Commercial
Next Starliner test flights slips to late summer
Boeing said April 17 that the next test flight of its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle won’t take place until at least August, confirming a lengthy delay widely expected because of the schedule of other launches and International Space Station missions.
NASA selects SpaceX to develop crewed lunar lander
NASA has selected SpaceX as the sole company to win a contract to develop and demonstrate a crewed lunar lander, while keeping the door open for others to compete for future missions.
Larger late-stage deals dominating space investment landscape
Private investors deployed another $1.9 billion in SpaceX, OneWeb and other space infrastructure companies in the first three months of 2021, according to data from New York-based Space Capital.
LeoLabs adding new services to support growing space activity in low Earth orbit
LeoLabs is adding more sensors and data processing capacity to its network in preparation for a surge in satellites launches.
Top EU court rejects European Aviation Network challenge, but legal action continues
Inmarsat’s competitors have vowed to continue pursuing legal action to block its hybrid satellite and cellular European Aviation Network (EAN), after the European Union’s highest court rejected their challenge.
Consortium unveils greenhouse gas monitoring constellation Carbon Mapper
A consortium led by the State of California, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Planet announced plans April 15 for a constellation of hyperspectral satellites to pinpoint, quantify and track point sources of methane and carbon dioxide.
Iceye establishes U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Irvine, California
Iceye has established a satellite manufacturing facility, research and development laboratory, and mission operations center for U.S.-licensed spacecraft at its new Iceye US headquarters in Irvine, California.
SpaceX adds to latest funding round
SpaceX has added more than $300 million to a fundraising round announced earlier this year to support continued work on its Starship launch system and Starlink satellite constellation.
Blue Origin aces dress rehearsal for New Shepard crewed flights
Blue Origin completed another test flight of its New Shepard vehicle April 14, putting the company on the verge of finally flying people.
Astranis secures $250 million to accelerate small GEO satellite development
Astranis, a startup developing small geostationary satellites, has raised $250 million in a funding round that values the company at $1.4 billion.
Telesat raising $500 million in debt for Lightspeed broadband network
Canadian satellite operator Telesat plans to raise $500 million with a bond to help fund its $5 billion Lightspeed broadband constellation.
Sierra Nevada Corporation to spin off space division
Sierra Nevada Corp. will spin off its space division into a separate company, a move reflecting the “historic growth” it foresees for that business in the next several years.
HawkEye 360 raises $55 million
HawkEye 360 has raised $55 million in additional funding that the company says will allow it to complete its constellation of satellites that track ships and vehicles by their radio-frequency emissions.
York Space Systems automates ground system operations
York Space Systems has learned a lot from operating its first production-model spacecraft in orbit for two years. The biggest takeaway, though, has been the need to automate satellite handling on the ground.
Korea Aerospace Industries to invest $880 million to expand space business
Space will command nearly 45 percent of the $1.9 billion Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has set aside for a broader five-year growth plan.
Astrobotic selects Falcon Heavy to launch NASA’s VIPER lunar rover
Astrobotic has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of its Griffin lunar lander, carrying a NASA lunar rover, on a Falcon Heavy in 2023.
