SPACEHAUS · Commercial space intelligence
Commercial space news and intelligence for the week ending 2026-04-09.
Week ending
Apr 9 — Portal Space Systems closed a **$50 million** Series A funding round to accelerate development of its spacecraft and novel high-power rocket engine technology. The company is developing a 'fighter jet for orbit' with applications in missile defense and space-based computing.
Apr 9 — Starfish Space raised over **$100 million** in Series B funding to scale production of its Otter satellite servicing spacecraft business line.
Apr 9 — The U.S. Space Force selected **14 firms** for a **$1.8 billion** GEO surveillance program contract to enhance space domain awareness capabilities in geosynchronous orbit.
Apr 9 — Lockheed Martin won a **$105 million** contract for GPS ground control system work as the OCX program winds down, supporting next-generation GPS operations.
Apr 8 — Northrop Grumman was selected by Hungary's 4iG Space and Defense Technologies to build **HUGEO**, the nation's first communications satellite under a newly announced contract.
Apr 9 — ESA disclosed it spent **€82 million** to launch the Sentinel-1D Earth observation satellite aboard an Ariane 62 rocket in November 2025 as part of the Copernicus program.
Apr 8 — The FCC is set to vote later this month on a Report and Order to update satellite spectrum-sharing rules between GEO and NGSO systems, replacing the existing EPFD framework.
Apr 8 — e-GEOS, a joint venture between the Italian Space Agency and Telespazio, signed a multi-year cooperation agreement with Argentina's VENG to enhance space data collaboration and SAOCOM satellite data distribution globally.
Apr 9 — EnduroSat and Shield Space formed a strategic partnership to deliver rapid, operational space defense missions, combining satellite manufacturing and defense mission capabilities.
Apr 8 — Lynk Global announced its **640-satellite** constellation will begin service in **2027**, while regulatory approval of its merger with Omnispace remains pending.
Apr 9 — The Artemis II crew is less than two days from splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on **April 10**, with all eyes on Orion's heat shield as the capsule will hit Earth's atmosphere at nearly **24,000 mph**. Astronauts captured stunning images of the Moon's far side, an 'Earthset,' and witnessed micrometeorite impacts.
Apr 9 — Albedo is preparing its second very-low Earth orbit (VLEO) imaging mission for a **2027 launch**, building on its commercial Earth observation capabilities at lower altitudes.
Apr 9 — Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company's space-internet service **Leo** (formerly Project Kuiper) will launch commercially in **mid-2026**, following the start of an enterprise preview in late 2025.
Apr 9 — A fire erupted during testing of the SpaceX Starship V3 engine at the company's McGregor test site in Texas, according to reports.
Apr 9 — A new study using satellite images found that artificial light pollution has brightened Earth by **16%** from 2014 to 2022, raising concerns about environmental and astronomical impacts.
Apr 8 — Quilty Space released insights from Satellite 2026 conference, revealing shifts in industry sentiment and highlighting top takeaways from the major commercial space event.
Apr 9 — UK Defence Secretary announced that UK and Norway tracked Russian submarines and the Yantar GUGI ship for a month near undersea cables off northern Britain, publishing satellite imagery supporting defense of critical infrastructure.
Apr 9 — Russia's lunar program faces significant delay setbacks, contrasting with the successful progress of the U.S. Artemis II mission currently returning to Earth.
Apr 9 — Vantor unveiled plans to expand its imaging satellite fleet by adding smallsats in two new classes—**Vantage** and **Pulse**—to significantly increase revisit rates and Earth observation capabilities.
Apr 9 — Apex announced development of larger satellites, including the **Comet Mini** platform, for missile defense and space-based computing applications, expanding beyond its initial smallsat focus.
Apr 9 — Space42 confirmed that all Thuraya satellite services and infrastructure remain intact following a missile strike on the administrative building in Sharjah, with no disruption to operations.