SpaceX IPO Filing Casts Starlink Mobile as Future Wireless Challenger
SpaceX’s IPO filing positions Starlink Mobile as a direct‑to‑smartphone service that could rival terrestrial carriers, not just a remote‑area backup. The prospectus cites $632 million in mobile connectivity revenue last year and projects a $740 billion total addressable market. Partnerships with T‑Mobile, AT&T and Verizon provide spectrum, while a $100 million deal with T‑Mobile secures a steady cash flow. SpaceX plans to roll out V2 Mobile satellites on Starship from 2027, aiming for 5G‑like performance worldwide.
Rocket Lab Launches Ninth Synspective Satellite
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket lifted off from New Zealand on May 22, delivering Synspective’s ninth StriX synthetic‑aperture‑radar satellite into a 572‑km orbit. The launch brings the total Electron missions to 88 and marks the ninth launch for Synspective this year, part of...
Sixth Varda Mission Successfully Returns
Varda Space Industries successfully completed its sixth re‑entry mission (W‑6) on May 18, landing at Australia’s Koonibba Test Range. Funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Prometheus program, the flight tested autonomous navigation, temperature sensors for hypersonic heat‑shield validation, and carried...
Space Force on Path to Double Active-Duty Force by 2030
U.S. Space Force plans to nearly double its active‑duty force to about 20,000 Guardians by 2030, adding 2,800 service members and 2,000 civilians in FY 2027. The expansion is backed by a proposed $71 billion budget, more than double the 2026 level,...
The Internet Was ‘Too Expensive’ Too
Orbital data centers (ODCs) are poised to follow the internet's early cost curve, shifting from perceived prohibitively expensive prototypes to scalable, industrial‑grade infrastructure. Advances in reusable launch vehicles and standardized "TILE" compute modules lower launch and deployment costs while accelerating...
LatConnect 60 Announces Accelerated Growth Investment Round to Build AUKUS-Aligned Highest Resolution SWIR Satellite Constellation
LatConnect 60 announced a growth‑investment round to fast‑track an 18‑satellite short‑wave infrared (SWIR) constellation, with a longer‑term goal of 100 satellites by 2035. The funding, building on Australian Space Agency and WA government support, will enable two SWIRSAT launches in Q1 2027...
Space Force Eyes 2027 Demonstrations of In-Space Refueling and Satellite Servicing
The U.S. Space Force is set to launch two separate in‑space service demonstrations in 2027: a satellite refueling test using Astroscale’s Provisioner and an autonomous docking trial with Starfish Space’s Otter. Both missions are part of the USSF‑23 launch, which...
Orbital Data Centers: Power and Thermal Management for Scalable Architectures
Redwire released a whitepaper detailing how power generation and thermal management will enable scalable orbital data centers. The paper leverages the company’s flight‑proven Roll‑Out Solar Array (ROSA) and deployable radiator technologies to illustrate a near‑term compute node architecture. It argues...
Starfighters Turns Texas Facility Toward Microgravity Flight Testing
Starfighters Space is converting its Midland, Texas hangar into a hub for microgravity flight testing, partnering with Mu‑G Technologies to modify a Dassault Falcon 50 for parabolic missions. The move responds to NASA’s request for information on commercial parabolic capabilities and...
Report Finds U.S. Space Supply Chains Rely Heavily on Chinese Manufacturing
Altana’s new report reveals that more than 849,000 U.S. commercial space imports since 2022 have exposure to Chinese suppliers at third‑tier or higher, with an additional 15,000 imports containing Russian‑origin components. Semiconductor‑related imports show a 26.8% reliance on Taiwanese manufacturers,...
European Imaging Companies Step in to Fill Warzone Gap
European Earth‑observation firms are stepping in as U.S. satellite providers halt imagery of Iran and the Gulf conflict. The gap is driving demand from energy traders, insurers, shipping companies, and news outlets that rely on real‑time visuals of the Strait...
