ORBX ETF Launches Amid Wave of Space Tech IPOs
Global X launched the Global X Space Tech ETF (ticker ORBX), a passively managed fund that tracks companies earning more than half of their revenue from space technology. The ETF will rebalance up to four times a year to add new entrants, positioning it to capture growth from reusable rockets, satellite data services, and AI‑driven space compute. Its debut arrives amid a wave of private space firms preparing IPOs, signaling broader market interest. Global X, with roughly $90 billion in assets, adds ORBX to its suite of thematic ETFs.
Kepler, Astrolight to Test ESA’s ‘Fiber in the Sky’
The European Space Agency has chosen a Kepler Communications‑led team to test its HydRON "fiber in the sky" optical network. Kepler will launch a satellite in 2027 carrying Astrolight’s ATLAS‑X laser communications terminal, which will operate as a third‑party user...
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman On Artemis, Budget, And Establishing a Lasting Space Vision
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the White House’s FY2027 budget proposal, emphasizing fiscal responsibility amid growing congressional scrutiny. He highlighted Artemis II’s largely successful flight, noting a pristine heat shield and only minor system glitches such as a small helium leak....
CLD Companies Say NASA Is Wrong. NASA Says Prove It.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman challenged commercial low‑Earth‑orbit (CLD) station builders to prove a viable market after the agency announced it doubts commercial demand and plans to purchase a core module for the ISS. Axiom Space and Vast submitted feedback arguing...
Slingshot Introduces AI-Powered Portal Platform
Slingshot Aerospace launched the Slingshot Portal, an AI‑driven platform that consolidates data from its Global Sensor Network, government tracking feeds, orbital object catalogs, and customers' proprietary sources. The portal delivers near‑real‑time monitoring, anomaly detection, and maneuver planning within a single...
ICON Prime Launches, Led By Former TX Rep
Robotic construction firm ICON announced a new unit, ICON Prime, dedicated to serving the Pentagon and NASA. The unit will be led by former Texas Congressman and CIA officer Will Hurd, who aims to translate the company's $360 million in existing...
Exclusive: Vast Debuts Flight Suit For Haven-1, Private Astronaut Missions
Vast announced its first flight suit designed for crew members of the upcoming Haven‑1 private space station and its ISS‑bound private astronaut missions. The modular garment can be worn as a separate jacket and pants or zipped into a traditional...
Atomic-6 Launches Orbital Data Center Marketplace
Atomic-6 unveiled ODC.Space, a marketplace that lets customers order orbital data center hardware as easily as an online purchase. The platform aggregates space‑industry suppliers, offering configurations from 1U shared units to sovereign 42U racks, with the latter priced at roughly...
Sophia Space and Kepler Sign Agreement to Demo ODC Tech
Orbital data‑center startup Sophia Space has signed an agreement with satellite operator Kepler Communications to demo its operating system, SOOS, on Kepler’s distributed in‑orbit compute network. The partnership will see Sophia upload SOOS to the network by year‑end for an...
Albedo Ratchets Up the Power for Its Second VLEO Flight
Albedo unveiled Vicinity, a very‑low‑Earth‑orbit (VLEO) satellite bus slated for a second flight in 2027. The bus boosts peak power to 3 kW and average power to 400 W while supporting up to one ton of payload and a five‑year lifespan at...
Moog’s “Tip to Tail” Contributions to the Artemis II Flight
Moog Inc. supplied more than 100 actuation and control components for NASA’s Artemis II mission, ranging from thrust‑vector control on the Space Launch System to hatch‑opening actuators on Orion. The company’s actuator business has doubled in the past five years, prompting...
Artemis II Gives Airbus Hope For European Spaceflight
Artemis II’s 10‑day lunar flyby concluded with the European Service Module (ESM) – built by Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen – performing flawlessly, powering Orion’s life‑support and propulsion. The mission showcases Airbus’s heritage from the ISS Columbus lab and Automated...
Portal Closes $50M Series A
Portal Space Systems announced a $50 million Series A round led by Geodesic Capital and Mach33, with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, Ark Invest, AlleyCorp and FUSE. The capital will fund the first flight of its Starburst spacecraft on Transporter‑18 and a...
The State of Launch 2026
The launch market is hitting a capacity crunch as a million‑satellite data‑center constellation and monthly lunar missions drive unprecedented demand. Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace and ULA all report back‑logged customers and limited range availability on Florida’s Eastern Range, which supported...
Vantor Unveils New Sat Classes: Vantage and Pulse
Vantor announced two new satellite classes—Vantage and Pulse—to boost both imagery resolution and revisit frequency. Vantage will deliver 20‑cm resolution images, with two satellites slated for launch in 2029, while Pulse, a smallsat fleet the size of a refrigerator, will...
