The Air Current
• Elan Head
SpaceX stock has climbed to its highest close since June, recovering from its post-IPO slump amid Starship progress and investor interest in its AI business. A bullish Morgan Stanley call helped fuel the rally, while the FAA has separately changed policy to accept greater aircraft exposure to risks from falling space debris.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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Rocket Factory Augsburg has appointed Alexander Dahm as chief executive, tasking the aerospace operations executive with guiding development of its RFA ONE launcher toward its maiden flight. The move marks another change in leadership for the German launch developer, which named a new CEO last year.
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SpaceX stock has climbed to its highest close since June, recovering from its post-IPO slump amid Starship progress and investor interest in its AI business. A bullish Morgan Stanley call helped fuel the rally, while the FAA has separately changed policy to accept greater aircraft exposure to risks from falling space debris.
SpaceX is proposing to build a natural gas pipeline in Florida to deliver fuel for its Starship rockets launched from Cape Canaveral. The proposal would connect launch operations with new fuel-delivery infrastructure in the state.
SpaceX shares rose after Morgan Stanley reiterated a bullish view, setting a $300 price target and framing the company as an inexpensive way to gain exposure to AI and space. The bank said an upcoming Starship flight test could be a significant catalyst for the stock.
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The Oct. 5–11 launch slate includes South Korea’s Nuri carrying Earth-observation satellites, a SpaceX military launch and Starlink deployment, and a Chinese Long March 12 flight. SpaceX also plans launches from California, including the Transporter-18 rideshare mission carrying Star Catcher’s orbital power-beaming demonstrator.
HyImpulse has delayed the second flight of its SR75 suborbital rocket until spring 2027, moving the mission from its previously planned schedule. The rocket is set to fly from SaxaVord in Scotland, making the revised date a milestone for the company’s suborbital launch campaign and the UK spaceport.
The Exploration Company is considering spaceports in the Middle East for a large reusable launch vehicle it plans to develop. The summary provides no specific sites, partners, timeline or vehicle performance details, leaving the company’s launch-site strategy at an exploratory stage.
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The European Space Agency is investigating options for a European-led space station and pursuing crew-transport capabilities as new European launchers come online. The effort follows member states’ endorsement of a “Call to Boost European Space Exploration,” signaling a broader push to strengthen Europe’s independent role in human spaceflight.
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