Four NASA Payloads to Fly on Astrolab’s First Lunar Rover
Astrolab’s FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover will carry four NASA payloads on a Griffin‑1 lander launch slated for late 2024. The payloads include the METAL camera‑radiometer for helium‑3 prospecting, a lunar retroreflector array, the LDES dust‑degradation sensor, and a...
Inside Golden Dome’s Push to Court Commercial Tech Firms and Investors
The Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile‑defense program is courting commercial space firms, venture investors and software companies to build a platform‑style system rather than a traditional weapons acquisition model. Officials say the $1.2 trillion, 20‑year architecture must become affordable at scale, prompting...
Tomorrow.io Adds $35 Million to DeepSky Funding Round
Tomorrow.io announced an extra $35 million in its Series F round, raising total funding to $210 million. The cash, sourced from existing backer Pitango and Harel Insurance, will accelerate the DeepSky constellation—larger, multi‑sensor satellites that replace the company’s Gen 1 cubesats. The round, led...
House Bill Restores Funding for TraCSS
The House Appropriations Committee approved a $50 million allocation for the Office of Space Commerce, restoring funding for the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) after the administration sought to scale back the program. The bill also earmarks $52.5 million for FY 2026,...
New CSF Report Sees Up To 7,000+ Satellites Launched Annually By Mid 2030’s, Highlights The Challenges With US Launch Infrastructure
The Commercial Space Federation and Rational Futures released a data‑driven report warning that U.S. launch demand could swell to as many as 7,000 flights per year by the mid‑2030s, far outpacing the capacity of existing spaceports. In 2025, more than...
Zenk Space Raises $26 Million, Targets June Debut Launch
China’s Zenk Space announced a $26 million (180 million yuan) financing round led by Wenzhou Bay New Area Investment Group, bolstering its upcoming Zhihang‑1 kerolox launch. The 49.8‑meter, 3.35‑meter rocket can place 4,000 kg into a 500‑km Sun‑synchronous orbit and is slated for...
NASA Releases Final RFP for Mars Communications Orbiter
NASA issued the final request for proposals (RFP) on May 14 for a Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN) orbiter, with bids due June 15 and a contract award targeted for Oct. 1. The $700 million program, funded by last year’s budget reconciliation act, aims to...
York Space Defends Growth Strategy as SDA Programs Are Reshaped
York Space Systems, fresh from its public debut, is confronting a pivotal shift as the Pentagon restructures the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer into a broader Space Data Network. The new architecture, backed by a $1.5 billion fiscal‑2027 request, aims to...
Virgin Galactic Reaffirms Plans to Begin Commercial Service This Year
Virgin Galactic reaffirmed on May 14 that it remains on track to launch commercial suborbital flights before year‑end, with its first SpaceShip vehicle slated for rollout by the August earnings call and flight testing in Q3. The company plans to begin...
Chinese Satellite Maker MinoSpace Seeks $736 Million in IPO
Chinese satellite maker MinoSpace, officially Beijing Weina Star Technology, has had its IPO application approved on Shanghai’s STAR Market, aiming to raise $736 million. The proceeds will fund phase one of the 112‑satellite Taijing constellation, which includes optical, multispectral and SAR...
Intuitive Machines to Buy Ground Station Company
Intuitive Machines announced it will buy UK‑based Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd. and its US subsidiary Comsat for £37 million ($49.6 million). The acquisition brings 30‑ and 32‑meter deep‑space antennas in Cornwall and teleport facilities in Connecticut and California into Intuitive’s portfolio. Goonhilly...
Golden Dome Chief Pushes Back on $1.2 Trillion CBO Estimate
Gen. Michael Guetlein rejected the Congressional Budget Office’s $1.2 trillion 20‑year cost estimate for the Trump‑initiated Golden Dome missile‑defense program, saying the analysis relies on outdated legacy assumptions. The White House has put the figure at roughly $185 billion, arguing the Pentagon will...
Landspace Launches Improved Zhuque-2E, Long March 6A Lofts New Qianfan Satellite Group
China’s private launch firm Landspace successfully flew the upgraded Zhuque‑2E Y5, placing a 2,800‑kg payload into a 900‑km polar orbit and showcasing enhanced high‑mass capability. The rocket now delivers up to 4,000 kg to Sun‑synchronous orbit and 6,000 kg to low Earth...
