Startups
Stories about the new players changing the space game.
RATLOG Wants to Cut ~90% of a Rocket Engine’s Parts
The heavy-lift rocket startup debuted on Y Combinator as part of the Fall 2026 batch.
Seraphim Space Investment Trust Doubled its Value in 2026
Seraphim’s major holdings—ICEYE, ALL.SPACE, D-Orbit, HawkEye 360, and Xona Space Systems, which together represent more than 75% of the firm’s portfolio—all had a great year, and that success has trickled upwards.
Exclusive: In Orbit Aerospace Pivots From Re-entry Vehicles to Spacecraft Autonomy
In Orbit has won new government contracts for its onboard AI system, which the company says can run a spacecraft’s operations without waiting on ground control.
Reflect Orbital Buys Two Skyroot Aerospace Launches
Reflect Orbital announced the purchase of two launches today from Indian launcher Skyroot Aerospace.
Fortastra Raises $30M Series A to Fund its Next Security Spacecraft
The US military has weapons in space, and—with the orbital arsenal expanding—security is becoming a top priority.
Exclusive: Xona Ramps Up Production Ahead of Pulsar Launch
With FCC approval in hand and six sats ready for the pad, Xona is turning to its next challenge: building the next 250.
ArbaLabs Launches AI Verification Demo On South Korea’s Nuri Rocket
“In short, tons of companies are looking at the latest and greatest physical AI deployments,” ArbaLabs CEO Ashley Reeves told Payload. “Nobody is really thinking about putting some checks and balances on what these AI models are doing.”
Nebex Partners with Thrusters Unlimited to Unlock $700M for Mexico’s Space Ecosystem
The capital will fund EO, telecoms and other strategic capabilities, according to Nebex.
Satlyt Raises $8M Seed to Expand Its Virtual ODC Network
Satlyt was founded in 2024 by Afullo, an alum of SpaceX and Google who spent years trying to convince both companies to invest in in-space edge computing opportunities.
Foundational Raises £8.2M for Satellite Laser Ranging
Foundational emerged from stealth today with Europe’s largest space tech pre-seed round.
Space Insurer Charter Space Raises $5M Seed Round
You can bundle your home and auto insurance with the click of a button, but covering your spacecraft has traditionally been a little trickier.
Exclusive: Hop Aero Raises $11M for Suborbital Point-to-Point Delivery
The suborbital point-to-point logistics company announced $11M in funding today following its participation in the summer Y Combinator batch.
Blackswan Space Raises €2.5M Seed to Fund RPO Kit Demo
The round comes as Blackswan gears up for its first in-orbit mission of its RPO Kit payload.
