A SpaceX Veteran's New Venture: Epsilon3

Laura Crabtree’s fascination with space exploration began in her youth, observing rocket launches on television. This passion translated into a successful career, initially at Northrup Grumman and subsequently at SpaceX, where she dedicated herself to launching rockets.

Currently, Crabtree serves as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Epsilon3, a Los Angeles-based space startup. The company has engineered what it describes as the operating system specifically designed for launch operations.

The Genesis of Epsilon3

“The necessary tools were simply unavailable during my previous work,” Crabtree explained. Upon leaving SpaceX to explore new opportunities, developing this missing toolkit became her primary focus. She aimed to enhance efficiency and minimize errors within the space industry.

Joining Crabtree in this endeavor is Max Mednik, a seasoned entrepreneur. His prior company, Epirus, secured substantial investment – at least $144.7 million – from firms like 8VC, Bedrock Capital, and L3 Harris Technologies. Aaron Sullivan, a former Google employee, contributes as the chief software engineer.

Building on SpaceX Expertise

Epsilon3 is part of a growing trend of businesses launched by former SpaceX employees. Like First Resonance and Prewitt Ridge, it concentrates on refining aspects of rocket design, manufacturing, mission management, and operational procedures that were traditionally handled manually or with customized solutions.

Alex Rubalcava, founder and managing partner of Stage Venture Partners, an investor in Epsilon3’s seed round, stated, “They create mission management software for both launch providers and satellite companies, the payloads for those rockets.” This software extends beyond design and specifications to encompass real-time operations, including data transmission and software updates.

A Rapidly Expanding Market

Rubalcava recognizes that the market for Epsilon3 is novel, yet it is experiencing rapid growth.

He elaborated, “Historically, access to space was prohibitively expensive and largely restricted to governments and a limited number of commercial satellite operators. This was due to the scarcity of launch capabilities.” However, this landscape is changing dramatically. “We are now anticipating 30 different space flights and 30 companies with rocket capabilities… space access is no longer scarce, expensive, or highly restricted.”

The Potential of the Launch Services Industry

The demand for space-related services is surging, with projections estimating the launch services industry could exceed $18 billion in value by 2026.

“Our experiences mirror each other, stemming from diverse roles within SpaceX,” Crabtree noted. First Resonance focuses on the transition from prototyping to production, Prewitt Ridge provides engineering and management tools, and Epsilon3 has created an operating system for launch operations.

“We aim to support the integration of testing and operations, encompassing design development, manufacturing, and integration tests,” Crabtree clarified.

A Focus on Space

While First Resonance and Prewitt Ridge have broader applications in aerospace and manufacturing, Crabtree and her company remain dedicated to space exploration.

“We are intensely focused on space, ensuring our software performs reliably in the most critical and complex environments,” Mednik emphasized. Although applications exist in other high-stakes industries like nuclear power, energy, mining, and aviation, the company’s primary focus remains firmly on the space sector.

Mednik described the software as a digital toolkit for managing and modifying workflows and procedures. “It can be likened to a combination of Asana project management and GitHub version control,” he said. “It’s designed for the integration of subsystems and the operation of those systems.”

Investment and Future Prospects

Epsilon3, named after a planet from “Babylon 5,” has the potential to become a vital component of future space missions. Stage Venture Partners and MaC Ventures have demonstrated their confidence in this potential with an initial investment of $1.8 million.

Currently, Epsilon3’s initial clientele consists of emerging space companies utilizing the platform for live launch operations, including Stoke Space and other new entrants into the rocket industry.

“Space and deep tech are areas of significant interest for us,” stated Adrian Fenty, co-founder and managing partner of MaC Ventures. The former mayor of Washington highlighted the synergy between Mednik’s entrepreneurial experience and Crabtree’s extensive expertise in the field.

“We were actively seeking operating systems and believe Epsilon3 offers a compelling combination of deep space knowledge, advanced technology, and a focused approach to developing specialized operating systems,” Fenty explained.

Michael Palank, a co-founder and managing partner at MaC Ventures predecessor, M Ventures, added, “Our due diligence revealed the immense and growing potential of the space industry. Many of Earth’s most pressing challenges can only be addressed through space exploration, and that requires more sophisticated operating systems to facilitate access to and from space.”