SLS to Launch without Upper Stage for Artemis 3
NASA announced that the Space Launch System will launch Artemis 3 without an upper stage, using an inert spacer in place of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The mission has been re‑scaled to a low‑Earth‑orbit test of rendezvous and docking with...
Quantum Space to Build Spacecraft in Tulsa
Quantum Space announced it will establish a manufacturing line for its Ranger series spacecraft in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with production slated to begin in early 2027. The 25,000‑to‑40,000‑square‑foot facility will initially create about 50 high‑skill jobs and will be housed in...
Space Force Awards TrustPoint $4 Million for LEO Navigation Demonstration
Space Force awarded Virginia startup TrustPoint a fully funded $4 million TACFI contract to demonstrate a GPS‑independent low‑Earth‑orbit navigation system. The company will build and launch a four‑satellite constellation and four ground stations within 12 months, conducting a live trilateration test. TrustPoint’s...
NASA Retaining Six-Month ISS Missions
NASA will keep a roughly six‑month crew rotation on the International Space Station, moving the SpaceX Crew‑13 launch to mid‑September and shortening Crew‑12’s stay to about seven months. The change is intended to maximize ISS utilization before its scheduled retirement...
Creotech Plans $118 Million Capital Raise, Investment in New Satellite Factory
Polish space‑tech firm Creotech Instruments announced a $118 million capital raise to fund a new satellite factory slated for completion by 2029. The investment will enable the company to quadruple its output to roughly 40 satellites a year, addressing a current...
Cowboy Raises $275 Million to Build Rockets with Orbital Data Center Upper Stages
Cowboy Space, the former Aetherflux, closed a $275 million Series B round at a $2 billion valuation, bringing its total funding to roughly $365 million. The startup plans to build launch vehicles whose upper stages transform into orbital data‑center nodes, targeting AI‑intensive compute in...
Failing to Pass a Defense Budget Is a Self-Inflicted Wound in the Space Race
The White House budget proposes a historic $70 billion allocation for the U.S. Space Force, more than doubling its current $40 billion funding. A continuing resolution (CR), however, would slash the budget back to roughly $28 billion, halting new programs and capping hiring....
MDA Space Continues Work on Gateway Robotic Arm
MDA Space announced it will continue development of Canadarm3, Canada’s robotic contribution to NASA’s lunar Gateway, despite NASA’s recent decision to cancel the Gateway in favor of a lunar base. The company is executing a CAD 1 billion (≈ $730 million) contract for design...
Viasat Wins $307 Million Marine Corps Satellite Communications Contract
Viasat has been awarded a five‑year, $307 million contract to provide satellite communications for the U.S. Marine Corps under the MECS2 program. The deal, awarded by the Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office, retains Viasat after it won a recompete, despite...
Swift Reboost Mission Completes Environmental Tests
NASA and Katalyst Space announced that the Link spacecraft, built to grapple and re‑boost the aging Swift gamma‑ray observatory, has cleared a full suite of environmental tests at Goddard. The tests included launch‑vibration, thermal‑vacuum cycling, robotic‑arm deployment and electric‑thruster firings....
Rocket Lab Announces Large Launch Contract and Plans to Acquire Space Robotics Company
Rocket Lab announced its largest ever launch contract, securing five Neutron and Electron missions for a confidential customer between 2026 and 2029. The deal exceeds the previous $190 million record, underscoring rising demand for the company’s medium‑lift capabilities. Rocket Lab also...
Lunar Outpost Raises $30 Million
Colorado‑based Lunar Outpost announced a $30 million oversubscribed Series B round, led by Industrious Ventures, to revamp its rover lineup for NASA’s Artemis program. The company is developing a new Pegasus rover, leveraging 72 % of its Eagle design, to meet NASA’s revised...
Rocket Lab Joins Raytheon on Space Interceptor Program for Golden Dome
Rocket Lab announced a partnership with Raytheon to develop technologies for the U.S. Space Force’s space‑based interceptor program, a core element of the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile‑defense architecture. The effort uses Other Transaction agreements that shift upfront funding risk to...
