TechStars LA Announces September Cohort
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…
Harris Convenes Second Space Council Meeting
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…
FCC Considers Shortening Deorbit Deadline
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…
A New Kind of Galaxy Death
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…
A Q+A with Albedo’s Topher Haddad
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…
iPhone 14 to Get Satellite Capabilities for SOS Feature
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 (YC W21) Raises $48 Million
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…
Pathfinder #0015, featuring Kelly Larson
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 Raises $51M Series B
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…
Scotland Releases Space Sustainability Roadmap
Scotland’s space program is making moves to encourage a more sustainable approach to spaceflight. Space Scotland has published a roadmap to grow its space sector in a sustainable way through strategically funding greener space technologies. The ultimate goal: reaching net zero emissions and space debris neutrality by 2045. Scotland in space: The country’s space initiatives…
Orbit Fab Announces In-Space Refueling Prices
Prices at the pump may have cooled off and started coming down here on Earth, but topping off the tank in geostationary (GEO) orbit will still cost you a pretty penny. How much? Orbit Fab has announced a flat rate price of $20M for hydrazine fill-ups in GEO, which it aims to start in 2025.…
Yuri Hitches a Ride on Dream Chaser
yuri’s ScienceTaxi will fly to the ISS on Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser in 2024, the companies recently announced. Confused? OK, OK…we’ll break it down piece by piece. Founded in 2019, yuri (the lower-case Y being the company’s preference) is developing the ScienceTaxi incubator for cost-effective access to microgravity research opportunities. The German space biotech startup…
