Stoke Space CEO: 'I'm not sure we'd make the same decision' on Washington

Stoke Space CEO Andy Lapsa told a Seattle Space Week audience he isn't sure the rocket company would choose Washington state again today, citing a wealth tax on unrealized gains, weak public schools and scant courting of startups. He said South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Idaho and Illinois have all reached out recently.

• Stoke Space raised about $1B in a Series E, bringing total funding to roughly $2.3B
• The company has 350+ employees in Washington and a 168,000-square-foot factory in Kent
• First launch of its reusable Nova rocket is set for early 2027 from Cape Canaveral
• Lapsa joined Gov. Bob Ferguson's new Washington Space Council