Firefly and Millennium Ready to Launch VICTUS NOX
The DoD wants rockets on deck to launch at a moment’s notice. Firefly is rising to the challenge. The startup announced yesterday that it is officially on standby to launch the VICTUS NOX tactically responsive mission for US Space Systems Command (SSC). The Texas-based launcher and Millennium Space Systems, the payload provider for the mission,…
Starfish Breaks Otter Pup’s Death Spiral
Otter Pup is back, baby. The spacecraft from Starfish Space tumbled through space for about six weeks after an emergency deployment from Launcher’s Orbiter craft in June. Yesterday, the Seattle-based startup announced that the craft is finally stabilized. “Less than two months after being deployed with rotation rates 100 times greater than normal operating conditions,…
GITAI Raises an Additional $15M of Funding
Space robotics startup GITAI announced yesterday it had raised an additional $15M of funding, bringing its total Series B extension round to $45M after securing $30M in May. The funding for the Japan-based company—which included equity from Green Co-Invest, Pacific Bays Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, and a MUFG Bank loan—will be used to expand its…
Hiding In Plain Sight
The UAP craze that enveloped DC this summer has officially gone mainstream. At last week’s Republican presidential primary debate, Chris Christie fielded a question about whether he would be honest about the existence of aliens if he’s elected to the nation’s highest office. “The job of the president of the United States is to level…
SpiderOak Demonstrates Cybersecurity on the ISS
SpiderOak demoed its OrbitSecure cybersecurity platform aboard the ISS last month, the company announced this morning, setting the stage for a future in which data can be securely shared in space by civil and defense customers. The demo used an AWS Snowcone edge computing platform supplied by Axiom Space, and involved transmitting data back and…
Viasat’s I6 F2 Satellite Malfunctions
A Viasat ($VSAT) communications satellite has malfunctioned, the company announced Thursday, marking the second such failure within the span of a month. This time, the issue is with a new member of the Inmarsat fleet, which Viasat acquired in May. The I6 F2 satellite launched in February as a backup, providing spare L-band and Ka-band…
Rocket Lab Aims to Launch Electron with Nine Reusable Engines
For Rocket Lab ($RKLB), the well-worn proverb is proving true: Everything old is new again. The startup is planning to launch its Electron rocket with only reused engines on a future mission TBD, the company’s CEO Peter Beck said Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter. Beck announced the first stage full reusability goal just…
A Management Masterclass, with Chris Celtruda
Today’s Pathfinder episode features Chris Celtruda, CEO of Valence Surface Technologies and Operating Executive at ATL Partners. With over 30 years of leadership experience, Chris offers a masterclass on scaling aerospace & defense businesses and implementing successful management styles. In addition, Mo and Chris chat: And much more… Check out Pathfinder #0065 on…YouTube, Apple, Spotify,…
SCOUT Acquires Space Security Company Free Space
SCOUT Space’s relationship with the DoD is about to get a boost. The space safety and observation company announced on Thursday it acquired space security startup Free Space Inc. The move will enable SCOUT Space to strengthen its relationship with the DoD as well as the intelligence industry. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. …
DOJ Sues SpaceX for Hiring Practices
The DOJ unveiled a lawsuit against SpaceX on Thursday, claiming the launch giant discriminated against refugees and asylees in its hiring practices. “Through this lawsuit, we will hold SpaceX accountable for its illegal employment practices and seek relief that allows asylees and refugees to fairly compete for job opportunities and contribute their talents to SpaceX’s…
India’s Lunar Landing Sends its Space Stocks Soaring
Yesterday’s successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing sparked a wave of national pride and enthusiasm across India. The country’s fervor for space has spilled over into its stock market, where its space stocks are surging. While India hasn’t caught the space pure-play SPAC bug like the US, it has several prominent publicly traded industrial companies that have…
South Africa Partners with China on Lunar Base
China and South Africa have agreed to partner on space initiatives for the first time. During a meeting of BRICS nation leaders—a group consisting of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa—Chinese President Xi Jinping signed two agreements with South Africa to collaborate on space-related projects. According to Chinese state media agency Xinhua News, one of…
