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Deals•Feb 27, 2026
ISPTech Secures €5.5M Seed Funding to Scale Green Propulsion Technology
German startup ISPTech announced a €5.5M seed round led by Join Capital, with participation from High‑Tech Gründerfonds, Faber, First Momentum Ventures, Lightfield Equity, Final Frontier Liftoff, DLR and Start‑up BW Seed Fonds. The funding will be used to scale production of its non‑toxic in‑space propulsion systems, expand its workforce and build a new test facility.
Payload
Deals•Feb 26, 2026
CesiumAstro Acquires AI Firm Vidrovr
Space technology company CesiumAstro announced on Thursday that it has acquired AI startup Vidrovr, which focuses on task prioritization and automation using artificial intelligence. The acquisition will embed AI into CesiumAstro's telecommunications payloads to enable adaptive RF optimization, autonomous tasking,...
Payload
Deals•Feb 25, 2026
Intuitive Machines Secures $175M Strategic Equity Investment
Intuitive Machines announced a $175 million strategic equity investment led by unnamed global institutional investors. The funding will support the Moon‑bound company's development of communications and data‑processing technology, following its recent acquisition of Lantaris Space Systems.
Payload
Deals•Feb 18, 2026
Agile Space Industries Secures $17M Series A Funding
Agile Space Industries announced a $17 million Series A round led by Caruso Ventures and Howdy Partners, with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Veteran Ventures Capital, Denver Ventures and Cortado Ventures. The funding brings the company’s total capital raised to about $40 million...
Payload
News•Feb 17, 2026
Revenge of the Bad Businesses: Refining the Space Hardware Investing Thesis During This Year’s Software Rout
The latest software market rout has forced investors to rethink the long‑standing bias toward asset‑light, high‑margin software businesses. In the space sector, capital‑intensive hardware firms—once dismissed as “bad businesses”—are now gaining favor as they offer tangible assets and predictable cash...
By Payload
News•Feb 17, 2026
Kepler Plots European Expansion with NanoAvionics Deal
Kepler Communications has named Kongsberg NanoAvionics its preferred satellite bus provider for Europe, allowing hosted payloads to tap into Kepler’s laser‑based optical communications network. The partnership lets NanoAvionics offer customers sub‑second 2.5 Gbps links capable of moving terabytes of data per...
By Payload
News•Feb 17, 2026
OroraTech’s New Exec Plans to Step on the Gas
OroraTech, which grew its satellite constellation from two to over ten in 2025, has hired industry veteran Ignacio Zuleta as chief technology and product officer. Zuleta plans to abandon the company’s previous sequential deployment model and accelerate satellite launches to reach...
By Payload
News•Feb 13, 2026
Axiom Space Raises $350M to Fuel Station, Suit Development
Axiom Space announced a $350 million capital raise, co‑led by Type One Ventures and Qatar Investment Authority, to accelerate its commercial space‑station program and the development of NASA‑contracted AxEMU spacesuits. The funding will finance the design, testing and launch of two...
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News•Feb 12, 2026
Vulcan, Ariane 64 Blast Off
On Thursday, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket lifted off from Florida carrying the USSF‑87 payload to geosynchronous orbit, marking its second National Security Space Launch mission. The launch suffered a significant performance anomaly in one of its four solid rocket...
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News•Feb 10, 2026
Rep. Mike Haridopolos On Cutting Red Tape, Passing NASA Bill
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, chair of the House space subcommittee, is pushing for stronger public‑private partnerships as a cornerstone of the 2026 space agenda. He highlighted the recent bipartisan passage of a NASA authorization bill in the House and expressed optimism...
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News•Feb 10, 2026
Spaceium Tests Robot Gas Attendant Piece in Orbit
Spaceium demonstrated a space‑qualified actuator on SpaceX’s Transporter‑15 mission, achieving 0.003‑degree rotation accuracy in orbit. The precision translates to less than a millimeter of movement at the tip of a full‑size robotic arm, a key requirement for in‑space fuel transfers....
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News•Feb 10, 2026
UK to Invest Nearly £1M In In-Orbit Manufacturing
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is allocating nearly £1 million to three start‑ups to develop in‑orbit manufacturing capabilities. Space Forge will receive £300,000 to grow semiconductor crystals, OrbiSky £295,000 for ZBLAN optical‑fiber production, and BioOrbit £250,000 to test space‑grown pharmaceuticals. The...
