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Ars Technica • Eric Berger

Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests

Rocket Lab says it is intentionally destroying engines during ground testing as part of development, conducting 'very nasty' stress tests to expose failure modes and harden designs. The CEO described the destructive regime as a deliberate step to validate hardware before flight qualification.

2026-02-11T14:14:18.612730-08:00

CNBC

xAI co‑founder exodus after rapid merger into SpaceX raises IPO and integration questions

2026-02-11T13:35:23.273851-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding

2026-02-11T13:37:21.939345-08:00

Via Satellite

Gilat Reports 48% Revenue Growth in 2025 Driven by In‑Flight Connectivity and Stellar Blu Acquisition

2026-02-11T12:35:32.197904-08:00

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Ars Technica

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Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests Rocket Lab says it is intentionally destroying engines during ground testing as part of development, conducting 'very nasty' stress tests to expose failure modes and harden designs. The CEO described the destructive regime as a deliberate step to validate hardware before flight qualification.

2026-02-11T14:14:18.612730-08:00

Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests

SpaceNews.com

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding Several commercial space firms have thrown their weight behind the Pentagon's Golden Dome missile‑defense initiative, positioning for prototypes and long‑term contracts even as the program's technical scope and funding profile remain unresolved. Companies are making investments and staffing bets ahead of clarified government requirements.

2026-02-11T13:37:21.939345-08:00

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding

CNBC

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xAI co‑founder exodus after rapid merger into SpaceX raises IPO and integration questions After being folded into SpaceX, xAI has lost two more co‑founders and six other AI researchers in recent weeks as Elon Musk moved quickly to reset leadership, tightening control and reorganizing the startup while tying its future to the SpaceX merger and high‑stakes IPO plans.

2026-02-11T13:35:23.273851-08:00

xAI co‑founder exodus after rapid merger into SpaceX raises IPO and integration questions

Via Satellite

Gilat Reports 48% Revenue Growth in 2025 Driven by In‑Flight Connectivity and Stellar Blu Acquisition Gilat Satellite Networks reported 48% revenue growth in 2025, driven by demand for its in‑flight connectivity technology and the year's acquisition of Stellar Blu. The performance reflects accelerating airline and business‑aviation adoption of onboard satcom hardware and services across commercial and business fleets.

2026-02-11T12:35:32.197904-08:00

Gilat Reports 48% Revenue Growth in 2025 Driven by In‑Flight Connectivity and Stellar Blu Acquisition

SpaceNews.com

Sovereign EO demand spreads across the Earth‑observation stack Demand for sovereign capability is extending beyond national satellite fleets into the full Earth‑observation stack — sensors, hosted payloads, ground segments, data processing and tasking. Governments' push for national control and sustainment is reshaping procurement priorities and commercial productisation across the EO market.

2026-02-11T12:27:21.840166-08:00

Sovereign EO demand spreads across the Earth‑observation stack

Via Satellite

Comtech Satellite & Space president reports positive market reception for the Digital Common Ground modem In a Thursday Morning Conversation, Daniel Gizinski, president of Comtech’s Satellite & Space segment, discusses market reception for the Digital Common Ground modem, outlining customer interest, deployment prospects and the product’s role in evolving ground‑segment strategies for higher‑throughput satellite communications.

2026-02-11T09:19:08.759552-08:00

Comtech Satellite & Space president reports positive market reception for the Digital Common Ground modem

SpaceNews.com

Vertical integration by SpaceX and peers squeezes the smallsat market SpaceX and other vertically integrated space firms are moving beyond launch into satellite manufacturing, services and direct connectivity, compressing margins and addressable markets for independent smallsat builders and operators. The shift raises doubts about whether smaller companies can scale commercially without consolidation or exit.

2026-02-11T08:54:10.342644-08:00

Vertical integration by SpaceX and peers squeezes the smallsat market

SpaceNews.com

SDA TAP Lab selects nine companies for fourth Catalyst Campus mini-accelerator The Space Development Agency's TAP Lab selected nine companies for its fourth Catalyst Campus mini-accelerator, the latest cohort in the program. The announcement documents continued cohort-driven activity within SDA's TAP Lab initiative and highlights ongoing investment in small-scale space innovation pathways.

2026-02-11T08:22:22.378896-08:00

SDA TAP Lab selects nine companies for fourth Catalyst Campus mini-accelerator

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Commercial Space News

Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests

xAI co‑founder exodus after rapid merger into SpaceX raises IPO and integration questions

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding

Gilat Reports 48% Revenue Growth in 2025 Driven by In‑Flight Connectivity and Stellar Blu Acquisition

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