Commercial space news and intelligence for the week ending 2026-06-11.
Week ending
Funding Rounds & Investment Activity
SpaceX
Jun 11 — SpaceX is expected to begin publicly trading on the Nasdaq on **June 12**, with analysts debating a valuation of **$1.75 trillion**. The IPO is expected to make Elon Musk a trillionaire, with much of the valuation hinging on ambitious plans for space-based AI data centers and a constellation of up to **1 million AI satellites**.
Jun 10 — India's regulatory approval for Starlink has been delayed just before the IPO, potentially complicating SpaceX's international growth story and market expansion plans.
Jun 11 — ESA awarded Thales Alenia Space a **€700 million** contract to build two identical Sentinel-1 Next Generation radar imaging satellites. The contract represents the first phase of a program to replace the current Sentinel-1 constellation, with four satellites planned in total.
Jun 08 — U.S. Space Force awarded Viasat and Intelsat contracts totaling **$437.7 million** for the first two operational satellites in the Protected Tactical SATCOM – Global (PTS-G) program, designed to provide jam-resistant satellite communications.
Jun 08 — U.S. Space Force awarded Intelsat and Viasat contracts totaling **$437.7 million** for the first two operational satellites in the Protected Tactical SATCOM – Global (PTS-G) program.
Jun 11 — cosine Italia signed two contracts at ILA Berlin 2026 covering deep-space exploration and Earth observation missions. Contract values were not disclosed.
Jun 10 — Spire announced a partnership with a German defense firm to pursue space-based missile warning capabilities, expanding its defense and intelligence portfolio.
Jun 11 — Airbus announced the formation of a German consortium for satellite-based Earth observation and ISR solutions, in partnership with Rohde & Schwarz and HPS.
Jun 09 — LandSpace's Zhuque-2E rocket successfully launched direct-to-device test satellites for Spacesail and China Mobile, demonstrating China's expanding commercial launch capabilities.
Jun 11 — SpaceX is scheduled to launch **24 Starlink satellites** on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base at **8:05 a.m. PDT**, one day before the company's IPO begins trading.
Jun 10 — Artemis 3 mission commander expressed confidence that the all-male crew will be ready for the **2027** mission, which includes **three giant rocket launches** and testing of two private moon landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA defended the all-male crew selection as merit-based.
Jun 11 — Cancellations of GEO satellite programs are complicating the recovery of the space insurance sector, creating uncertainty for underwriters and operators planning long-term programs.
Jun 11 — Open Cosmos is seeking a deadline extension for its ConnectedCosmos broadband constellation from regulatory authorities, citing delays in development and deployment schedules.
Jun 10 — UK startup Applied Atomics announced plans to enter the U.S. market with a focus on military space mobility solutions, targeting Department of Defense contracts.
Jun 10 — Stoke Space completed proto-qualification and structural verification of the first stage of its Nova rocket at its testing facilities, advancing toward full-scale launch vehicle testing.
Jun 11 — Tilebox launched an AI-focused platform update designed to improve geospatial data analysis and satellite imagery processing for enterprise customers.
Jun 11 — The Exploration Company introduced 'Storm,' a high-thrust European rocket engine program designed to support in-space propulsion and cargo transportation missions.
Jun 11 — The KiboCUBE program selected teams from **El Salvador and Thailand** for the **9th round** of satellite deployment from the International Space Station, supporting capacity building in emerging space nations.