New York Times
• Cade Metz, Kate Conger
Google plans to launch a prototype satellite for the first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, a research effort examining whether space can support large-scale AI computing infrastructure. The company plans two experimental satellites with Planet by early 2027 to evaluate the concept and underlying technology.
Commercial Space
Latest source-backed stories
High activity
Belgian company Space Applications Services has secured a flight opportunity for its LUVMI-M lunar rover aboard an upcoming Blue Origin Blue Moon lander mission. The agreement advances European participation in commercial lunar exploration and adds another payload to Blue Origin’s developing lunar transportation offering.
High activity
Google plans to launch a prototype satellite for the first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, a research effort examining whether space can support large-scale AI computing infrastructure. The company plans two experimental satellites with Planet by early 2027 to evaluate the concept and underlying technology.
High activity
Starfish Space has completed its first full-scale Otter spacecraft and assigned it to a customer mission, moving beyond scaled technology demonstrations toward operational satellite servicing. The vehicle will launch on Transporter-18 for NASA’s SSPICY mission, inspecting multiple defunct U.S. satellites in orbit.
Hubble Network has raised $200 million in Series C financing, bringing its total funding to $300 million and valuing the company at $1.6 billion. The round follows a $70 million Series B completed in September 2025, underscoring continued investor backing for the company’s development.
Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is approaching a market inflection point, but operators’ reliance on mobile network operators may constrain growth. Reaching customers beyond carrier distribution could determine whether D2D develops into a scalable extension of terrestrial cellular networks or remains a limited connectivity enhancement.
High activity
The European Space Agency has awarded Rocket Factory Augsburg a €2.7 million contract extension to expand launch and testing infrastructure at SaxaVord, the UK spaceport. The funding supports RFA’s preparations to increase operational capability at the site.
The U.S. Space Force is preparing two commercial satellite-servicing missions for 2027 to test technologies and operational concepts that could give military spacecraft greater freedom to maneuver after launch. The missions will assess commercial capabilities for on-orbit support of national-security space assets.
A judge ruled in favor of SpaceX’s effort to exchange land with the federal government and acquire more than 700 acres in Texas’s Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge. The decision advances a land transaction involving the company and the Trump administration.
Create a free account to see more recent Commercial Space stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
