Business
Stories on space business, including company updates, funding announcements, and contract awards.
Isar Closes €155M Series C Funding Round
German launch startup Isar Aerospace has closed a €155M ($167.3M) Series C funding round. The company has now raised over €300M ($323.9M) and is fully funded up to and beyond its first flight. With this latest round of funding, Isar cements its position as the most well-funded European launch startup. The next most successful is…
Rosotics Unveils A New Kind of 3D Printer
Rosotics is on a mission to revolutionize additive manufacturing. This morning in Mesa, AZ, the 3D-printing startup will debut the first completed prototype of its Mantis printer—a huge, unfolding contraption capable of printing 45 kg of material per hour on the power from a standard 240V outlet. The first printers are marked for delivery in…
NRO Awards Six Hyperspectral Imaging Contracts
The National Reconnaissance Office on Wednesday awarded six companies study contracts for commercial hyperspectral imaging, which can detect changes in satellite images that would be invisible to the human eye. “We are operating the largest, most diverse, most capable overhead constellation in NRO’s history as we face increasingly complex threats in space and on the…
Virgin Orbit Nears Deal to Raise $200M From Texas Investor
In a story that nearly writes itself, a Texas investor is swooping in to save a troubled rocket company just as it was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Dallas-based VC Matthew Brown is set to invest $200M into Virgin Orbit ($VORB), a source told Payload. The news was first reported by Reuters on Wednesday. …
Terran Orbital Triples Revenue
Terran Orbital ($LLAP) saw sales triple in Q4 compared to the prior year, the company revealed Tuesday in fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial results. Terran Orbital’s Q4, by the numbers: Terran generated 2022 sales of $94.2M, driven by a record 19 satellite deliveries (10 were SDA/Lockheed birds). Rivada contract: Last month, Terran won the monster…
Deloitte Releases Report Predicting Industry Growth
This morning, Deloitte released a forecast on the potential for growth within the space industry. The report, which pairs market data with a survey of space industry leaders, is intended to give execs in other industries the background they need to incorporate space into their businesses. Bottom line upfront: “For space to grow, and fulfill…
Astra Requests an Extension to Avoid Nasdaq Delisting
Gravity may be a tough opponent, but it’s got nothing on the unrelenting forces of public markets. On Thursday, launch startup Astra ($ASTR) announced that it has requested additional time from Nasdaq to boost its share price and avoid a delisting. Astra’s road: Over the last couple of years, the Alameda, CA company has struggled…
Rivada Contracts Aalyria Spacetime for Network Coordination
Earlier this week, Rivada Space Networks announced that Aalyria will help manage and optimize communications across its planned LEO constellation. Aalyria emerged out of stealth late last year, with a trove of valuable IP it acquired from Google parent Alphabet. Rivada 101 Last year, Rivada announced itself to the world with a splashy plan to…
Axiom Reveals its AxEMU Lunar Spacesuits
For the first time in decades, NASA astronauts will soon get a wardrobe revamp. On Wednesday, Axiom unveiled the new spacesuit designs that will be worn on the Artemis III mission to the Moon. For those concerned about the colorway, the dark blue is just a fabric cover, and the final spacesuits will be all…
Amazon Announces Three Project Kuiper Terminals
Amazon unveiled three Project Kuiper terminal designs yesterday at Satellite 2023 in DC. Customers will use the antenna devices to connect users to Kuiper, Amazon’s planned LEO satellite internet network, starting in late 2024. Terminal lineup The Kuiper terminals incorporate proprietary antenna and baseband chip technology, and the e-commerce giant says it has already driven…
Pale Blue Flies Water-Based Thrusters in Space
Japanese startup Pale Blue announced that it successfully tested its water propulsion thrusters in space for the first time. The propulsion system, which is installed on Sony’s “EYE” satellite, operated for 2 minutes without hiccups. “Water propulsion has been well known to exist, but I think performance has been the big reason why people wrote…
Virgin Galactic Prepares for Return-to-Flight, Releases Q4 and FY 2022 Results
Virgin Galactic ($SPCE) released its Q4 and FY 2022 results Tuesday after the bell. The numbers show significant losses compared to 2021, but roughly in line with expectations. Virgin Galactic’s Q4, by the numbers: Virgin Galactic lost roughly half a billion dollars in 2022, up from 2021’s net loss of $353M. As of market close…
SpaceX Increases Rideshare Prices
For the second time in less than a year, SpaceX has adjusted pricing on rideshare launches and Starlink. Rideshare: The price tag of a Falcon 9 Transporter launch increased by 18%, from $5,500 per kg to $6,500 per kg. The hike comes after a 10% increase the previous year. Starlink: In an email to customers,…
