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SpaceNews.com • Jason Rainbow

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos

Starfighters Space has brought on two former Blue Origin New Glenn managers to support its air-launch system as it pushes toward flight demonstrations and an operational launch cadence. The hires signal an acceleration push on execution talent for an air-launched approach to reaching orbit.

2026-05-07T05:33:56.952620-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Skyroot Aerospace raises $60M, values company above $1B ahead of first orbital launch attempt

2026-05-07T04:55:32.056446-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks

2026-05-07T04:30:26.928719-07:00

SpaceWatch Global

Ramon.Space opens Englewood, Colorado office to expand U.S. engineering operations

2026-05-07T01:24:47.087998-07:00

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SpaceNews.com

Odin Space to open first U.S. office in Los Angeles to scale sub-centimeter orbital debris mapping British startup Odin Space plans to establish its first U.S. office in Los Angeles on May 7. The company focuses on mapping and analyzing sub-centimeter orbital debris—an increasingly critical capability as low Earth orbit congestion and conjunction risk rise.

2026-05-07T06:06:06.015254-07:00

Odin Space to open first U.S. office in Los Angeles to scale sub-centimeter orbital debris mapping

SpaceNews.com

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos Starfighters Space has brought on two former Blue Origin New Glenn managers to support its air-launch system as it pushes toward flight demonstrations and an operational launch cadence. The hires signal an acceleration push on execution talent for an air-launched approach to reaching orbit.

2026-05-07T05:33:56.952620-07:00

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos

SpaceNews.com

Skyroot Aerospace raises $60M, values company above $1B ahead of first orbital launch attempt Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace has secured a $60 million funding round that places its valuation at more than $1 billion. The capital boost comes as the company prepares for its first orbital launch attempt, a key milestone for scaling its launch capabilities.

2026-05-07T04:55:32.056446-07:00

Skyroot Aerospace raises $60M, values company above $1B ahead of first orbital launch attempt

SpaceNews.com

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks Stellar Exploration’s experience building, testing and delivering a small satellite propulsion system in roughly three years underscores a key shift in national security contracting decisions: speed is increasingly prioritized over lowest cost. The implied trade-off is tighter delivery schedules as procurement officials seek operational readiness sooner.

2026-05-07T04:30:26.928719-07:00

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks

SpaceWatch Global

Ramon.Space opens Englewood, Colorado office to expand U.S. engineering operations Ramon.Space says it has expanded its U.S. engineering footprint by opening a new office in Englewood, Colorado. The move is positioned to increase engineering capacity in the Denver area for the company’s space computing infrastructure activities.

2026-05-07T01:24:47.087998-07:00

Ramon.Space opens Englewood, Colorado office to expand U.S. engineering operations

Ars Technica

❗️

SpaceX ramps Vandenberg cadence with Starlink mission 17-29, now its busiest launch site for 2026 SpaceX is increasing its West Coast tempo at Vandenberg Space Force Base, which is set to become its busiest launch site for now. Mission 17-29 launches 24 Starlink satellites, marking the 44th dedicated constellation flight of 2026 from Vandenberg SFB.

2026-05-06T16:03:06.625023-07:00

SpaceX ramps Vandenberg cadence with Starlink mission 17-29, now its busiest launch site for 2026

Breaking Defense

Space Force raises Andromeda contract ceiling to $6.2B for GEO inspection and classified SILENTBARKER surveillance The U.S. Space Force increased the ceiling for the Andromeda IDIQ space monitoring contract from $1.8B to more than $6.2B, covering replacements for the current GSSAP on-orbit inspection satellites and funding the classified SILENTBARKER space surveillance “birds.”

2026-05-06T14:03:44.782116-07:00

Space Force raises Andromeda contract ceiling to $6.2B for GEO inspection and classified SILENTBARKER surveillance

Space.com

ESA Space Rider advances qualification and testing toward first flight readiness as Dassault VORTEX pursues runway-return reusab ESA’s Space Rider is progressing through key test and qualification milestones designed to move the reusable spacecraft concept closer to flight readiness. In parallel, Dassault is developing the VORTEX runway-return spaceplane concept for LEO capability, with the effort positioned as an emerging European reusability path pending funding and demonstrations.

2026-05-06T12:57:24.365123-07:00

ESA Space Rider advances qualification and testing toward first flight readiness as Dassault VORTEX pursues runway-return reusab

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Commercial Space News

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos

Skyroot Aerospace raises $60M, values company above $1B ahead of first orbital launch attempt

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks

Ramon.Space opens Englewood, Colorado office to expand U.S. engineering operations

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