Japanese Space Startup Letara Raises $16M to Build Bigger Rockets

Letara, a startup in Sapporo, Japan, raised about $16M from investors including Headline Asia, JIC Venture Growth Investment, and Incubate Fund. The company, which currently makes small engines that steer satellites in orbit, now plans to build large rockets for space, defense, and security use — a major jump in complexity. Toyoda Gosei and NES Corporation also invested strategically.