Tag: launch services
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NASA Adds Relativity Space’s Terran R to Launch Services Roster
NASA added Relativity Space’s Terran R rocket to its NASA Launch Services II contract on September 9, making the still-unflown vehicle eligible to compete for future agency launch orders. The award expands NASA’s pool of launch providers as Relativity prepares Terran R for its first flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in late 2026.…
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Gilmour Space, Hypersonix Partner on Australian Hypersonic Flight-Test Capability
Gilmour Space Technologies and Hypersonix signed an agreement in Canberra on September 8, 2026, to develop a sovereign Australian hypersonic flight-test capability for domestic, allied and commercial customers. The partnership combines Gilmour Space’s rocket propulsion, launch, mission integration and flight-test operations with Hypersonix’s scramjet engines and autonomous hypersonic aircraft. The two Queensland-based companies intend to…
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China Commercial Space Industry Monthly Report — August 2026
In August 2026, China and the United States continued to dominate the global launch market. The United States maintained its lead through the high-cadence reuse and launch operations of Falcon 9, while China saw parallel advances by both its state-owned space sector and commercial space companies. A total of 26 orbital launches were conducted worldwide…
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Shanghai Spacecom Secures $1.94 Billion Funding Round, Reaching $6.96 Billion Valuation as China Accelerates Starlink Rival
Chinese satellite internet operator Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), also known as SpaceSail, has completed a 7 billion yuan ($1.94 billion) Series B financing round, valuing the company at approximately 50.1 billion yuan ($6.96 billion). The funding marks one of the largest capital raises in China’s commercial satellite sector and underscores the country’s determination to…
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SpaceX Marks 100th Falcon Launch of 2026 with Starlink Group 15-20 Mission
SpaceX continued its record-setting launch pace on Aug. 22, successfully deploying 27 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission, designated Starlink Group 15-20, represented the company’s 100th Falcon-family launch of 2026 and further expanded the world’s largest satellite constellation. The Falcon…
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Portal Space Systems Buys Dedicated Falcon 9 Mission for Supernova Debut, Expands Rideshare Opportunities
Portal Space Systems has secured an entire SpaceX Falcon 9 launch for its first Supernova spacecraft mission, a move that gives the Washington-based company direct control over launch timing while creating new rideshare opportunities for other satellite operators. The company announced on Aug. 20 that Falcon 9 will launch its Motus Via Sol mission in…
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Agnikul Cosmos Signs MoU with ICEYE for India SAR Launch
Does Agnikul Cosmos’s ICEYE Partnership Signal India’s Serious Push Into SAR Intelligence? Indian launch startup Agnikul Cosmos has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICEYE, the Finnish-founded global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite manufacturer, to launch and operate SAR satellites from India. The two companies announced the deal at the Bharat Innovates summit in Nice,…
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Rocket Lab Completes Tenth Dedicated Synspective Launch
Rocket Lab has successfully launched another satellite for Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, completing the tenth dedicated Electron mission for the customer with a 100% mission success record. The mission, named “Ten Owl Of Ten,” lifted off aboard an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 5:43 a.m. NZST on 27 June…
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SpaceX Raises Record $75 Billion in Historic IPO, Reaches $1.77 Trillion Valuation
SpaceX has completed the largest initial public offering (IPO) in U.S. history, raising $75 billion and achieving a market valuation of approximately $1.77 trillion as the company prepares to begin trading on the Nasdaq. The offering was priced at $135 per share, with investors purchasing 555.56 million shares. The transaction surpasses the previous global IPO…
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Pentagon Eyes Vulcan Issues for Next Launch Competition
How Will Vulcan’s Reliability Issues Reshape Pentagon Launch Strategy? United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket faces its second grounding in less than two years, and a Space Force three-star general confirmed Tuesday that these reliability issues will “absolutely” influence the Pentagon’s next launch services competition. Despite a backlog of nearly 70 missions, Vulcan has completed just…