By Payload
Social•Feb 9, 2026
NASA Shifts Workforce Toward Civil Servants for In‑House Expertise
.@NASA is rebalancing its workforce towards civil servants to bring more expertise in house, according to a Friday announcement from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. https://t.co/jeFpQdG00n
By Payload
Social•Feb 6, 2026
Russian Spy Satellites Repeatedly Intercepted European GEO Communications
The Russians are causing problems again. It was reported this week that Russian spysats may have intercepted what were supposed to be secure comms from European GEO satellites several times during the past three years. https://t.co/2kQy8PtQwG
By Payload
News•Feb 6, 2026
Univity Adds Direct-to-Device Service in VLEO Constellation
French satcom startup Univity is pivoting its very‑low‑Earth‑orbit (VLEO) constellation to offer direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity, adding a cellular‑compatible antenna and boosting satellite transmit power. The company will launch two demo satellites in 2027, then begin a 1,500‑satellite rollout in 2028...
By Payload
News•Feb 6, 2026
Astrolight Plans to Demo Space-to-Ground Optical Comms
European optical communications startup Astrolight will demonstrate three laser‑based payloads on SpaceX’s Transporter‑16 rideshare mission. The demos support ESA’s ARTES ScyLight program, which has earmarked nearly €1 billion for optical and quantum communications over the next three years. Astrolight is also...
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News•Feb 5, 2026
Viasat’s HaloNet: Building the Bridge to a More Connected Orbit
Viasat is developing HaloNet, a hybrid communications terminal that unifies L‑band, S‑band and future Ka‑band/optical links into a single adaptive package. The system automatically switches between links and maintains a low‑rate L‑band “lifeline,” managed by the Multi‑Mission Orchestrator software that...
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News•Feb 4, 2026
Exclusive: Viridian Space Signs CRADA Agreement with US Air Force
Viridian Space, a California satellite startup, has signed a five‑year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Air Force to co‑develop its air‑breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) technology for very low Earth orbit (VLEO) missions. The partnership will be...
By Payload
News•Feb 4, 2026
York Drops Protest of Apex’s SBIR Award
York Space Systems withdrew its protest of the Department of Defense’s $45.9 million Phase II SBIR award to Apex Space, and a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice on Jan. 30. The motion to dismiss was filed a day before York’s planned...
By Payload
Social•Feb 3, 2026
CesiumAstro Secures $270M to Boost Defense Contracts
Spacecom company @CesiumAstro announced that it closed a $270M round of funding—which will help the company to cement further contracts in the defense sector, and build out its natsec business. https://t.co/yg15DTFTWo
By Payload
News•Feb 3, 2026
HawkEye 360 Taps Hale for Space Weather Forecasts
Space weather startup Hale SWx has secured a five‑year contract with signal‑intelligence constellation operator HawkEye 360 to provide solar activity and atmospheric density forecasts. Hale’s model, which focuses on electromagnetic forces rather than sunspot tracking, delivers an average skill score...
By Payload
News•Feb 2, 2026
Mars Rover Drives with the Help of Anthropic AI
Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used Anthropic's Claude AI to map a 450‑meter route for the Perseverance rover on Mars. By feeding Claude years of mission data, the system generated Rover Markup Language commands that covered 10‑meter segments and...
By Payload
Social•Jan 30, 2026
UK STFC to Slash £162M to Meet Outcome‑focused R&D Targets
The UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) revealed this week that it needs to cut £162M (€187M) in spending by FY2029-30 to align with a new “outcome-focused approach” in the country’s R&D funding. https://t.co/FFMaFZTdNY
By Payload
Social•Jan 30, 2026
GAO Criticizes SDA's Flawed Planning for Space Architecture
The GAO’s watchful eye has fallen upon the SDA. In a report released, the watchdog agency was unimpressed with the SDA’s planning for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). https://t.co/PNHOl00MTv
By Payload
Social•Jan 30, 2026
ESA Secures Record Funding, Boosts Launch Industry Growth
After closing out 2025 with record funding commitments from its member states, significant progress in the launch industry, and a private sector investing in space ventures, it’d be easy for @esa to take a beat and celebrate. https://t.co/Zo5GGFRRHR
By Payload
News•Jan 30, 2026
ESA Urges Europe to Keep Up the Momentum in Brussels
The European Space Agency closed 2025 with record funding commitments, yet its overall budget still lags far behind the United States and China. At the European Space Conference in Brussels, Director General Josef Aschbacher warned that past achievements are insufficient...
By Payload
Social•Jan 29, 2026
Clear Orbit, Secure Future: Urgent Call on Space Debris
The World Economic Forum came out with a report, produced in partnership with the @spacefutures_sa, the @saudispace, @LeoLabs_Space, and @Novaspace_ , titled “Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris.” https://t.co/wA8ze2X66x
By Payload
News•Jan 29, 2026
US Army Puts Out the Call for Space Soldiers
The U.S. Army announced a new Military Occupational Specialty, Tactical Space Operations Specialist, opening applications for enlisted personnel from specialist to sergeant major. The initial cohort will consist of 1,000 soldiers, with plans to grow to 1,500 by 2032, and...
