Hop Aero

Rockets that deliver cargo anywhere on Earth in minutes

[RuntimeWire 🏴‍☠️ @runtimewire]

@milenovic925501 @Hop_Aero Hop Aero unveils container-launched Rook rocket for contested cargo runs https://t.co/3pe2qSd9OA

[Atoms Not Bits @AtomsNotBits]

Daily Hard Tech Headlines:

- @ArrayLabs has secured a $21M funding round led by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. The Bay Area startup develops radar satellites.

- Quantum Cyber has produced its first mini-interceptor drone at its Connecticut manufacturing facility, marking the start of production at another American drone factory.

- The FCC is moving to block new Chinese-made robots, including humanoids, and connected power inverters from sale in the United States. Chinese manufacturers accounted for more than 80% of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025.

- @FirehawkAero has secured a contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory focused on advancing high-thrust propulsion. The contract is valued in the multimillions.

- Bridger Aerospace, the aerial firefighting firm, has secured a $58M contract from the Texas A&M Forest Service for wildfire response and detection aircraft.

- Mesodyne has demonstrated its portable fuel-to-electricity generator with USSOCOM, powering Starlink in 100°F desert conditions while operating aboard a vehicle crossing rough sand dunes.

- Harena Rare Earths is developing the Ampasindava project in Madagascar, which contains rare earths critical to permanent magnets used across hard tech. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation has committed up to $4.84M to advance the project.

- HydroSurv, the English unmanned surface vessel startup, has partnered with Hike Metal Products Ltd., the Canadian shipbuilder that will manufacture its vessels in North America.

- Greyparrot has secured a $27M Series B. The startup develops computer vision systems for the waste management industry.

- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is exploring nuclear industrial cities across Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho, co-locating critical capabilities such as uranium enrichment, nuclear fuel fabrication, used-fuel disposal, nuclear fuel recycling and even data centers tied to off-grid reactors.

- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected eight teams, including ReJoule, Li Industries, Smartville Inc., Renewance, Inc., Glimpse Engineering, NAECO, LLC, Binit® Group Ltd and Rose City Robotics, to advance technologies for collecting, sorting, transporting and processing used lithium-ion batteries.

- Plano, Texas, has approved a $1.44M contract for a Drone as First Responder program that will include four drone docking stations, with Motorola Solutions serving as the provider.

- Mocean Energy, the Scottish ocean-tech company developing wave-powered systems, is developing ocean-based data centers and has secured £2.8 million in funding.

- @Hop_Aero has launched out of @ycombinator. The startup is developing hypersonic rocket systems for rapid cargo transport and has secured a $1.25M contract with the United States Air Force. Concept video below.

[Matija Milenovic @milenovic925501]

@Akash16s 😂 love this

[Matija Milenovic @milenovic925501]

@bosmeny 🫡

[Tyler Bosmeny @bosmeny]

So excited about Hop Aero.

They're building rockets that can deliver cargo anywhere on earth in 15 minutes(!)

[Matija Milenovic @milenovic925501]

Introducing Rook by @Hop_Aero (YC S26): an autonomous hypersonic cargo rocket that delivers 550 lbs up to 450 miles in ~15 minutes.

It launches from a standard 40-foot shipping container and lands on unprepared surfaces—no runways or fixed infrastructure required.

[Hop Aero @Hop_Aero]

@oikodi 🫡🚀 Thanks for sharing!