OST Staff

Deep Space

Methane Detection in Comet 3I/ATLAS Points to Origin Beyond Our Solar System

James Webb Space Telescope data has confirmed the presence of methane in Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever detected passing through our solar system. The chemical finding indicates the comet formed in a fundamentally different environment than comets native to this solar system. 3I/ATLAS joins a short

Satellites

China's Satellite Broadband Push Targets Markets Where Starlink Has Stalled

State-backed Chinese startup Spacesail is actively signing agreements with governments and operators that SpaceX has been unable to serve, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Starlink in underserved global markets. The move comes as SpaceX pursues its IPO, and it strikes at the markets the company needs to

Deep Space

NASA's Roman Space Telescope Reaches Final Assembly Eight Months Ahead of Schedule

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has entered final preparation for launch while running eight months ahead of its original development timeline, marking a rare acceleration for a flagship space observatory. The shift represents a significant departure from recent history, when the James Webb Space Telescope slipped 14

Policy

NASA Selects Four-Person Crew for Artemis III as Moon Program Pivots to Earth Orbit Testing

NASA has announced the four-person crew for Artemis III, a critical orbital mission that will not reach the moon despite its name. The spacecraft will launch in 2027 to conduct rendezvous and docking operations with lunar landers built by SpaceX and Blue Origin, testing the choreography essential before attempting

Markets

Space Force Bets Commercial Operators Can Build Jam-Resistant Military Satellites

The U.S. Space Force awarded $437.7 million to Viasat and Intelsat for the first satellites in a new protected communications program, marking a significant pivot toward commercial telecom operators for military-grade secure links. The awards represent the first production contracts under the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program

Markets

SpaceX Targets Late 2027 Orbital AI Computing Demonstrations Ahead of IPO

SpaceX is targeting late 2027 to demonstrate operational artificial intelligence computing infrastructure in orbit, an accelerated timeline the company outlined to investors in presentations ahead of its public offering. The target arrives six months earlier than SpaceX's IPO filing disclosures and represents a critical validation test for technology

Policy

India Halts Starlink Approvals Over Military Conflict Security Risks

India has frozen commercial approvals for SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, citing security concerns about the terminals' use in active military conflicts. The regulatory hold arrives at a critical moment for SpaceX, which is preparing for a public offering while banking on rapid international expansion to drive

Markets

German Launch Startup Isar Aerospace Raises $312 Million Despite September Failure

German launch company Isar Aerospace has secured 270 million euros ($312 million) in Series D funding as it prepares to reattempt its Spectrum rocket launch after a failure last September. The round, led by new investors Island Green Capital and Molten Ventures, signals strong backer confidence in the company'

Markets

ICEYE Reaches $12 Billion Valuation as Defense Demand Drives European Space Sector

Finnish synthetic aperture radar company ICEYE closed a $520 million Series F funding round at a $12 billion valuation, becoming one of Europe's most valuable space companies. The raise reflects surging government demand for all-weather Earth observation capabilities, particularly among defense and intelligence agencies seeking persistent surveillance

Policy

Russia Deploys First Orbital GPS Jammer, Raising Specter of Space-Based Electronic Warfare

Russia has deployed a space-based platform to jam GPS signals across Eastern Europe, marking the first confirmed use of an orbital asset to conduct large-scale navigation warfare. The interference, detected by multiple independent monitoring stations, affects both civilian and military receivers across several NATO member states and threatens

Satellites

Indonesia's PSN Confirms Role as Secret Customer for Rocket Lab's Equatorial Satellite Launch

Indonesia's Pasifik Satellit Nusantara revealed on June 8 that it was the undisclosed customer behind a recent Rocket Lab Electron launch deploying six Internet of Things satellites to equatorial orbit. The constellation will deliver connectivity across Indonesia's sprawling archipelago, marking a shift in how emerging space

Markets

Prada and Axiom Space Partner on Cooling Garment for Artemis Moon Missions

Axiom Space and Prada have unveiled the liquid cooling and ventilation garment that will regulate astronaut body temperature during lunar surface operations on NASA's Artemis III mission. The collaboration, announced June 7, represents the first time a luxury fashion brand has contributed functional engineering to spaceflight hardware, signaling

