Tag: North America
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Musk Weighs Options to Consolidate SpaceX With Tesla or xAI, Sources Say
Elon Musk has held internal discussions about potentially consolidating parts of his business empire, including exploring whether SpaceX could merge with Tesla or absorb his artificial intelligence startup xAI, according to company filings and sources cited by Reuters and Bloomberg. SpaceX has evaluated the feasibility of a combination with Tesla, an idea that some investors…
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GAO Warns SDA Missile-Tracking Satellite Program Faces Capability and Cost Risks
The Space Development Agency’s effort to deploy a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites for missile warning and tracking is at risk of falling short of its goals and operational requirements, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office released on Thursday. The report, covering the period from October 2023 to January 2026,…
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China Eyes Space-Based AI Data Centres, Setting Up Rivalry With SpaceX
China plans to deploy space-based artificial intelligence data centres within the next five years, state media reported, as Beijing steps up efforts to combine space technology and advanced computing in a move that could directly challenge initiatives outlined by SpaceX. China’s main space contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), said it will work…
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Space-Focused SPAC SAAC Prices $200 Million IPO, Targets Technology and Defense Deals
Space Asset Acquisition Corp. has priced its initial public offering at $200 million, positioning the newly formed blank-check company to pursue acquisitions in the global space economy, with a particular focus on technology and defense-related businesses. The special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, sold 20 million units at $10 each and is set to begin…
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SpaceX Launches Jam-Resistant GPS III Satellite for U.S. Space Force
SpaceX on Tuesday night launched an advanced, jam-resistant GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force, marking the company’s fastest turnaround to date for a national security mission. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III-SV09 spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:53 p.m. EST (0453 GMT on Jan. 28), following a…
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FAA Warns Airlines to Plan for Rising Risks From Space Launch Debris
Commercial airlines should plan for an increased risk from space launch and reentry activity, including rare but potentially serious debris events, the Federal Aviation Administration said in guidance issued earlier this month, as the pace of spaceflight accelerates. In a Safety Alert for Operators, SAFO 26001, the FAA advised carriers and flight crews to prepare…
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SpaceX Weighs Mid-2026 IPO at Valuation of About $1.5 Trillion, FT Reports
SpaceX, the rocket and satellite company founded by Elon Musk, is weighing a possible initial public offering as early as mid-June 2026 that could raise up to $50 billion and value the company at around $1.5 trillion, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. If completed at that scale, the…
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NASA Review Finds PlanetiQ Satellite Weather Data Exceeds Benchmarks
U.S. space agency NASA has completed a one-year independent evaluation of commercial radio occultation data from satellite weather company PlanetiQ, concluding that the firm’s products meet or exceed key performance claims and deliver capabilities not matched by other providers, the company said on Wednesday. The assessment was conducted under NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA)…
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U.S. Space Force Nears Contractor Decisions for RG-XX GEO Surveillance Satellites
The U.S. Space Force expects to select contractors by March 2026 for its Geosynchronous Reconnaissance & Surveillance (RG-XX) program, a new generation of satellites aimed at improving monitoring of objects and potential threats in geostationary orbit, program officials said. The RG-XX effort is designed as a “proliferated” constellation, relying on a larger number of commercially…
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Northwood Space Raises $100 Million in Series B to Scale Ground Systems for Growing Orbital Missions
Northwood Space has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round to expand its ground-based space infrastructure, positioning the company to support a growing number of complex missions in orbit, it said on Wednesday. The round was co-led by Washington Harbour Partners and Andreessen Horowitz, commonly known as a16z, with participation from Alpine Space…