Apex Space Emerges from Stealth with a16z-Led $7.5M Seed Round
Apex, an LA-based satellite developer, emerged from stealth today with $7.5M+ in funding. Andreessen Horowitz led the round, with participation from XYZ, J2, Lux Capital, and Village Global. The name of the game Apex aims to manufacture satellite buses in the 100-kilogram class that can support ~100 kgs of payload. It aims to sell Aries,…
CONFERS Highlights: Policy, Transparency, and Future Plans
Government officials and industry gathered just outside DC last week at the CONFERS Global Satellite Servicing Forum to brainstorm solutions for challenges facing the satellite servicing industry. CONFERS = the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations, an industry group with 60+ members that started in 2017. Here’s a dispatch from the two-day conference…
Credit Suisse Initiates Aerospace & Defense (A&D) Coverage
Credit Suisse has initiated coverage of the aerospace & defense (A&D) industry. In an analyst note issued on Oct. 11 and seen by Payload, the bank writes that the two should not be viewed in the same light, and that “A” and “D” are a zero-sum game. “From 1940 to 2017, these two sectors worked…
Lockheed Martin Holds “Destination: Space 2050” Event in DC
Advanced tech can only do as much as the policies that regulate it allow, Lockheed Martin’s space chief said Thursday at an event to sell Washington officials on the moon habitats, in-space manufacturing, and smart cities that the company predicts will be commonplace by 2050. “The goal really is to start a dialogue and think…
Ariane 6 Debut Slips to 2023
The debut of Europe’s Ariane 6 launch vehicle has slipped to Q4 of 2023—a timeframe that remains provisional. According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, the launch date will be contingent on the completion of three key milestones by Q1 2023: Completing the upper stage hot fire test campaign that began earlier this month. Commencing…
SpaceX’s ’22 Revenues: A Reformed Wall Street Analyst’s Best Guess
A common question we get here at Payload is how much money SpaceX is making. Unfortunately—but unsurprisingly—SpaceX doesn’t break out any annual revenue data from launch or Starlink, its two core verticals. But that didn’t stop us. We’ve decided to give it our best shot and estimate what SpaceX’s 2022 revenues will look like. All…
Space Capital Releases Q3 Investment Report
Space Capital has released its quarterly report on investment in the space industry. In the third quarter of 2022, investors injected $3.4B into 79 individual space companies, broadly defined across infrastructure, distribution, and applications. Infrastructure It comes as no surprise that SpaceX takes the cake in capital raised over Q3 with its $1.9B Series R.…
A Q+A with Vast Founder Jed McCaleb
Earlier this year, Vast emerged from stealth with a bold goal: to build the world’s (or solar system’s?) first artificial-gravity space station. The benefit of such a design, the El Segundo startup argues, is that it would offer “a healthier environment for long-term stays in space.” It’s still early days, but the thinking is that…
Launcher Announces Successful E-2 Engine Test
Launcher added a new accolade to its resume this week: a successful test of the highest-performing kerosene rocket engine turbopump ever made in the USA. The two-minute test, which you can see for yourself on Youtube, happened last month at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The results, which met or exceeded all goals over the course…
Orbex Secures £40.4M in Series C Funding
Orbex announced earlier today that it had successfully closed a £40.4M ($46.3M) Series C funding round. This latest round of funding pushes the company’s total funding to date past $100 million, making it one of the most well-funded launch startups in Europe. Road to $100+ million July 2018: £30M (approximately $33.8M) funding round that included…
Pathfinder #0021, with Ryan Duffy (Opposite Day Edition)
Today is Opposite Day at Pathfinder. Rather than interview someone, Ryan himself is sitting down in the hot seat to take an hour’s worth of questions. Our guest host is cofounder Mo Islam. Though he’s Ryan’s coworker, he’s also his boss and a fair, unsparing interviewer. Pathfinder #0021 is brought to you by Spaced Ventures,…
White House Releases National Security Strategy Report
The Biden administration’s National Security Strategy highlights America’s exploration goals and economic opportunities in orbit, but some critics say it misses the mark on national security and largely ignores threats in orbit. The 48-page, unclassified document released last week has one paragraph dedicated to America’s space ambitions, including a pledge to lead the way in…
