The Latest from Aria Alamalhodaei
Max Q: Maybe next time
In this issue of Max Q: An "operational pause" at Virgin Orbit; Behold: New moon suits!; News from Project Kuiper; and more
At Virgin Orbit, it never should’ve come to a staff furlough
Last night, CNBC broke the bombshell news that Virgin Orbit was pausing operations for at least a week while it looked for funding to support the business. As part of that pause, company executives re
Starlink and T-Mobile’s sat-to-cell service will start testing this year
SpaceX and T-Mobile will begin testing a new service to bring satellite connectivity to cell phones this year, a SpaceX executive said. The news, first reported by CNBC, suggests that we may be close
Max Q: Have luck and good fun
In this issue: Relativity scrubs first Terran 1 launch attempt; claims of age discrimination in hiring at Blue Origin; news from Starfish Space and more
Watch Relativity attempt to launch Terran 1…again
Relativity Space is gearing up for its second launch attempt of the Terran 1 rocket, wasting no time after scrubbing the first attempt earlier this week. The company returns to the launch pad at Cape
Relativity scrubs first Terran 1 launch attempt
Relativity Space called off the first launch attempt of the Terran 1 rocket a little over a half hour before the close of the launch window, joining every other space company in history in not launchi
Starfish Space captures new funding ahead of orbital servicing demo mission
In the present moment, if a critical component on a satellite malfunctions or it runs out of fuel, satellite operators have no choice but to consider that asset caput. Starfish Space is one of a handf
Relativity Space has had a wild ride to launch
Relativity Space will be attempting to make history with the first launch of the 110-foot-tall Terran 1 rocket tomorrow afternoon. The company, which was founded in 2016 by Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone,
Max Q: About that ‘for sale’ sign on a ULA Atlas V
In this issue of Max Q: The Chinese subsidiaries of U.S. VC firms investing in space tech; ispace eyes April lunar landing; news from Rocket Lab, United Launch Alliance and more.
SpaceX’s acquisition of Swarm is paying off with new Starlink thrusters
Earlier this week, SpaceX released more information about the new argon Hall thrusters that will power the Starlink V2 mini satellites, an innovation that likely has much to do with the company’s ac
As tensions build, Silicon Valley’s Chinese affiliates invest in sensitive space tech
Chinese subsidiaries of U.S. venture capital firms invest in technology that could be sensitive to national security.
Eyeing a new lunar economy, ispace plans to land on the moon at the end of April
Tokyo-based ispace said Monday that its Hakuto-R lunar lander is on track to reach the moon at the end of April. Ispace launched the lander on board a Falcon 9 in December; since then, the spacecraft
Max Q: It’s the final countdown
Today we're thinking of the four astronauts heading to the International Space Station. See you guys soon!
Astroscale closes new funding to grow in-orbit servicing and orbital debris cleanup tech
Astroscale, a company that’s developing technology to service satellites and clean up orbital debris, has closed another round of funding and widened its investor pool to include a space enthusiast
Air taxi rivals Wisk and Archer will enter mediation in March in trade secret theft suit
Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation will be entering mediation for a second time at the end of March, nearly two years after the rivals commenced a bitter court battle over Wisk’s allegations that the
Relativity Space sets March launch date for Terran 1
Relativity Space said Wednesday that it had received its launch license from U.S. regulators, clearing the way for its first-ever orbital flight attempt on March 8. Relativity will be attempting to se
Vast acquires Launcher in quest to build artificial gravity space stations
Vast Space, a company that emerged from stealth last September with the aim of building artificial gravity space stations in low Earth orbit, has acquired space tug startup Launcher, TechCrunch has ex
Max Q: Only a matter of time
In this issue of Max Q: Intuitive Machines enters the public market; Silicon Valley goes to war; news from Transcelestial, Umbra and more.
Balloon expert explains the challenges of shooting down China’s suspected spy balloon
Earlier this month, a suspected Chinese spy balloon drifted over much of the continental United States before an F-22 military fighter jet shot it down off the east coast. The event has put a massive
Silicon Valley goes to war
At Andreessen Horowitz’s recent American Dynamism summit, Hadrian founder and CEO Chris Power painted a picture of the country in peril. “I’m here to talk to you about an existential risk to the