Tag: satellite manufacturing
-
Open Cosmos Raises $348 Million, Reaches $1 Billion Valuation
UK-based satellite manufacturer and operator Open Cosmos closed a €300 million ($348 million) Series C round on September 14, 2026, lifting its valuation above $1 billion and making it Europe’s newest space unicorn. The company plans to use the capital to expand satellite production, ground infrastructure and its proprietary Earth observation and broadband constellations for…
-
Elveo Selects Apex to Establish Production for 320-Satellite D2D Network
Elveo Mobile has selected Apex to help establish a dedicated U.S. factory for its planned 320-satellite low-Earth-orbit direct-to-device constellation, the companies announced September 14. The partnership will use Apex’s Factory X model to transfer spacecraft-platform technology and high-rate manufacturing expertise to an Elveo-controlled production operation. Under the agreement, Apex will supply productized spacecraft platforms and…
-
MDA Space Introduces Aurora Black Satellite Platform for Secure Military Communications
MDA Space introduced MDA Aurora Black on September 10, 2026, extending its software-defined Aurora satellite product line into the defence market with anti-jamming, GPS spoofing resistance and proximity-monitoring capabilities intended to protect military communications in contested environments. The defence-focused configuration is available across MDA Space’s Aurora broadband and direct-to-device product lines. It combines the existing…
-
Royal Group of Abu Dhabi Backs $1 Billion Expansion of Altair AI Imaging Constellation to 50 Satellites
Loft Orbital and UAE-based Marlan Space announced on September 9 a $1 billion commitment led by the Royal Group of Abu Dhabi to expand the Altair Earth observation constellation from 10 to 50 satellites. The spacecraft will combine optical and synthetic aperture radar imaging with onboard artificial intelligence, serving government and commercial customers in the…
-
ISRO Rejects Privatisation Concerns as India Expands Private-Sector Role in Space
The Indian Space Research Organisation said on September 6 that it will neither be privatised nor lose its central role in India’s space programme, clarifying that the government’s private-sector reforms are intended to shift mature, scalable activities to industry while allowing ISRO to concentrate on advanced research, strategic missions and exploration. The statement followed concerns…
-
Rocket Lab Releases Germanium-Free IMM Apex Space Solar Cell With 31.5% Efficiency
Rocket Lab released its IMM Apex space solar cell for production on September 8, offering a Beginning of Life conversion efficiency of 31.5% while eliminating the germanium substrate used in conventional multi-junction cells. The company said the product is 40% lighter than comparable cells and is intended to reduce satellite manufacturers’ exposure to rising germanium…
-
SpaceX Expands Starbase as Flight 14 Vehicles Complete Testing
SpaceX is expanding assembly, testing and launch infrastructure across Starbase, Texas, as Ship 41 and Booster 21 move through final checkout for Starship Flight 14. Recent aerial imagery shows simultaneous work at Massey’s test site, the Gigabay assembly building and both orbital launch pads, while hardware for Flight 15 and later vehicles is already entering…
-
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…
-
Cowboy Space Takes 291,035-Square-Foot Seattle-Area Site for Orbital Data Center and Rocket Production
Cowboy Space has leased a 291,035-square-foot industrial facility in Kent, Washington, to manufacture rockets and spacecraft for its proposed Stampede orbital AI data center constellation, giving the California-based startup a large production base near Seattle’s established aerospace workforce. Newmark, which arranged the transaction for landlord CenterPoint Properties, said the agreement is the largest industrial lease…
-
Pentagon Plans 50 Secure Facilities to Help Space Startups Become National Security Suppliers
The Pentagon announced on September 3 a plan to deploy approximately 50 mobile Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities across the United States, lowering a barrier that prevents smaller companies—including commercial space startups—from competing for classified defense work. The Secure Space Network will provide accredited workspaces and related information systems where authorized companies can collaborate with government…