https://spacewatch.global/space-economy-1/space-economy-news/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:29:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/space-economy-1/space-economy-news/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/amazon-leo-orders-six-more-ariane-64-launches-from-arianespace/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77499 Amazon Leo and Arianespace have expanded their existing launch partnership at the International Space Summit in Paris, with Amazon Leo ordering six additional Ariane 64 missions and bringing the total number of Ariane 6 launches contracted with Arianespace to 24. Arianespace is one of several launch providers supporting Amazon Leo's constellation build-out, allowing the company to pursue a high launch cadence as it works to deploy its first-generation constellation of more than 3,000 satellites.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/paris-opens-the-first-international-space-summit-with-51-announcements-and-a-european-iss-crew/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77474 The first International Space Summit opened at the Grand Palais with 120 delegations, 51 announcements and a €20 billion headline that deserves closer reading. Philippe Baptiste made the case for launching European satellites on European rockets, Dorothee Bär pointed to Rome in December, and Macron unveiled the PAM-6 crew - with Thomas Pesquet set to become the first non-American ever to command a US spacecraft.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/pixxel-raises-100-million-in-series-c-funding-to-expand-beyond-hyperspectral-imaging/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77390 Pixxel has raised $100 million in Series C funding to accelerate the development of its Earth-observation and space infrastructure capabilities, bringing its total capital raised to $195 million The raise marks a transition for Pixxel from a hyperspectral satellite company into a broader Earth-intelligence and space-infrastructure business.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/stoke-space-raises-1-billion-in-series-e-round-to-accelerate-fully-reusable-nova-rocket/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77432 Stoke Space has completed the initial closing of its $1 billion Series E financing round, bringing the company's total capital raised to $2.3 billion. The new capital reflects the broader strategic importance of reusable launch systems to the future availability, capacity and cost of access to space.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/the-exploration-company-raises-450-million-in-series-c-to-advance-reusable-space-transportation/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77438 The Exploration Company (TEC) has raised $450 million in a new Series C financing round, bringing the company's total funding secured since its founding in 2021 to approximately $680 million. The round will advance TEC's Nyx reusable capsule toward a mission to dock with the International Space Station and return to Earth, and accelerate development of the high-thrust reusable Storm rocket engine.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/isros-eos-05-begins-orbital-ascent-towards-indias-first-geosynchronous-imaging-mission/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77326 ISRO's EOS-05 has completed two orbit-raising manoeuvres following its 4 September launch, with further burns planned to reach its operational geosynchronous orbit.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/project-s-emerges-from-stealth-with-ambition-to-build-european-space-safety-layer/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77335 Munich-based Project-S has emerged from stealth, developing space-based radar payloads and AI-enabled orbital intelligence to detect and track small debris and strengthen space situational awareness.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/isar-aerospace-reaches-orbit-first-commercial-european-company-to-deploy-satellites/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77317 Isar Aerospace has become the first commercial company from continental Europe to deliver satellites to orbit. Mission "Onward and Upward" lifted off from Andøya at 22:12 CEST on 5 September, completing orbital insertion and deploying five CubeSats and one experiment on Spectrum's second flight. At the mission briefing, CEO Daniel Metzler set out what comes next: vehicles three to seven already in production, a 40,000 m² factory built for up to 40 launchers a year, and a candid assessment of how hard that ramp will be.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/franco-german-newspace-to-brussels-buy-dont-regulate/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77292 The BDI NewSpace Initiative and Alliance NewSpace France have sent the European Commission a joint declaration on the future of European space transportation, dated 31 August and delivered to Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. Their ask ahead of the Paris summit: act as an anchor customer in the next MFF, and regulate less.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/rocket-lab-deploys-synspectives-latest-strix-satellite-as-company-expands-in-south-america/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77248 Rocket Lab has completed its 11th dedicated launch for Synspective, deploying the latest StriX satellite to a 575km orbit on Electron's 94th mission, as Synspective expands into South America.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/axelspace-partners-with-airbus-and-star-signal-to-expand-earth-observation-and-space-safety-services/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77256 Axelspace has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to supply medium-resolution optical imagery from its GRUS microsatellites, and is separately evaluating SSA services with Star Signal Solutions.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/hyimpulse-secures-more-than-e50-million-to-advance-cost-efficient-european-launch-services/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77268 German launch company HyImpulse has raised more than €50 million in a Series A extension co-led by JOIN Capital and Ace Capital Partners, taking total equity and public funding past €125 million. The money goes toward the second SR75 flight from SaxaVord and the maiden flight of SL1.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/nasa-awards-blue-origin-700-million-contract-for-mars-communications-network/ Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77220 NASA has awarded Blue Origin a $700 million contract to develop a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter for its dedicated high-speed relay network at the Red Planet.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/sierra-space-secures-customers-for-its-spaceplanes-inaugural-mission/ Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77225 Sierra Space has signed undisclosed national security and commercial customers to fly payloads on Dream Chaser's inaugural mission, testing a multi-customer model across civil, commercial, and defence markets.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/d-orbit-contracts-gomspace-to-supply-power-systems-for-upcoming-ion-orbital-transfer-missions/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77190 D-Orbit has contracted GomSpace to supply power systems for its ION Satellite Carrier missions in 2026–2027, in an order worth 6.3 million Swedish kronor (€565,181).]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/ohb-signs-first-major-industrial-contract-worth-nearly-e1-billion-under-europes-iris%c2%b2-program/ Tue, 01 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77136 OHB has signed the first major contract under the IRIS² concession with SES - worth nearly €1 billion for 18 medium Earth orbit satellite platforms, marking the programme's shift from planning into industrial deployment.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/esa-launches-next-phase-of-european-launcher-challenge-with-e543-6-million-in-contracts/ Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77067 The first contracts under the European Launcher Challenge between the European Space Agency (ESA) and European launch service providers have been signed, concluding the second stage of the tender process. The next stage of the European Launcher Challenge will shift the focus from contract awards to flight performance, with the participating launch providers required to demonstrate successful orbital launches no later than 2027.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/exolaunch-to-deploy-68-payloads-across-spacexs-transporter-18-and-bandwagon-5-missions/ Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77074 Exolaunch will deploy 68 client payloads across SpaceX's Transporter-18 and Bandwagon-5 rideshare missions, both no earlier than October 2026, as its acquisition by EQT proceeds.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/simera-sense-expands-small-satellite-imaging-portfolio-with-loft-orbital-deal-and-new-dual-use-payload/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77045 Loft Orbital has contracted Simera Sense for 10 HyperScape100 hyperspectral imagers, expanding Simera's role as a European provider of optical payloads for small-satellite missions.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/spacex-unveils-100-billion-starbase-louisiana-complex-to-scale-up-starship-launches/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76988 SpaceX has announced plans to construct a new Starship processing and launch complex in Louisiana designed to support thousands of launches annually. Located in Vermilion Parish, the proposed Starbase Louisiana is expected to begin construction by the end of 2027, with SpaceX targeting the first launch from the site as soon as 2029.]]>