Hickory Falls Ventures Invests in Starlab — Securing the Future of Low Earth Orbit
At Hickory Falls Ventures, our space investment thesis has been clear from the beginning: the next decade will define humanity’s foothold in orbit, and the players who build the infrastructure, logistics, and intelligence layer of space will shape the future of both exploration and security. Today, we’re excited to announce our investment in Starlab, a next-generation commercial space station that we believe is uniquely positioned to lead in this new era.
Our conviction in Starlab stems from several critical factors. First, the world is facing an imminent orbital gap. The International Space Station (ISS) — a marvel of multinational cooperation — is scheduled to deorbit by 2029, if not sooner. Without a Western replacement, China’s Tiangong station would stand alone in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), an outcome that is strategically unacceptable for the United States and its allies. Starlab addresses this challenge head-on, providing a sustainable, advanced, and geopolitically vital presence in LEO.
Second, the macroeconomic backdrop is unusually favorable for this sector. While the U.S. government has enacted significant budget cuts across a range of programs, investment in space — and LEO-related projects in particular — is set to increase in the years ahead. Federal agencies, including NASA and the Department of Defense, are prioritizing orbital infrastructure and commercial partnerships as essential to national security, economic competitiveness, and scientific advancement. This commitment to funding adds further momentum behind projects like Starlab.
Third, Starlab isn’t starting from scratch. The program benefits from Voyager Technologies’ deep expertise operating with and alongside the ISS, as well as its robust network of global partners, including Airbus, Northrop Grumman, and Palantir. These relationships bring unparalleled engineering knowledge, supply chain access, and mission support — all essential for delivering on a project of this scale.
Finally, Starlab’s design is simply a leap forward. Its single-pod architecture can be launched in one piece aboard a SpaceX Starship, eliminating the costly, complex, multi-module assembly that has defined orbital construction for decades. Despite its streamlined form factor, Starlab will offer more working and living space than the ISS, enabling expanded research, manufacturing, and habitation capabilities in orbit.
With Voyager Technologies already proving itself in the public markets and in the field, we see Starlab as a natural extension of the momentum in the new space economy. It aligns perfectly with our thesis: investing in ventures that combine technical ambition with strategic necessity, building infrastructure for a future where humanity thrives beyond Earth.
The race to replace the ISS is on. We believe Starlab is not only in the race — it’s in pole position.