Castelion: SpaceX Alumni Building Affordable Hypersonic Systems

We first heard about Castelion a while back and figured it was another defense startup. It’s turned out to be one of the more serious players applying real manufacturing speed to a tough problem.

Background: Co-founders Bryon Hargis (CEO), Sean Pitt (COO), and Andrew Kreitz (CFO) are all SpaceX veterans. Hargis led sales and business development for national security programs, Pitt managed European launch and human spaceflight sales (securing over $1.25 billion in deals), and Kreitz handled finance and forecasting for government programs. They founded the company in late 2022.

What Castelion is aiming to do

The company designs, tests, and manufactures next-generation military systems—especially hypersonic strike weapons—rapidly and at scale. Their focus is on building systems that can be produced affordably and in volume. Blackbeard, their lead product, was engineered from the start for cost-effectiveness and high-rate manufacturing.

What has been accomplished so far

In just a few years, the team has:

• Secured key U.S. Navy contracts, including a $105 million award to integrate Blackbeard onto the F/A-18 Super Hornet (with early operational capability planned for 2027) and an order for 50 pre-production prototypes.

• Raised substantial funding, including a $350 million Series B round in late 2025.

• Started work on a major manufacturing campus in New Mexico to support rocket motor production and scale operations.

• Completed over 25 flight tests along with platform integration efforts.

The need and opportunity

This is a needed space. There’s strong demand for more affordable, long-range precision weapons that can be built at meaningful scale. Traditional programs often face challenges with cost and production timelines. Castelion’s approach—drawing on commercial aerospace practices—offers a practical way forward. It’s an interesting opportunity where speed and manufacturability can make a real difference.