Blue Origin
Jul 9 — Blue Origin is seeking to raise **$10 billion** at a **$130 billion** pre-money valuation from Coatue Asset Management, Jeff Bezos, and other investors, according to reporting from The New York Times.
SPACEHAUS · Commercial space intelligence
Space Industry Weekly Briefing — 2026-07-10
Commercial space news and intelligence for the week ending 2026-07-10.
Week ending
Funding Rounds & Investment Activity
Venus Aerospace
Jul 8 — Venus Aerospace raised **$91 million** in Series B funding to scale production of its Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) technology for hypersonic and space applications.
Ravee Optics
Jul 6 — Ravee Optics raised a **$6 million** seed round to build compact laser communications terminals for satellite applications.
Nebex
Jul 08 — Founded by former Axiom Space CEO Tejpaul Bhatia and Anand Subramanian, Nebex raised **$30 million** in seed funding from Google Ventures (GV). The platform serves as a marketplace connecting buyers, sellers, and capital in the space sector.
Contracts, Awards & Government Activity
Pulse Space
Jul 9 — Pulse Space was awarded a **$40 million** contract by the U.S. Space Force to advance laser power beaming technology for space applications.
Relativity Space
Jul 8 — Relativity Space was added to the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3, Lane 1 program, making it eligible to compete for future government launch contracts.
Impulse Space
Jul 8 — Impulse Space was added to the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3, Lane 1 program, joining Relativity Space as new entrants eligible for government launch awards.
Telesat
Jul 9 — Telesat reached an agreement with the Canadian government to provide Military Ka-band satellite capacity for Canada's Enhanced Satellite Communications Project – Polar (ESCP-P) program to support Arctic connectivity.
Beyond Gravity
Jul 8 — Beyond Gravity signed one of the largest contracts in its history with Ariane Group, cementing its position as a key player in the European launch supply chain.
U.S. Department of the Interior
Jul 9 — The Interior Department issued a request for information (RFI) on offshore launch options, exploring alternatives to land-based spaceports as launch demand increases.
U.S. Space Force
Jul 9 — The U.S. Space Force completed a major procurement reorganization, establishing **nine acquisition portfolios** to streamline space systems procurement and development.
Impulse Space
Jul 09 — The U.S. Space Force added Impulse Space to its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contractor pool, designed for commercial-like missions and lower-risk launches.
Relativity Space
Jul 09 — The U.S. Space Force added Relativity Space to its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contractor pool alongside Impulse Space.
Firefly Aerospace
Jul 07 — Firefly Aerospace received a **$13 million** subcontract from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to manufacture, test, and deliver the aeroshell for NASA's SkyFall Mars mission.
Simera Sense
Jul 08 — Simera Sense will provide eight 'MultiScape 100' imagers for the Canary Islands Satellite Constellation, supporting Earth observation capabilities.
Alliance for European Autonomous Access to Space (AEAAS)
Jul 10 — AEAAS was selected to lead a space regulatory practices review for the European Union, contributing to the development of European space policy and governance frameworks.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships
MDA Space
Jul 9 — MDA Space agreed to acquire a **70% stake** in French Earth observation data analytics company CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites) for **$647 million**, with France's CNES retaining 30%. The deal vertically integrates MDA into Earth observation analytics.
York Space Systems
Jul 8 — York Space Systems closed its acquisition of satcom terminal company All.Space, creating what both CEOs describe as a complete tactical satellite communications ecosystem.
ispace
Jul 8 — Japanese lunar company ispace announced a partnership with SpaceX to send larger payloads to the Moon via Starship. ispace secured **500 kg of payload capacity** for launch no earlier than **2030**, launching a new lunar integrator service.
The Exploration Company
Jul 9 — The Exploration Company established a U.S. business entity to pursue government contracts for its Nyx reentry capsule, expanding beyond its European base.
Iceye
Jul 8 — Iceye established a German business entity based in Berlin and Munich, appointing Philipp Laub as its leader to tap into the dynamic German space market.
Rivada Space Networks
Jul 9 — Rivada Space Networks signed a connectivity partnership agreement with Mercantile Space in Nepal, a country with approximately **30 million** people, to provide satellite broadband services.
National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS)
Jul 9 — Singapore's newly formed National Space Agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan's JAXA as it works to build up the country's space industry and capabilities.
NATO
Jul 7 — Eight NATO allies announced plans to create the HALO (Hybrid Adaptive Low Orbit) constellation, bringing together national military satellites into a hybrid system to improve NATO's resilience and military advantage in space.
MDA Space
Jul 10 — MDA Space announced plans to acquire Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), a French provider of AI-driven Earth observation data analytics, expanding its data services capabilities.
Iridium
Jul 07 — Iridium completed its acquisition of Aireon, expanding its role in the aviation ecosystem with space-based aircraft tracking and surveillance capabilities.
ispace
Jul 08 — ispace announced a new lunar integration and transportation service aboard SpaceX's Starship, expanding from lunar landing missions into end-to-end lunar infrastructure services.
Infinite Orbits
Jul 08 — Infinite Orbits and Arianespace signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance European direct-to-GEO launch capabilities, supporting in-orbit services and satellite deployment.
NSG
Jul 08 — NSG strengthened its in-flight connectivity offering with Hughes' JUPITER 3 gateway infrastructure, enhancing aviation connectivity services.
RVmagnetics
Jul 05 — RVmagnetics and Airbus jointly developed a sensing mat using MicroWire technology to improve composite aircraft structure repair processes, replacing traditional thermocouples with ultra-thin, reusable sensing sheets.
Launch Activity & Mission Milestones
China National Space Administration
Jul 10 — China became the second country to recover an orbital booster with the successful landing of the Long March 10B first stage, following SpaceX's reusable booster technology.
