Stoke Space Completes 46 Nova First-Stage Tests, Clearing Path for 2026 Debut

2 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 11

Stoke Space finished proto-qualification of Nova’s first stage in early June at Moses Lake, Washington, marking a key step toward the medium-lift rocket’s first flight by the end of 2026.
The campaign covered 46 structural verification tests on the first-stage flight article over three weeks, alongside checks of critical fluid systems, avionics and ground support equipment.
That milestone indicates the company has moved beyond component work to validating integrated stage hardware as it pushes Nova toward its planned debut.

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