By Payload
News•Jan 29, 2026
WEF’s Space Debris Report Projects Significant Costs
The World Economic Forum’s "Clear Orbit, Secure Future" report warns that space‑debris congestion could cost the satellite industry between $25.8 billion and $42.3 billion over the next decade, even without a single catastrophic collision. It breaks the projected losses into $14.2‑$30.7 billion from...
By Payload
News•Jan 28, 2026
Airbus Taps Skynopy for Pléiades Neo Ground Stations
Airbus Defence and Space announced a partnership with European startup Skynopy to integrate its software‑defined ground‑station technology into the Pléiades Neo Earth‑observation constellation. The collaboration targets reduced latency between image capture and upload to Airbus’ OneAtlas platform. Skynopy’s approach centralises...
By Payload
News•Jan 27, 2026
Northrop, Raytheon Report 2025 Earnings
Northrop Grumman posted $13 billion in 2025 revenue, a 5 % increase year‑over‑year, highlighted by an 18 % jump in fourth‑quarter sales to $3.9 billion. However, its space systems segment saw mixed results, with Q4 sales up 5 % but full‑year space revenue falling 8 % to...
By Payload
News•Jan 27, 2026
HEO Buys Satellogic’s In-Orbit Sat
Australian NEI startup HEO announced the purchase of Satellogic’s NewSat‑34, now renamed Continuum‑1, giving it immediate sub‑meter resolution imaging capability. The satellite will act as a testbed for autonomous non‑Earth imaging methods, including a planned RPO maneuver to photograph another...
By Payload
News•Jan 27, 2026
Northwood Closes $100M Series B
Northwood Space announced a $100 million Series B round led by a16z and Washington Harbour Partners, following a $30 million Series A less than a year earlier. The funding will accelerate production of its Portal phased‑array ground systems, now capable of building eight units...
By Payload
Deals•Jan 27, 2026
HEO Acquires Satellogic’s NewSat-34 In-Orbit Satellite
Australian NEI startup HEO announced the purchase of Satellogic’s NewSat-34 satellite, renaming it Continuum‑1, to gain immediate sovereign imaging capability. The deal, disclosed on Jan 27 2026, was made without revealing the price, and the satellite has about a year of design...
Payload
Social•Jan 26, 2026
Pentagon Contracts Varda Space, Stratolaunch for Reusable Hypersonic Tests
Pentagon announced that it had awarded two contracts to @VardaSpace and @Stratolaunch as providers for Task Area 3 of the MACH-TB program, which focuses on reusable flight concepts for hypersonic missile tests. https://t.co/foLw2HUpR6
By Payload
News•Jan 26, 2026
Payload Field Guide: Commercial LEO Destination
The International Space Station’s planned retirement by decade’s end has spurred NASA’s Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program, which seeks privately funded orbital habitats. In 2021 NASA awarded $416 million to three proposals—Nanoracks‑Voyager, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman—to develop next‑generation stations. Today the...
By Payload
Social•Jan 23, 2026
DeepSky Constellation Enables Real‑Time Global Atmospheric Monitoring
https://t.co/Bj9B34UX2f announced a new constellation to track activity across Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. Called DeepSky, the sat network is designed to provide global atmospheric monitoring in real time. That’s a lot of ground to cover. https://t.co/awckkrrhaZ
By Payload
Social•Jan 23, 2026
Swiss Startup Secures €73M ESA Non‑dilutive Funding
.@Swissto12 closed €73M in non-dilutive funding from @esa under the agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) program. https://t.co/QPNzYlSUlk
By Payload
News•Jan 23, 2026
Open Cosmos Launches First Telecom Sats
Open Cosmos launched the first two Ka‑band broadband satellites on a Rocket Lab Electron from New Zealand, marking its entry into the commercial sat‑com market. The launch follows a Liechtenstein‑issued Ka‑band license that enables high‑capacity, low‑latency data links. The company will...
By Payload
News•Jan 22, 2026
Colorado Springs Opposes Lawsuit to Keep Space Command HQ
Colorado’s Chamber & Economic Development Corp., along with the El Paso County Board and the Colorado Springs City Council, filed a brief opposing the state’s lawsuit aimed at keeping U.S. Space Command in Colorado. The lawsuit challenges former President Trump’s reversal...
By Payload
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Blue Origin Unveils 5,400‑satellite TeraWave Communications Network
Two months after launching New Glenn for the second time, @blueorigin has unveiled its latest project. TeraWave is a 5,408-bird, multi-orbit communications constellation designed specifically to serve enterprise and government customers. https://t.co/Whds6kmLE0
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News•Jan 21, 2026
Starfish Wins SDA Deorbit-As-A-Service Contract
Starfish Space secured a $52.5 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to provide deorbit‑as‑a‑service for the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) constellation. The award marks the first operational, paid mission for end‑of‑life satellite disposal, moving beyond earlier demonstration studies....