City Labs
Jul 10 — Miami-based City Labs became the first commercial company to test nuclear battery technology in orbit with the BOHR mission, launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare. The mission serves as a pathfinder for future nuclear-powered spacecraft.
SpaceX
Jul 9 — SpaceX launched Falcon 9 booster B1067 on its record-breaking **36th flight**, deploying Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral. The company deployed **1,589 Starlink satellites** in H1 2026, ahead of 2025's record pace. SpaceX also launched **81 payloads** on the Transporter-17 rideshare mission and filed an FCC application for a **100,000-satellite** Gen3 constellation in W- and D-band frequencies.
Katalyst Space Technologies
Jul 4 — Katalyst Space Technologies launched its Link spacecraft on a NASA emergency mission to rendezvous with and reboost the **21-year-old** Swift Observatory, which is at risk of atmospheric reentry due to orbit decay from recent solar storms. Rendezvous will take several weeks.
Rocket Lab
Jul 8 — Rocket Lab's Electron rocket achieved a record stretch through H1 2026, though the company's Neutron medium-lift launcher has experienced delays. Rocket Lab continues to advance production and testing of Neutron.
Vast Space
Jul 4 — Vast Space's Haven-1 commercial space station remains on track to launch in **Q1 2027**, having achieved several key milestones in development and testing.
Katalyst Space
Jul 04 — Katalyst Space's LINK on-orbit servicing spacecraft launched aboard Northrop Grumman's Pegasus-XL rocket on July 3 and is en route to reboost NASA's Swift observatory.
Tumbleweed
Jul 08 — Austrian startup Tumbleweed launched its 'Oasis Alpha' demo satellite aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare mission.
ZFT
Jul 07 — German companies ZFT and Smart Small Satellite Systems launched **9 satellites** aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare mission.
ESA
Jul 05 — ESA's CyberCUBE, realized by GMV, launched on July 7 aboard SpaceX's Transporter flight. The project creates an operational in-orbit testbed to demonstrate advanced cyber tools for protecting satellites and ground systems.
OroraTech
Jul 09 — OroraTech's Hellenic Fire System achieved first light over Greece less than a month after launch, demonstrating operational wildfire detection capabilities.
NASA
Jul 09 — NASA's New Horizons spacecraft woke from its longest hibernation yet on June 23, operating **6.9 billion miles** from Earth, ready to send back science data from the outer solar system.
Industry Context
Industry-wide
Jul 9 — Environmental groups urged the FCC to pause applications for orbital data center constellations pending environmental review, raising concerns about space sustainability and satellite de-orbit impacts.
Jul 8 — Europe's space industry sales increased **23%** in 2025 according to Eurospace, while headcount grew only **2.2%**. Startups now represent **11%** of the European space workforce, indicating significant productivity gains and industry transformation.
International Space University (ISU)
Jul 09 — ISU's Central Campus in Strasbourg has been liquidated following funding cuts, marking a significant setback for space education infrastructure in Europe.
NATO
Jul 09 — NATO Allies formed new partnerships to develop high-end space capabilities across the Alliance, strengthening collective space defense and security infrastructure.
Additional Updates
ElevationSpace
Jul 10 — ElevationSpace advanced development of its commercial reentry vehicle ELS-R, progressing through design and testing milestones for cargo return from orbit.
Xona Space Systems
Jul 9 — Xona Space Systems unveiled a verification program for devices compatible with its Pulsar precision navigation constellation, enabling ecosystem development ahead of constellation deployment.
Fi
Jul 8 — Fi launched the first Starlink-enabled pet tracker (Fi Ultra), using SpaceX's direct-to-device service via T-Mobile's T-Satellite network to track dogs in cellular dead zones anywhere in the U.S.
Stoke Space
Jul 8 — Former OpenAI executive Kevin Weil joined Stoke Space's board of directors, bringing tech industry expertise to the reusable rocket developer. New launch pads for Stoke and Relativity are under construction at Cape Canaveral.
CesiumAstro
Jul 7 — CesiumAstro filed an FCC application for a **737-satellite** constellation called Synchronicity to provide reconfigurable connectivity to fixed and mobile satellite users using software-defined technology.
Auxilium
Jul 9 — Auxilium demonstrated technology to enable sustainable bioprinting in orbit, advancing capabilities for tissue engineering and pharmaceutical research in microgravity.
Astranis
Jul 8 — Thaicom announced that the Astranis-built Thaicom 9 satellite launch has been delayed to **March 2027** following a component anomaly affecting **five satellites** in production.
Univity
Jul 10 — French startup Univity is building a broadband and direct-to-device constellation designed to place telecom operators at the center of the value chain, offering an alternative model to vertical integration.
ICEYE
Jul 10 — ICEYE established national headquarters in Portugal and Germany, expanding its operational footprint in Europe for SAR satellite capabilities.
ESA
Jul 08 — ESA's Hera mission control team successfully upgraded the spacecraft's software across **140 million km** of space, preparing it for exploration of the Dimorphos and Didymos asteroids this autumn.
Jul 08 — ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot began testing the European Enhanced Exercise Device (E4D), conducting the first rope-pulling resistance training workout in space aboard the International Space Station.
Jul 07 — The second Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite (MTG-I2) began its launch campaign at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, undergoing final inspections before integration with Ariane 6.
UK Space Agency
Jul 06 — UK Space Agency announced Dr. Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng will join in mid-September as job-share partner with Director Rebecca Evernden, returning after serving from 2013-2021.
U.S. Space Force
Jul 07 — The Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) program faces delays due to construction setbacks at the Western Australia radar site, though the first of three deep-space radars was approved for early operational use in September.