Kuiper Launches First Production Internet Satellites
Amazon’s long-awaited Starlink competitor finally has a toehold in orbit.
Radian Plans Re-entry Vehicle For Hypersonic Tests
Radian Aerospace said it will build a hypersonic reentry vehicle to generate cash, and support the development of its sled-launched single-stage-to-orbit rocketplane.
Apex Raises $200M Series C
“Demand has increased more than production capacity has,” CEO Ian Cinnamon told Payload. “This allows us to vertically integrate faster, and buy more parts ahead of time and stock inventory.”
Tumbling Russian Sat Highlights Counterspace Threat
A prototype anti-sat weapon Russia launched into orbit in 2022 is tumbling out of control, according to commercial SSA companies who spotted it. That’s a sign the spacecraft is no longer functional.
China Shares Moon Rocks, Steps Up Space Collaboration
China announced that it will share lunar samples with international researchers and fly other nations’ payloads aboard future Moon and Mars missions—a giant leap for Beijing’s space diplomacy efforts.
Axiom Space Goes In-House For New CEO Bhatia
Axiom chief revenue officer Tejpaul Bhatia will be the space station company’s new CEO, the company announced Friday afternoon.
SpaceX’s Spectrum Surveillance Ups Ante in FCC Fight
SpaceX called out rival Echostar for allegedly failing to meet deployment requirements for radio spectrum in the 2 GHz band, using novel evidence: A spectrum analysis performed by a Starlink satellite.
Europe’s New Spacecraft to Map World’s Forests in 3D
Europe will launch a satellite to map the world’s forests in 3D, to hunt down illegal logging and track climate change by mapping how forests store carbon.
Katalyst Acquires OTV Startup Atomos
Katalyst acquired Atomos in a bid to grow its in-space servicing business, the companies announced today.
Lockheed Martin Invests $2M in Farcast
Farcast’s technology aims to increase the US military’s satcom connectivity, especially for highly mobile troops. The company’s main competitive advantage, however, may lie in its high-quality user terminals produced at low cost.
Northwood Raises $30M Series A
Alpine Space Ventures and a16z led the round, which also included participation from Also Capital, Founders Fund, and Stepstone.
Iridium Is Fighting Starlink and Trump’s Tariffs
Despite beating market expectations with first quarter revenue growth of 5% year-on-year, Iridium’s stock fell nearly 7% in the face of competition and trade wars.
