The Latest from Aria Alamalhodaei
NASA, Boeing delay the first crewed flight test of the Starliner capsule…again
Boeing and NASA said Thursday that the first crewed flight test of the Starliner capsule would be further delayed due to a new crop of technical issues with the spacecraft. The first crewed mission wa
Rocket Lab’s private mission to Venus slips to 2025
Rocket Lab’s mission to Venus, which was originally scheduled to launch last month, is “not imminent,” a spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. That means the mission will likely move
More SpaceX Starlink terminals will go to Ukraine following new order from Pentagon
The Department of Defense said Thursday it is buying more Starlink terminals from SpaceX for use in Ukraine, as the conflict between that country and Russia wages well into its second year. The Pentag
Pixxel’s hyperspectral orbital imagery attracts investment from Google
Hyperspectral imagery startup Pixxel has closed $36 million in funding as it prepares to roll out new remote sensing and analytics capabilities to customers. The LA and Bangalore-based startup also sc
Welcome home, Ax-2 crew: Axiom Space concludes second private mission to ISS
Axiom Space‘s second private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) concluded late Tuesday with a four-person crew splashing down off the west coast of Florida around 11 PM EST. The sp
Hubble Network wants to connect a billion devices with space-based Bluetooth network
Bluetooth-enabled devices are ubiquitous, but how those devices are used is constrained by the relatively short range provided by Bluetooth technology. Seattle-based startup Hubble Network wants to co
Max Q: Galactic
In this issue: Astranis' novel approach to GEO satellites, Virgin Galactic's return to the skies, news from SpaceX... and more.
Following successful mission, Virgin Galactic targeting June for first commercial spaceflight
Following a successful flight to the edge of space on Thursday, space tourism company Virgin Galactic says it is ready to enter commercial service in June. Virgin Galactic’s aircraft, VMS Eve, depar
Thermal imaging startup Satellite Vu closes $15.8 million ahead of first launch
British startup Satellite Vu has raised £12.7 million ($15.8 million) to develop what it calls “the world’s thermometer”: a satellite constellation capable of monitoring thermal emissions aroun
Astranis’ novel approach to internet satellites is starting to pay off
Astranis, a satellite internet startup based in San Francisco, said Wednesday that its first spacecraft completed a milestone test and will start bringing broadband access to rural Alaskans as soon as
Gitai wants to build a robotic labor force for the moon and Mars
There is a groundswell of commercial space initiatives focused on the moon, with established companies and newer upstarts all seeking to transform that cold, grey rock into a thriving hub for scientif
Virgin Orbit’s launch business sold for parts to Vast, Stratolaunch, and Rocket Lab
Virgin Orbit, once valued at $3.7 billion, has been chopped up for parts. The company has concluded the auction for some of its assets, which were put up for sale as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Max Q: Double the fun
In this issue: Blue Origin lands major NASA contract; news from SpaceX; and more!
SkyFi lets you order up fresh satellite imagery in real time with a click
Commercial Earth-observation companies collect an unprecedented volume of images and data every single day, but purchasing even a single satellite image can be cumbersome and time-intensive. SkyFi, a
Stoke Space has received repeated investments from the venture arm for the U.S. intelligence community
Stoke Space has received multiple investments from In-Q-Tel, the strategic investor for the U.S. intelligence and defense community, TechCrunch has learned. Stoke Space and In-Q-Tel have not publicly
NASA picks Blue Origin-led team to build second human landing system on the moon, joining SpaceX
NASA has chosen a Blue Origin-led team to develop a second lunar landing system for the Artemis program, as the agency looks to provide competition with SpaceX and support long-term exploration of the
Stratolaunch submits $17M bid for some of Virgin Orbit’s assets
Virgin Orbit may have found a buyer for some of its assets in hypersonic flight company Stratolaunch, according to new court filings. Stratolaunch submitted a $17 million bid for some assets, includin
Varda Space raising new tranche of funding at $500M post-money valuation
Varda Space Industries, the in-space manufacturing startup that wants to revolutionize the production of pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and more, is in the process of raising $25 million in new capit
Max Q: Space is vast
In this issue: Virgin Galactic aims for a triumphant return; Vast aims to launch space station in 2025; news from SpaceX, and more.
Ahead of next Starship launch, SpaceX hires key NASA human spaceflight head
SpaceX has hired NASA’s former head of human spaceflight Kathy Lueders as the company continues to develop its Starship launch system to return humans to the moon and beyond. The news was first