The Deep End #73

Venus Aerospace Breaks Ground on Next-Gen Hypersonic Propulsion

🌌 Hi everyone, Garrett here. I collaborate with Rob on this newsletter. If you haven’t subscribed, join the investors, government leaders, and deep tech operators who read The Deep End every week.

❤️ A quick ask: If you liked this piece, I’d be grateful if you’d consider tapping the “heart” above. It helps us understand which pieces you enjoy most, and supports our work. Thank you!

---

Venus Aerospace Completes Historic U.S. Hypersonic Engine Flight Test

Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based startup pioneering the future of high-speed flight, announced it successfully completed the first U.S. flight test of a next-generation rocket engine: a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE). This milestone marks a breakthrough in American aerospace, with a design ultimately aimed at enabling vehicles to travel four to six times the speed of sound from a conventional runway.

The test represents the first-ever flight of an American-developed engine of its kind, proving that Venus's proprietary RDRE—an affordable, compact propulsion system delivering unprecedented efficiency and thrust—can operate under real-world conditions.

Venus Aerospace

---

Regulatory Radar

• Silicon Valley Sets Sights on Pentagon’s $1T Budget
  Big Tech is rebranding as defense tech — and gunning for the largest discretionary spend in the U.S. government. (via Bloomberg, paywalled)

• Podcast: Why China’s Tech Rise Keeps Surprising the West
  Policymakers keep underestimating China’s ability to leapfrog and recalibrate global tech leadership.

---

Tech Terrain

Future Mobility

• GM’s New Battery Tech Could Be a Breakthrough for Affordable EVs

  Why this matters: GM’s battery breakthrough could end excuses for avoiding EVs.

• ‘Supersonic’ planes could make a comeback in the U.S. after decades-long ban

  Trend to watch: The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act could reopen U.S. skies to civilian supersonic jets

Defense Tech

• The race to build the fighter planes of the future

  Trend to watch: “The prevailing idea is that sixth-generation planes will be the core of a larger combat air system in which a human in the cockpit controls a larger fleet of uncrewed drones.”

• Anduril’s Menace tech now preferred hardware for Palantir’s Edge software

  Why this matters: The partnership allows Palantir’s stack to operate seamlessly on Menace hardware, streamlining deployment.

Space

• Reflect Orbital raises $20M Series A to ramp up development of its sun-reflecting sat constellation

  Trend to watch: Reflect aims to launch its first mirror satellite next spring to boost solar generation from orbit.

• China launches first of 2,800 satellites for AI space computing constellation

  Why this matters: ADA Space launches the first satellite network built for in-orbit data processing and AI.

Advanced Computing

• The Middle East Has Entered the AI Group Chat

  Why it matters: The UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing billions in US AI infrastructure. The deals could help the US in the AI race against China.

• Cognichip emerges from stealth with the goal of using generative AI to develop new chips

  Trend to watch: Cognichip is building a physics-informed AI model to help chipmakers cut development time and cost by up to 50%.

Energy

• Nuclear waste could power Europe for decades. This startup plans to prove it

  Trend to watch: Franco-Dutch startup Thorizon aims to reuse spent nuclear fuel to power the grid

• Google inks deal to develop 1.8 GW of advanced nuclear power

  Trend to watch: Google and Elementl Power will develop three advanced nuclear sites, each with 600+ MW capacity.

---