Redwire Pursues Opportunities in Landers and Power Systems for NASA’s Moon Base Plans
Redwire is refocusing on lunar landers and power systems after NASA signaled a steady cadence of moon‑base landings. The company, a CLPS contract holder through its Deep Space Systems acquisition, has yet to win a task order but sees a...
Military Space Boom Meets Beltway Friction
Washington plans to more than double the Space Force budget to over $71 billion in FY2027, marking the largest peacetime infusion of funds into U.S. military space. While the budget promises a wave of contracts for satellite makers and launch firms,...
Roadmap for a Space-to-Space Economy
The space industry’s growth is now limited by orbital congestion rather than launch capacity, as low‑Earth‑orbit satellites double every two years. This bottleneck drives up propellant use, shortens mission lifespans, and raises costs. Analysts propose a space‑to‑space (S2S) economy built...
Odin Space Opens U.S. Office in Los Angeles
Odin Space, a British startup that maps sub‑centimeter orbital debris, announced the opening of its first U.S. office in Los Angeles, led by former Iceye CEO Jerry Welsh. The office will serve commercial and government satellite operators needing data on debris...
Anthropic to Consider Using SpaceX Orbital Data Center Satellites
Anthropic announced it will purchase the entire capacity of SpaceX’s new Colossus 1 terrestrial data center, delivering more than 300 MW of compute power for its Claude AI suite. The agreement also gives Anthropic early access to SpaceX’s planned orbital data‑center satellites,...
Starfighters Hires Blue Origin Veterans to Accelerate Air-Launch Platform
Starfighters Space has recruited two former Blue Origin New Glenn managers—Jose Arias as vice president of space operations and Catrina Medeiros as director of operations for its Starlaunch air‑launch service. Arias previously cut integration cycle time from 76 to 13...
Skyroot Raises $60 Million Ahead of First Orbital Launch Attempt
Skyroot Aerospace raised $60 million in a Series round that values the Hyderabad‑based startup at $1.1 billion, making it India’s first space unicorn. The funding, co‑led by Sherpalo Ventures and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, also includes BlackRock and will finance the...
Speed Tops Price in National Security Contracting Decisions
U.S. Space Force officials now treat speed as a strategic requirement, reshaping national‑security space contracting. Agencies are pushing for delivery timelines half as long as a year, even if it means compromising on cost or some technical specs. Contractors must...
NRO Taps EarthDaily, Iceye, Pixxel to Expand Commercial Data Pipeline
The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office announced contracts with EarthDaily Analytics, Iceye and Pixxel under its Commercial Solutions Opening program to integrate commercial Earth observation data into intelligence missions. The agreements will progress through modeling, simulation and on‑orbit evaluation phases to...
NATO Governance Policies Need Updating
At the GEOINT Symposium, NATO deputy assistant secretary general for intelligence Maj. Gen. Paul Lynch warned that the alliance’s governance policies must be modernized to fully exploit commercial geospatial intelligence. He noted that the Ukraine war proved rapid fusion of satellite...
Tech Firms Partner up to Push Intelligence Processing Closer to the Battlefield
A coalition of defense and technology firms, led by DeNovo Solutions, has launched Coalition Edge to bring commercial satellite imagery and geospatial intelligence directly to forward‑deployed units. The partnership combines edge‑computing hardware from Nvidia and HPE, AI analytics from GRVTY,...
Global Smallsat Deployment Accelerates, with 16,900 Satellites Projected Through 2035
Novaspace’s 11th Prospects for the Small Satellite Market report projects 16,900 small satellites (under 500 kg) to be launched between 2026 and 2035, averaging about 230 tons of hardware per year. Smallsats will account for roughly one‑third of all launches yet only...
DARPA Chief Says Agency Must Harness Commercial Space Boom
DARPA director Stephen Winchell announced a strategic shift to treat the agency’s space portfolio as a bridge to the booming commercial market, leveraging private‑sector advances in launch, satellite manufacturing, and on‑orbit services. The agency will use its flexible contracting and...