Stoke Space unveils tracking software for development of complex hardware

Stoke Space, a space launch company, has reportedly introduced a new software tool designed to allow hardware companies to monitor the design, assessment, and integration of complex parts. Dubbed Fusion, the tool is set to target one of the most crucial aspects of the hardware workflow in the development of the company’s new fully reusable rocket.

According to Andy Lapsa, CEO of Stoke, the solution has been introduced to address one of the most ubiquitous pain points in the industry. At present, the tracking process of parts involves tedious solutions with extensive spreadsheets and paperwork. Also, most existing tools are not easy to use for on-ground hardware teams but are geared mainly toward procurement or finance teams or the C-suite, Lapsa added.

Fusion, on the other hand, has been optimized to streamline parts organization and inventory transactions. It is built to track the development of parts throughout their lifecycle, including after they are integrated into larger assemblies and subjected to testing. In the case of extreme conditions such as hardware failures, the tool will help teams link the anomalies to the specific serial numbers of the parts involved.

The Fusion tool is an especially attractive prospect for startups. Most of the existing parts management tools are equipped for production runs, rather than the fast-paced R&D environment that most hardware startups face, where accuracy and speed are essential.

Lapsa’s sentiments are shared by Stoke’s head of software, Brent Bradbury, who commented on the ever-changing nature of parts, people, and processes in the hardware workflow. He also touched upon how the introduction of Fusion has taken these factors into account and enabled the tracking of parts development at all stages, without any additional burden.

Lapsa has hailed Fusion as the product of an in-house requirement for more seamless parts management. However, he claimed that the commercialization of the product was an early decision made by the Stoke team, as an effort to establish a revenue pathway while the reusable rocket model is under development.

Source Credit: https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/04/launch-startup-stoke-space-rolls-out-software-tool-for-complex-hardware-development/amp/