Payload Field Guide: NSSL

The Space Force added two new companies to its stable of launchers on July 8, bringing the military’s launch acquisition program to seven companies.

Top Reads
InternationalLEOSatcom

Japan Eyes Sovereign D2D Satellite Network

Japan plans to select a proposal this month for its domestically owned and operated D2D satellite network, called J-LEO. 

BusinessISAMStartups

SpaceX Starfall Demo Provides Validation for Reentry Startups

SpaceX ($SPCX) launched a demo mission of its Starfall reentry capsule yesterday, kicking off a new era of competition in the budding reentry sector.

BusinessLEOPolicy

Satellite Operators Launch Trade Association

Amazon, Globalstar, Iridium, and Canada’s Telesat joined together to establish the SpaceConnect Association for NGSO operators.

LaunchVC/PE

Blue Origin Seeks $10B at $130B Valuation, Reporting Shows

Blue Origin’s days as a Bezos-funded billion-dollar pet project are coming to an end.

LaunchStartupsVC/PE

Venus Aerospace Raises $91M Series B to Scale RDRE Production

The funding round is the latest in a string of news from RDRE engine companies, suggesting the more efficient rocket tech is having a moment in the industry. 

VC/PE

The Biggest Fundraises of H1 2026

This is a case where a rising rocket lifts all payloads, around the world.

StartupsTechnologyVC/PE

Sophia Space Raises $7M, Taps Apex for 2027 Demo Flight

The orbital-compute startup today announced new fundraising—as well as a demo flight with Apex. Both initiatives are aiming to position the company to begin deploying its edge compute hardware in-orbit.

CivilLunarMoon

NASA Praises Blue Origin’s Mishap Progress, Announces Moon Base Contracts

NASA said the vendors plan to fly “updated versions of already-flown lander designs” to try to meet the agency’s goal of monthly landings with NASA payloads.

Moon

Artemis III Astronauts Will Meet SpaceX, Blue Origin Landers in Earth Orbit

SpaceX and Blue Origin plan to each provide a lander for the 2027 mission to Earth orbit, which will serve as a test run for Moon landings starting as soon as the following year, NASA confirmed at a Tuesday event.

Launch

Blue Origin Commits to Return to Flight This Year

After assessing the damage to the launch pad and the surrounding infrastructure, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp posted on X that Blue Origin “will fly again before the end of this year.”

Business

Voyager Will Acquire Astrobotic

“With Astrobotic, Voyager is now a lunar platform that will have capability at every infrastructure layer needed to put Americans on the lunar surface and keep them there.”