of the most complex types of rocket propulsion systems ever tested.
Sergey Sopov, CTO of Aspire, noted: “For decades, my team and I built rockets the old way — reliable, but slow. Now begins a new era. What LEAP 71 offers is the ability to finally turn our expertise into code, paving the way for rapid development with constant iterations. That’s how we will advance humanity in the New Space Age.”
In addition to the orbital launcher, Aspire Space is developing a reusable spacecraft capable of transporting up to 2 metric tons of payload to and from orbital stations.
Hot-fire testing of the propulsion system is scheduled to begin in Q3 2026, starting with the 200 kN second-stage engine.
The inaugural flight of the Aspire Space launch system is slated for 2030.
About Aspire Space
Aspire Space is developing a next-generation rapidly reusable space transportation system, comprising a large reusable launcher and a reusable spaceship.
- The R1 two-stage MethaLOX-powered launcher has a capacity up to 15t to LEO.
- The S1 spaceship is capable of delivering 2 tonnes to LEO space stations and back to Earth.
As a next iteration Aspire Space plans to merge the launcher and spaceship into a fully reusable two-stage Rocketship — one of the most advanced and versatile space launch systems in the world.
Founded by a team of space pioneers who led the prominent projects such as Zenit, Soyuz and Sea Launch, Aspire Space aims to advance humanity to the New Space Age by providing cutting-edge launch and space transportation services.
Visit the Aspire Space website for more information.
About LEAP 71
LEAP 71 was founded on the vision that radically accelerating real-world engineering is essential to shaping the future of humankind. Strategically based in Dubai, UAE, the company works with customers around the globe to design advanced machinery in fields such as aerospace, electric mobility, robotics, and thermal systems.
A pioneer in the emerging field of Computational Engineering, LEAP 71 designs physical objects autonomously — without human intervention. At its core is Noyron, a Large Computational Engineering Model that encodes logic, physics, production methodologies, and real-world feedback into a coherent, deterministic system. It has been called “the first AI that builds machines.”
Noyron generates functional designs in seconds or minutes, optimized for modern manufacturing technologies such as industrial 3D printing.
A key focus for the company is enabling access to space. LEAP 71 is developing a spectrum of reference designs for space propulsion systems that serve as the DNA for customer-specific engines. Frequent physical testing and validation are used to continuously enrich Noyron’s models.
LEAP 71 was founded in 2023 by aerospace engineer Josefine Lissner and serial entrepreneur Lin Kayser.
Visit the LEAP 71 website for more information.