Markets

UK Startup NewOrbit Raises $18.5M to Pursue Very Low Earth Orbit Imaging

NewOrbit closed an oversubscribed $18.5 million Series A funding round to develop satellites operating below 450 kilometers altitude, a frontier that promises sharper Earth imagery and lower latency than traditional low Earth orbit. The UK-based company has not yet launched any spacecraft but plans to fly its NEO-

Markets

Quantum Space to Go Public on Strength of Former NASA Chief and Space Force Contracts

Quantum Space, a spacecraft developer focused on orbital servicing and national security missions, will merge with a SPAC to raise capital and go public at an $800 million valuation. Quantum Space was co-founded by Dr. Kam Ghaffarian, the Company’s Executive Chairman and a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder

Markets

SpaceX blocked from immediate S&P 500 inclusion despite record IPO valuation

SpaceX will not receive a fast-track entry into the S&P 500 index following its initial public offering, despite a valuation near $2 trillion that makes it one of the largest IPOs in history. The decision, announced June 6, 2026, denies the company immediate access to the trillions

Deep Space

NASA's Mars Atmosphere Mission Finds Unexpected Discovery in Final Data Before Shutdown

NASA announced it has concluded the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN mission) after having lost contact with the spacecraft for six months. However, analysis of the probe's final transmissions revealed a previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon at Mars. The discovery underscores how extended planetary missions continue producing scientific

Blue Origin Demonstrates Oxygen Extraction From Lunar Regolith

Blue Origin has successfully extracted oxygen from Moon dust using a device called Air Pioneer, marking a significant advance in in-situ resource utilization technology. The extraction demonstrates a pathway to produce breathable oxygen and rocket propellant directly on the lunar surface, potentially transforming the economics of sustained Moon operations.

Launch

SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Reaches 35th Flight, Extending Reusability Lead

A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster completed its 35th orbital flight on June 7, carrying Starlink satellites to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The milestone extends SpaceX's commanding lead in rocket reusability, a capability that translates directly into lower launch costs and higher flight rates for the

Policy

Amazon Wins FCC Deployment Waiver for Kuiper But Faces Spectrum Restrictions

The FCC granted Amazon a 50 percent deployment waiver for its Kuiper satellite constellation on June 5, allowing the company until the end of July 2026 to launch half of its planned satellites. The relief comes with significant conditions tied to spectrum priority, meaning Amazon risks losing critical frequencies if

Policy

NASA's X-59 Breaks Sound Barrier in Bid to Remake Supersonic Flight Rules

NASA's X-59 experimental aircraft crossed Mach 1.1 on June 5, marking the first supersonic flight of a jet specifically engineered to produce a quieter sonic boom. The milestone opens a critical testing phase that will determine whether the decades-old ban on overland supersonic flight can

Markets

Planet Labs Reports 42% Revenue Jump as Commercial Satellite Imagery Business Expands

Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) reported a 42 percent year-over-year revenue increase in the first quarter of 2026, driven by a surge in commercial customers seeking satellite imagery for agriculture, insurance, and environmental monitoring. The San Francisco-based company also clarified its approach to imagery restrictions in sensitive geopolitical

Markets

SpaceX Locks in $30 Billion Google Cloud Deal as It Heads Toward Public Markets

SpaceX has secured a $30 billion cloud computing contract with Google that will pay the company $920 million monthly for access to a large cluster of artificial intelligence chips. The disclosure appeared in SpaceX's initial public offering filing on June 5, 2026, establishing a major new revenue stream

Deep Space

Astronomers End 50-Year Quest, Confirm Black Hole Winds From Sagittarius A*

Astronomers at Northwestern University have detected powerful winds streaming from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole anchoring the Milky Way's center. The discovery, announced June 5, 2026, confirms a half-century of theoretical predictions that all active black holes should generate outflows capable of reshaping their host galaxies.

Satellites

Amazon to Launch 36 Satellites on Ariane 6's Upgraded Booster Flight

Amazon Leo will deploy 36 satellites aboard an Ariane 6 rocket this month, marking both the largest single payload for its Project Kuiper constellation and the debut flight of the European launcher's enhanced booster configuration. The mission represents a watershed moment for Ariane 6, which will demonstrate upgraded

Markets

Apex Closes $200 Million Funding Round, Valued at $2.3 Billion

Apex Space, the Los Angeles-based satellite manufacturer, raised more than $200 million in its third major funding round in 14 months, nearly doubling the company's valuation to $2.3 billion. The capital influx accelerates the four-year-old company's push to build satellites on industrial