Inside the Comms Tech Headed to the Moon
As the world prepares for the return of crewed missions to the Moon, space agencies are teaming up with the commercial sector to help future missions communicate and navigate the lunar surface.
The Hottest Trend in Space Is A Defense Pivot
“If I had a nickel for every space company that pivoted to national security, well, I wouldn’t need to raise another round,” one spacetech founder mulling that exact strategy told Payload this week.
AST SpaceMobile Announces $400M Convertible Notes Raise
AST SpaceMobile is raising $400M through convertible notes to continue building out its BlueBird constellation, the company announced on Wednesday.
Spaceium Closes $6.3M Seed Round
Spaceium, an in-orbit refueling service, raised a $6.3M seed round led by Initialized Capital with participation from 15 additional VC firms and angel investors. The Y-Combinator-backed startup plans to use the funding to demonstrate its refueling technology in orbit and expand its team. “Fuel for spacecraft is a massive bottleneck in the industry,” Spaceium CEO…
Blue Abyss Partners with NASA on Astronaut Training Facility
“Expect a modern, commercial, exciting venue that offers all the ingredients necessary to take people off the street…and get them ready to go into space.”
South Korean Space Agency Unveils R&D Budget Boost
The second budget from the Korea AeroSpace Administration, which was established in May, will increase R&D spending by a whopping 43.3%.
US Launches 122 Defense Payloads in 2024, Europe Launches 1
The US launched 122 defense payloads in 2024, surging 184% YoY, according to data compiled by astronomer Jonathan McDowell. The upswing was driven by the National Reconnaissance Office’s deployment of 106 SpaceX and Northrop-built Starshield remote sensing recon satellites.
Redwire Plans To Buy UAS Builder to Further NatSec Biz
Redwire intends to acquire Edge Autonomy, an uncrewed airborne system builder (UAS), to boost its ability to offer national security customers a suite of interconnected platforms across domains.
Finland Joins the Artemis Accords
Finland’s addition to the group signals its commitment to the West’s strategy of beefing up its defense posture in space.
Trump’s First 100 Days of Space Policy
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”
Hadrian’s Plan to Fix Space Manufacturing
The new tool combines a vetted supplier network with supply chain management and DFM (design for manufacturing) software, providing startups with a single point of contact for their entire supply chain.
India Docks Two Satellites In Orbit
The mission is a significant step towards India’s pursuit of its aggressive space goals, including servicing satellites, transferring Moon samples between spacecraft for return to Earth, and assembling its space station in orbit.
