ICEYE
Jun 9 — ICEYE raised **€1 billion** (approximately **$1.1 billion**) to expand its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite systems, representing one of the largest funding rounds in European space tech history.
SPACEHAUS · Commercial space intelligence
Space Industry Weekly Briefing — 2026-06-09
Commercial space news and intelligence for the week ending 2026-06-09.
Week ending
Funding Rounds & Investment Activity
Isar Aerospace
Jun 9 — Isar Aerospace secured **€270 million** (approximately **$300 million**) in funding to support global launch expansion and its Spectrum launch vehicle program.
NewOrbit
Jun 8 — NewOrbit closed an oversubscribed **$18.5 million** Series A funding round to commercialize very-low-Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite operations, targeting ultra-high-resolution imagery and direct-to-phone connectivity by 2028.
Orbital
Jun 9 — Orbital, founded by former Spin e-scooter CEO Euwyn Poon, raised **$5 million** in seed funding to develop space-based data centers. The company aims to launch **10,000 data center satellites** after building 250,000 scooters at Spin.
Contracts, Awards & Government Activity
BlackSky
Jun 9 — BlackSky received a contract modification from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to accelerate broad-area collection capabilities, expanding its intelligence work with the U.S. government.
Amazon (Project Kuiper)
Jun 8 — The FCC granted Amazon's Project Kuiper a waiver allowing it to miss its LEO satellite deployment deadline, imposing a temporary spectrum penalty but ruling the move serves the public interest by promoting a second large satellite broadband constellation to compete with Starlink.
Jun 8 — The FCC initiated a formal review process for Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar, seeking public comment by July 6 on the proposed deal announced in April.
KSAT
Jun 8 — KSAT will lead the Poseidon Earth observation mission focused on tracking pollution across Europe, utilizing both optical and radar-based satellite technology under a new European award.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships
Quantum Space
Jun 8 — Quantum Space announced plans to go public via a SPAC merger, enabling the cislunar space services company to access public markets to fund its Ranger spacecraft program and orbital infrastructure development.
Eutelsat
Jun 8 — Eutelsat partnered with Finnish communications company Voimatel to integrate Eutelsat's LEO connectivity into Voimatel's service offerings, strengthening coverage across Finland and the Arctic region.
Reflex Aerospace
Jun 9 — Reflex Aerospace selected Arkadia Space for a 2027 mission, marking a new partnership for the smallsat manufacturer's upcoming deployment.
OQ Tech
Jun 9 — OQ Tech partnered with Telefónica to conduct a live demonstration of two-way satellite communication directly with smartphones, showcasing direct-to-device capabilities via LEO satellites.
ESA
Jun 9 — The European Space Agency (ESA) signed a letter of intent with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to advance Earth observation applications for development and impact finance across EBRD's operating regions.
Launch Activity & Mission Milestones
SpaceX
Jun 8 — SpaceX set a new rocket reuse record with the **35th launch and landing** of Falcon 9 booster B1067, deploying **29 Starlink satellites** from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This milestone extends SpaceX's lead in rapid reusability.
Jun 9 — SpaceX's Starbase teams began cryogenic testing of Booster 20 in preparation for Starship Flight 13, indicating rapid turnaround following the recent Flight 12 mission.
Rocket Lab
Jun 8 — Indonesia's PSN revealed it was the mystery customer behind a recent Rocket Lab mission that deployed **6 IoT/direct-to-device satellites** to equatorial LEO orbit, expanding connectivity infrastructure for the archipelago.
ESA (Proba-3)
Jun 9 — ESA's Proba-3 mission resumed routine formation flying operations after successful recovery, with both the Coronagraph spacecraft and ASPIICS instrument at full health and ready to create artificial solar eclipses for scientific observations.
NASA
Jun 9 — NASA is scheduled to unveil the Artemis 3 crew and provide mission updates. The mission will feature a low Earth orbit rendezvous between Orion and one or both Human Landing System landers: Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX's Starship.
Industry Context
Blue Origin
Jun 9 — Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket suffered an explosion during a May 28 static-fire test, forcing NASA to rewrite plans for building a lunar base and potentially impacting timelines for Artemis program support and national security missions.
China (CMSA)
Jun 9 — China shortlisted multiple commercial launch providers for its low-cost cargo spacecraft program, marking an expansion of commercial participation in the country's human spaceflight infrastructure and space station supply chain.
Seraphim Space Investment Trust
Jun 8 — Seraphim Space Investment Trust (LSE: SSIT) will join the **FTSE 250 Index** on June 19, 2026, reflecting growing portfolio value and rising institutional investor interest in SpaceTech since its 2021 IPO.
U.S. Department of Defense
Jun 8 — Analysis reveals Russia is conducting GPS jamming operations from space, posing new threats to critical navigation infrastructure and prompting increased focus on space domain awareness and resilient PNT systems.
Additional Updates
IEC Telecom
Jun 8 — IEC Telecom established a local Indonesian entity to address the archipelago's expanding satellite connectivity demands, expanding its regional presence in Southeast Asia's growing maritime and enterprise connectivity market.
Viasat
Jun 8 — Viasat launched the Space for Good India Challenge 2026 to cultivate next-generation space innovation among students and entrepreneurs, continuing its corporate social responsibility initiatives in key markets.
Rwanda Space Agency
Jun 9 — Rwanda Space Agency's teleport facility in Rwamagana, Mwulire earned **Tier 3 Certification** from the World Teleport Association, becoming the first fully certified teleport in Sub-Saharan Africa and only the second on the continent.
NASA
Jun 8 — NASA successfully demonstrated the Proximity Exploration Toolkit (PExT), advancing interoperable space networks and enabling future multi-agency, multi-vendor space communications architectures.