Bloomberg
• Loren Grush
SpaceX is proposing to scale up Starship operations at its Starbase facility in South Texas to 456 launches and landings annually. The plan is under U.S. government review, including a request for FAA approval, and would mark a major increase in the site’s planned flight activity.
Commercial Space
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Varda Space Industries is currently operating two spacecraft in Earth orbit and plans eight additional missions in the coming year, signaling a rapid expansion of its in-space manufacturing and reentry cadence. The plans put execution, spacecraft availability and recovery operations at the center of the company’s next phase.
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SpaceX is proposing to scale up Starship operations at its Starbase facility in South Texas to 456 launches and landings annually. The plan is under U.S. government review, including a request for FAA approval, and would mark a major increase in the site’s planned flight activity.
Robert Ihnatisin, whose experience is in terrestrial 3D printing, says he was struck by the slow progress of manufacturing in orbit and founded Orbital Matter to address the gap. The article offers no details on the company’s technology, funding or plans, but frames its creation as an attempt to accelerate the sector.
Muhammad Hunain of Melagen Labs says spacecraft are still shielded with aluminum, while rad-hardened electronics remain too expensive to produce at the scale the space economy demands. His comments frame radiation protection and component costs as persistent constraints on scaling spacecraft production.
Balerion has raised more than $200 million for its second fund, exceeding its target. The firm had closed about $90 million as of May, according to Venture Capital Journal; co-founder and General Partner Daniel Kleinmann attributed subsequent momentum to portfolio companies reaching milestones and raising up-rounds that resonated with limited partners.
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SpaceX agreed to acquire up to 14 MHz of paired 800-MHz spectrum from Grain Management as analysts assess its wireless ambitions. Piper Sandler downgraded AST SpaceMobile to Neutral and cut its price target to $54 from $98, citing uncertainty over 2026-27 satellite deployments and launch constraints.
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Josh Tyrangiel’s Atlantic profile compares Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk as their companies pursue influence in space, framing the two billionaires as potential checks on one another’s power. The article’s cover story assesses who is ahead in their race to shape the future of the space sector.
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A Falcon 9 launched SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon from Cape Canaveral at 6:33 a.m. EDT on Oct. 13, carrying more than 6,300 pounds of supplies, hardware and science payloads to the International Space Station. The dawn launch also produced a bright “space jellyfish” plume visible across parts of the eastern United States.
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