SPACE.HAUS · WEEKLY INTEL BRIEFING

Space Industry Weekly Briefing — Friday, July 10, 2026

Weekly intelligence briefing for the commercial space industry, week ending Friday, July 10, 2026. 57 stories across 6 categories including Funding Rounds & Investment Activity, Contracts, Awards & Government Activity, Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Launch Activity & Mission Milestones, Industry Context, Additional Updates. AI-curated by space.haus from 50+ industry sources.

Sources scanned: 50
Companies with news: 57
Funding activity: $30M
Top story: Google Ventures funds Nebex with $30M seed

Funding Rounds & Investment Activity

Blue Origin — Kent, WA

FUNDING

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. Source

Venus Aerospace — Houston, TX

FUNDING

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. Source

Ravee Optics — N/A

FUNDING

Jul 6 — Ravee Optics raised a $6 million seed round to build compact laser communications terminals for satellite applications. Source

Nebex — N/A

FUNDING

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. Source

Contracts, Awards & Government Activity

Pulse Space — N/A

CONTRACT

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. Source

Relativity Space — Long Beach, CA

CONTRACT

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. Source

Impulse Space — Redondo Beach, CA

CONTRACT

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. Source

Telesat — Ottawa, Canada

CONTRACT

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. Source

Beyond Gravity — Zurich, Switzerland

CONTRACT

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. Source

U.S. Department of the Interior — Washington, DC

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

U.S. Space Force — Washington, DC

OPS UPDATE

Jul 9 — The U.S. Space Force completed a major procurement reorganization, establishing nine acquisition portfolios to streamline space systems procurement and development. Source

Impulse Space — Southern California, USA

CONTRACT

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. Source

Relativity Space — Southern California, USA

CONTRACT

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. Source

Firefly Aerospace — Cedar Park, Texas, USA

CONTRACT

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. Source

Simera Sense — N/A

CONTRACT

Jul 08 — Simera Sense will provide eight 'MultiScape 100' imagers for the Canary Islands Satellite Constellation, supporting Earth observation capabilities. Source

Alliance for European Autonomous Access to Space (AEAAS) — Europe

CONTRACT

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. Source

Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships

MDA Space — Brampton, Canada

M&A

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. Source

York Space Systems — Denver, CO

M&A

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. Source

ispace — Tokyo, Japan

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

The Exploration Company — Munich, Germany

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Iceye — Espoo, Finland

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Rivada Space Networks — Munich, Germany

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) — Singapore

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

NATO — Brussels, Belgium

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

MDA Space — Canada

M&A

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. Source

Iridium — USA

M&A

Jul 07 — Iridium completed its acquisition of Aireon, expanding its role in the aviation ecosystem with space-based aircraft tracking and surveillance capabilities. Source

ispace — Tokyo, Japan

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

Infinite Orbits — Europe

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

NSG — N/A

PARTNERSHIP

Jul 08 — NSG strengthened its in-flight connectivity offering with Hughes' JUPITER 3 gateway infrastructure, enhancing aviation connectivity services. Source

RVmagnetics — N/A

PARTNERSHIP

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. Source

Launch Activity & Mission Milestones

China National Space Administration — Beijing, China

LAUNCH

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. Source

City Labs — Miami, FL

LAUNCH

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. Source

SpaceX — Hawthorne, CA

LAUNCH

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. Source

Katalyst Space Technologies — N/A

LAUNCH

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. Source

Rocket Lab — Long Beach, CA

LAUNCH OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Vast Space — Long Beach, CA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Katalyst Space — N/A

LAUNCH

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. Source

Tumbleweed — Austria

LAUNCH

Jul 08 — Austrian startup Tumbleweed launched its 'Oasis Alpha' demo satellite aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare mission. Source

ZFT — Germany

LAUNCH

Jul 07 — German companies ZFT and Smart Small Satellite Systems launched 9 satellites aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare mission. Source

ESA — Europe

LAUNCH

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. Source

OroraTech — Germany

OPS UPDATE

Jul 09 — OroraTech's Hellenic Fire System achieved first light over Greece less than a month after launch, demonstrating operational wildfire detection capabilities. Source

NASA — USA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Industry Context

Industry-wide — N/A

OPS UPDATE

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. Source
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. Source

International Space University (ISU) — Strasbourg, France

OPS UPDATE

Jul 09 — ISU's Central Campus in Strasbourg has been liquidated following funding cuts, marking a significant setback for space education infrastructure in Europe. Source

NATO — N/A

PARTNERSHIP

Jul 09 — NATO Allies formed new partnerships to develop high-end space capabilities across the Alliance, strengthening collective space defense and security infrastructure. Source

Additional Updates

ElevationSpace — Boulder, CO

OPS UPDATE

Jul 10 — ElevationSpace advanced development of its commercial reentry vehicle ELS-R, progressing through design and testing milestones for cargo return from orbit. Source

Xona Space Systems — San Mateo, CA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Fi — N/A

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Stoke Space — Kent, WA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

CesiumAstro — Austin, TX

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Auxilium — N/A

OPS UPDATE

Jul 9 — Auxilium demonstrated technology to enable sustainable bioprinting in orbit, advancing capabilities for tissue engineering and pharmaceutical research in microgravity. Source

Astranis — San Francisco, CA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

Univity — France

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

ICEYE — Finland

OPS UPDATE

Jul 10 — ICEYE established national headquarters in Portugal and Germany, expanding its operational footprint in Europe for SAR satellite capabilities. Source

ESA — Europe

OPS UPDATE

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. Source
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. Source
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. Source

UK Space Agency — United Kingdom

OPS UPDATE

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. Source

U.S. Space Force — USA

OPS UPDATE

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. Source