In an attempt to get as many space operators communicating on the same platform as possible to lower collision risks in space, Slingshot Aerospace today announced that it plans to offer a version of its Beacon space situational awareness (SSA) platform for free. “We just feel a grand responsibility here, since we do have the […]
Last week, Miami-based Countdown Capital announced that it had closed a $15M Fund II. Started in late 2020 by Jai Malik, Countdown backs hard tech startups looking to “rebuild the American industrial base.” The firm invests at the pre-seed stage and often writes the first check. Malik is the founder and a solo GP of […]
These days, the satellite sector is hard-pressed to go a single week without fresh multibillion-dollar megamerger speculation or new household names (ahem, Apple, T-Mobile) jumping into the fray. That’s why we’re thrilled to have locked down Caleb Henry as today’s Pathfinder guest. He joins us this week to help make sense of the industry madness, […]
TechStars LA has announced its September cohort. This year, seven of the twelve total companies joining the startup accelerator hail from aerospace. TechStars: The startup accelerator began in 2019 with the vision of connecting the innovative technology developing as part of the growing new aerospace industry in LA with the DoD. “I saw an opportunity […]
On Friday, US Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about US off-Earth policy as she convened the second meeting of the US National Space Council (NSpC). Broadly speaking, the Harris-led NsPC’s priorities are three-fold: Expanding America’s STEM workforce Using on-orbit assets to fight climate change Promoting international space-faring rules and norms Then and now…Speaking from Johnson […]
The FCC is cracking down on spent satellites left in LEO. In a draft report and order released yesterday, the commission revealed plans to cut the post-mission disposal time from the currently recommended 25 years to five years. The growing debris problem: The DoD’s Space Surveillance Network currently tracks ~27,000 pieces of debris larger than […]
This is the way a galaxy dies. Not with a bang but a whimper. Or, at least, that’s the case for a galaxy identified in a paper released last week. The study challenges the conventional wisdom that galaxy death—which happens when galaxies stop forming new stars—occurs alongside major cosmic events like supernovae or black hole […]
Albedo Space recently announced that it has closed a $48M Series A round, co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Shield Capital. The startup also has other heavyweights on its cap table, such as Y Combinator, Initialized Capital, and Joe Montana. (Happy NFL Kickoff day to all who celebrate.) Albedo’s spiel The Austin- and Denver-based startup […]
Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 on Wednesday and it turns out the rumors were true. The Cupertino consumer device giant will add satellite connectivity into the next generation of its best-selling product. As one satellite industry executive put it to us, “this was the worst kept secret in the industry.” Now, the cat is out of […]
Albedo has announced a $48M Series A raise, in a round co-led by Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Silicon Valley-based Shield Capital. The Austin- and Denver-HQ’d satellite startup has now raised $58M, less than two years since its founding. Complementing Albedo’s big ol’ round is a padded out cap table. The startup is a […]
We have a rare Wednesday release of the Pathfinder podcast, but we promise the wait was worth it. Joining us today is Kelly Larson, who’s the CEO of Aquarian Space. The Boulder, Colorado startup is building “internet for the solar system.” Or, to get a bit more technical, Aquarian is developing a communications network for […]
Skyroot Aerospace has raised $51M in a Series B round led by GIC, a global investment firm based in Singapore. This is the largest funding round in the Indian private space sector to date. The company raised an $11M Series A in 2021. The launch startup is developing India’s first private launch vehicle and was […]
