Securing €930,000 to generate electricity on the moon and power the lunar mission, Latvia’s Deep Space Energy eyes greater goals with its cutting-edge radioisotope power generators.
A space technology startup based in Latvia, Deep Space Energy has successfully closed its pre-seed funding round, raising a total of €930,000, with €350,000 provided by the Outlast Fund and angel investor Linas Sargautis.
The funding will be used to further develop its innovative radioisotope-based power generator, with the aim of strengthening both European satellite infrastructure and lunar exploration missions.
Furthermore, the startup has also secured €580,000 in public contracts and grants from the European Space Agency (ESA), NATO DIANA, and the Latvian government.
Deep Space Energy is focused on developing a new type of power generator that uses the heat from the natural decay of radioisotopes. The technology, which has already been validated in laboratory tests, converts heat into electrical power with significantly higher efficiency than traditional thermo-electric generators (RTGs).
According to Dr Mihails Ščepanskis, the company’s co-founder and CEO, their solution requires five times less radioisotope fuel than conventional systems, making it an ideal energy source for space missions.
The company’s first application is to enhance the resilience of strategic satellites. By providing a backup power system independent of solar energy, the technology aims to ensure satellite operations even in challenging environments.
The radioisotope generator is particularly designed to support satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO), which are vital for military reconnaissance, early-warning systems, and other defence applications.
In addition to its military applications, Deep Space Energy is targeting lunar exploration missions. The company’s technology will support lunar night survival and operations in permanently shadowed regions, which are critical to future missions under NASA and ESA’s Artemis and Moon Village programmes.
Lunar rovers, which currently rely on solar power, will benefit from this new energy source, as the Moon’s extreme temperatures and long nights make solar power impractical for extended operations.
“It provides the redundancy of satellite power systems by supplying backup power that does not depend on solar energy, making it crucial for high-value military reconnaissance assets,” Ščepanskis says.
The company’s technology also promises significant cost savings for lunar missions. By enabling rovers to survive multiple day-night cycles over an extended period, it can reduce the high cost of transporting payloads to the Moon, which can reach up to €1 million per kilogram.
With a more durable power source, mission lifespans could be extended, helping to save hundreds of millions of euros in the long run.
Investors are optimistic about the potential impact of Deep Space Energy’s work. Egita Poļanska, partner at Outlast Fund, noted that the company’s technology is poised to break long-standing barriers in space energy. “We are finally seeing the pieces come together for a real breakthrough,” she said.
Deep Space Energy’s success has also brought attention to the growing innovation in the Baltic region, with Linas Sargautis emphasising that the company is helping to establish a strong foundation for future space missions.
Founded in 2022, Deep Space Energy is the first Latvian company to be selected for the NATO DIANA programme.