By Payload
News•Jan 21, 2026
Loft Orbital Wins €50M Contract to Build French SAR Sat
Loft Orbital has secured a €50 million contract from the French Ministry of Defence to deliver the nation’s first sovereign synthetic‑aperture radar (SAR) satellite under the DESIR programme. The satellite will be built on Loft’s Longbow platform, with a payload co‑designed...
By Payload
News•Jan 20, 2026
Senators Introduce Bills on Space Workforce, Regulations
Senators introduced two bipartisan bills—the NASA Talent Exchange Program Act and the Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT) Streamlining Act—to strengthen the U.S. space sector. The Talent Exchange would allow NASA and commercial employees to rotate between agency and industry for up...
By Payload
News•Jan 20, 2026
Vast Delays Haven-1 Launch to 2027
Vast announced that its single‑module commercial space station, Haven‑1, will not launch until no earlier than Q1 2027, pushing back the original 2026 target. The company has begun Phase‑1 integration, installing thermal control and life‑support systems, with subsequent phases adding avionics...
By Payload
Social•Jan 20, 2026
Canada Rocket Secures $6.2M Seed to Build Indigenous Launchers
Canada Rocket Company emerged from stealth last week with the announcement of a $6.2M CDN ($4.5M) seed funding round—and with plans to create sovereign light- and medium-lift launch capabilities for the Great White North. https://t.co/jNyfibjct6
By Payload
News•Jan 20, 2026
Samara Closes $10M Seed Round
San Francisco‑based Samara Aerospace announced a $10 million seed round led by Balerion Space Ventures, with participation from Illinois Ventures, MFV Partners and Access Venture Partners. The company’s Hummingbird satellite replaces traditional reaction wheels with solar‑panel hinges, promising up to 1,000‑times...
By Payload
Deals•Jan 20, 2026
Samara Aerospace Closes $10M Seed Round Led by Balerion Space Ventures
San Francisco‑based Samara Aerospace announced the closing of a $10 million seed round to develop its Hummingbird satellite stabilization technology. The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures with participation from Illinois Ventures, MFV Partners and Access Venture Partners. The funding...
Payload
News•Jan 16, 2026
Voyager Details Its Plans for In-Space Manufacturing
Voyager Technologies has secured a U.S. patent for a microgravity process that grows ultra‑large optical crystals, a key component of next‑generation communications and computing hardware. The company will launch a demonstration to the International Space Station this spring, aiming to...
By Payload
News•Jan 16, 2026
CesiumAstro Secures $200M Government Financing
CesiumAstro secured $200 million in government financing, split between a $185 million EXIM‑authorized debt facility and a $15 million revolving‑credit line from JPMorgan. The funding underpins the company’s plan to expand its Texas manufacturing footprint, including a 270,000‑sq‑ft facility slated to start operations...
By Payload
News•Jan 16, 2026
ESA Calls for EO Companies to Join the Insurance Game
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Liberty Mutual Reinsurance have launched a three‑year partnership to develop parametric insurance products using satellite Earth observation data. The collaboration will begin with a February workshop where LMRe outlines forestry‑related climate risks and invites...
By Payload
Social•Jan 15, 2026
AuleSpace Secures $2M to Extend GEO Satellite Lifespans
.@AuleSpace announced the closing of $2M in pre-seed funding to develop spacecraft that will be able to grapple onto existing sats in GEO (no preassembly required) and provide up to six years of extra propulsion. https://t.co/5Qw44UmT5A
By Payload
News•Jan 15, 2026
Atomic-6 Space Armor to Fly in October With Portal
Atomic-6’s Space Armor hexagonal tile system will debut on SpaceX’s Transporter‑18 rideshare mission in October, attached to Portal Space Systems’ Starburst‑1 satellite. The lightweight “Light” tiles are designed to shield against micrometeoroids and debris up to 3 mm, while a larger...
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News•Jan 15, 2026
Hydrosat Closes $60M Series B to Grow Its Constellation
Hydrosat announced a $60 million Series B financing round led by Hartree Partners, Subutai Capital Partners, and Space4Earth, with participation from several other investors. The capital will fund a new generation of higher‑resolution thermal‑imaging satellites slated for launch next year, expanding the...
By Payload
News•Jan 14, 2026
SkyFi Secures $12.7M Series A
Austin‑based SkyFi announced a $12.7 million Series A round co‑led by Buoyant Ventures and IronGate Capital Advisors, with participation from existing and new investors. The capital will enable SkyFi to transition from a pure Earth‑observation data provider to a platform delivering actionable...
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Deals•Jan 6, 2026
L3Harris Sells 60% of Propulsion Business to AE Industrial Partners for $845M
Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies announced the sale of a 60% stake in its propulsion business to AE Industrial Partners for $845 million. The transaction values the unit at about $1.4 billion and will see the business rebranded as Rocketdyne under AEI’s majority...
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