Author: starpathwp-production
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NASA concludes MAVEN mission at Mars, uses data to discover new atmospheric phenomenon
Following a six-month battle to regain communication with its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft around Mars, NASA announced the conclusion of the MAVEN mission on June 3rd. The mission, which launched to the red planet in 2013, studied the Martian atmosphere and its evolution for 11 years — over a decade longer than…
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Space unicorns multiply as 14 startups cross $1B valuation mark
How many space companies are now worth over $1 billion? Fourteen space companies have crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold as of mid-2026, marking a 250% increase from four unicorns in 2022. The latest additions include orbital manufacturing pioneer Varda Space Industries at $1.2 billion and space domain awareness specialist True Anomaly at $1.1 billion,…
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SpaceX launches 2 Starshield satellites during Saturday night Starlink mission
A partial view of a SpaceX Starshield satellite in low Earth orbit. Image: SpaceX Update June 7, 12:50 a.m. EDT (0450 UTC): SpaceX landed the booster on the drone ship. SpaceX launched a combination of 21 Starlink and two Starshield satellites on Saturday night from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Starshield is an alternate version of…
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The saga of the International Space Station air leak took a worrying turn Friday
Five of the seven crew members on the International Space Station briefly sought refuge inside a SpaceX return capsule Friday morning as two Russian cosmonauts worked on an air leak on the other end of the complex. NASA ordered US astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev…
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Planet Labs Secures Expanded NGA Contract for AI-Enabled Maritime Intelligence Services
Planet Labs has received a $22 million contract option from the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to continue providing artificial intelligence-enabled geospatial analytics for military and government users. The award expands work that began under a $13 million contract issued last year through the NGA’s Luno B program, which uses unclassified commercial imagery and analytics…
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Apex Hits $2.3B Valuation With Latest Funding Raise
Satellite bus manufacturer Apex Space raised an additional $200 million in capital at a $2.3 billion valuation, the company announced Friday. This more than doubles the company’s valuation after it raised $200 million in September at a more than $1 billion valuation. The company plans to use the funding to expand its manufacturing facilities in Los…
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Safety officials finally have a good idea of what a big rocket explosion can do
Last week’s explosion of a New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida, was clearly a setback for Blue Origin and NASA, but it was a learning experience for safety officials looking to open up the spaceport to hundreds more launches per year. The launch base on Florida’s Space Coast is gearing up for a flurry…
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Infinite Orbits Selects Open Cosmos for ‘Tom & Jerry’ Satellite Inspection Mission
European space companies Infinite Orbits and Open Cosmos have partnered on a new satellite mission designed to demonstrate rendezvous, proximity and inspection operations in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The mission, dubbed “Tom & Jerry,” will involve two satellites that will perform a series of maneuvering and inspection activities after launch, which is currently targeted for mid-2027.…
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Eutelsat Signs Maritime Connectivity Agreement With Tototheo Global
Eutelsat has signed a new agreement with Cyprus-based connectivity provider Tototheo Global to expand the availability of its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services across maritime, enterprise and government markets. Under the partnership, Tototheo Global will deliver Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO connectivity services to maritime customers worldwide and support enterprise, civil government and military connectivity requirements in…
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The Exploration Company Tests Nyx Capsule Ahead of 2028 Mission
How Did The Exploration Company’s Nyx Capsule Perform in Drop Tests? The Exploration Company successfully completed a drop test of its Nyx cargo capsule, validating critical parachute systems ahead of a planned 2028 orbital demonstration mission. The test represents a key milestone for the European space logistics startup as it races to capture cargo delivery…