Commercial Space News

Space.com • Mike Wall

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 test flight recap highlights on the megarocket’s progress

SpaceX’s Starship completed its 13th test flight, described as going “pretty well,” with an accompanying set of highlights from the mission. A separate weekly recap also points to broader momentum around moon-lander/rover concepts, AI-enabled engineering, and large-scale launch and communications funding.

2 Sources

2026-07-27T15:06:24.692742-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Amazon asks FCC approval for up to 5,105 direct-to-device satellites, leveraging Globalstar assets post-$11.6B acquisition

23 Sources

2026-07-27T05:06:36.442142-07:00

Via Satellite

New Space’s LEO scaling stress-tests satellite architecture and shifts bandwidth from RF to laser—and toward lunar connectivity

3 Sources

2026-07-27T06:38:43.510663-07:00

Space.com

FCC review limits and the enforcement gap in space law as private “sky-changing” projects advance

1 Source

2026-07-27T05:06:21.414052-07:00

Commercial Space Industry (New Space) News Timeline

Space.com

2 sources

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 test flight recap highlights on the megarocket’s progress SpaceX’s Starship completed its 13th test flight, described as going “pretty well,” with an accompanying set of highlights from the mission. A separate weekly recap also points to broader momentum around moon-lander/rover concepts, AI-enabled engineering, and large-scale launch and communications funding.

2026-07-27T15:06:24.692742-07:00

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 test flight recap highlights on the megarocket’s progress

Via Satellite

1 source

Inside the smallsat manufacturing market: assembling faster with tighter tradeoffs across speed, cost, quality and mission flexi A look at how smallsat assembly is evolving into a more industrial, production-line model—expanding capabilities for a more diverse customer base while forcing manufacturers to balance speed, cost, quality and mission flexibility. The report outlines the process constraints shaping today’s smallsat build cycle.

2026-07-27T06:38:44.643905-07:00

Inside the smallsat manufacturing market: assembling faster with tighter tradeoffs across speed, cost, quality and mission flexi

Via Satellite

3 sources

New Space’s LEO scaling stress-tests satellite architecture and shifts bandwidth from RF to laser—and toward lunar connectivity As LEO megaconstellations and in-orbit computing projects accelerate data generation, the brief highlights how subsystem design and payload integration determine platform scalability. Separately, Astrolight positions end-to-end lasercom to relieve RF spectrum congestion and throughput limits, while NASA/ESA work to establish communications “connectivity backbones” for lunar and cislunar ecosystems.

2026-07-27T06:38:43.510663-07:00

New Space’s LEO scaling stress-tests satellite architecture and shifts bandwidth from RF to laser—and toward lunar connectivity

Payload

4 sources

Orbes unveils Exo-ORB free-flying ~12U “maintenance spacecraft” under an agreement to image Symphony Space station Orbes has announced an agreement (July 27) to send Exo-ORB—an approximately 12U, under-26kg, free-flying satellite—on-board customer infrastructure to gather imagery of an uncrewed Symphony Space station. The company positioned Exo-ORB as a “ready-to-go” inspection platform launched via customer systems.

2026-07-27T06:06:43.755953-07:00

Orbes unveils Exo-ORB free-flying ~12U “maintenance spacecraft” under an agreement to image Symphony Space station

SpaceNews.com

23 sources

❗️

Amazon asks FCC approval for up to 5,105 direct-to-device satellites, leveraging Globalstar assets post-$11.6B acquisition Amazon’s Project Leo filed with the US Federal Communications Commission to deploy a direct-to-device constellation of up to 5,105 satellites in five orbital shells (510–580 km) to provide voice and data to mobile phones. The plan anticipates construction of Globalstar’s next-generation constellation after Amazon’s planned $11.6B Globalstar purchase closes.

2026-07-27T05:06:36.442142-07:00

Amazon asks FCC approval for up to 5,105 direct-to-device satellites, leveraging Globalstar assets post-$11.6B acquisition

Space.com

1 source

FCC review limits and the enforcement gap in space law as private “sky-changing” projects advance The cluster argues that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission can approve large-scale private space projects that may alter the night sky globally, while international space law lacks effective mechanisms to halt or remedy the resulting impacts.

2026-07-27T05:06:21.414052-07:00

FCC review limits and the enforcement gap in space law as private “sky-changing” projects advance

SpaceNews.com

9 sources

Space Force awards Rocket Lab a record $266M multi-launch contract for up to 18 suborbital missile-defense missions from Alaska The U.S. Space Force has awarded Rocket Lab a $266 million multi-launch contract for suborbital missile-defense testing under its Rocket Systems Launch Program. The deal covers 12 missions over three years, with an option for up to six additional launches, starting no earlier than late 2026 from a new launch pad at Kodiak, Alaska.

2026-07-27T04:10:19.153796-07:00

Space Force awards Rocket Lab a record $266M multi-launch contract for up to 18 suborbital missile-defense missions from Alaska

SpaceWatch Global

1 source

Voyager renews partnership with Reditus Space to provide end-to-end commercial microgravity via ENOS reentry vehicle Voyager has renewed its partnership with Reditus Space to deliver end-to-end microgravity mission services aboard Reditus’ ENOS reentry vehicle. The renewed deal expands reliable commercial access to microgravity experimentation using a dedicated reentry-vehicle platform for customer missions.

2026-07-27T01:15:35.208917-07:00

Voyager renews partnership with Reditus Space to provide end-to-end commercial microgravity via ENOS reentry vehicle

Create a free account to see more recent Commercial Space Industry (New Space) clusters.