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press.ariane.group • Camille Sohier

ArianeGroup names Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as CEO, effective 1 April 2026

ArianeGroup’s board has appointed Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as Chief Executive Officer (Président Exécutif), effective 1 April 2026. He will succeed Martin Sion, whose departure was announced on 8 October 2025, after an exhaustive board selection process.

2026-01-19T04:04:31.249387-08:00

Wall Street Journal

Elliott Takes Stake and Board Seat at Cerberus‑Backed Stratolaunch

2026-01-19T16:28:41.072807-08:00

NASA Spaceflight

Week ahead: Seven launches across six sites — SpaceX targets Vandenberg Starlink launch, Isar readies second Spectrum attempt

2026-01-19T14:43:13.769807-08:00

SpaceWatch Global

Isar Aerospace’s second Spectrum flight will be a test of hardware — and of Europe’s space credibility

2026-01-19T10:45:15.126784-08:00

News Timeline

Wall Street Journal

Elliott Takes Stake and Board Seat at Cerberus‑Backed Stratolaunch Elliott Management has taken an equity stake in Stratolaunch and will gain board representation at the Cerberus-backed launch company. The activist move gives Elliott formal oversight at the firm developing commercial space launch capabilities and could affect governance and strategic direction.

2026-01-19T16:28:41.072807-08:00

Elliott Takes Stake and Board Seat at Cerberus‑Backed Stratolaunch

NASA Spaceflight

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Week ahead: Seven launches across six sites — SpaceX targets Vandenberg Starlink launch, Isar readies second Spectrum attempt Seven orbital launches are scheduled across six sites next week, headlined by SpaceX's Falcon 9—targeted Wednesday from Vandenberg SFB to deploy 25 Starlink satellites—and a second launch attempt of Isar Aerospace's Spectrum vehicle. The schedule will pressure commercial launch cadence and range operations.

2026-01-19T14:43:13.769807-08:00

Week ahead: Seven launches across six sites — SpaceX targets Vandenberg Starlink launch, Isar readies second Spectrum attempt

SpaceWatch Global

Isar Aerospace’s second Spectrum flight will be a test of hardware — and of Europe’s space credibility Isar Aerospace’s upcoming second flight of its Spectrum launcher is being cast as a rigorous hardware and operational stress test. Industry observers, including Daniel Metzler, say the mission will be judged as a barometer of Europe’s emerging launch capability and its credibility as a space power.

2026-01-19T10:45:15.126784-08:00

Isar Aerospace’s second Spectrum flight will be a test of hardware — and of Europe’s space credibility

Space.com

China previews Xuntian 2‑meter space telescope with mock observations ahead of 2027 launch China has published mock observations demonstrating the performance of Xuntian, a 2‑meter‑class space telescope designed to operate near its space station, as the program advances toward a planned 2027 launch. The tests aim to validate imaging capability and science readiness ahead of final integration.

2026-01-19T08:05:33.624949-08:00

China previews Xuntian 2‑meter space telescope with mock observations ahead of 2027 launch

press.ariane.group

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ArianeGroup names Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as CEO, effective 1 April 2026 ArianeGroup’s board has appointed Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as Chief Executive Officer (Président Exécutif), effective 1 April 2026. He will succeed Martin Sion, whose departure was announced on 8 October 2025, after an exhaustive board selection process.

2026-01-19T04:04:31.249387-08:00

ArianeGroup names Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as CEO, effective 1 April 2026

Reuters

Global space investment set to rise in 2026 as defense satellite spending and launch-capacity bets accelerate Investment firm Seraphim Space says global investment in space technology will increase in 2026, driven by rising government spending on defense-linked satellite systems and renewed private-sector bets on launch capacity. The forecast highlights growing capital flows into military-oriented satellites and commercial launch ventures.

2026-01-19T02:36:16.963832-08:00

Global space investment set to rise in 2026 as defense satellite spending and launch-capacity bets accelerate

SpaceWatch Global

Pax Technologica: The Industrial Era of Space Travel Space travel is entering an industrial era, moving from bespoke missions to routine, scalable services. That transition emphasizes production lines, on‑orbit manufacturing, reusable vehicles and commercial stations, forcing firms and governments to adapt procurement, supply chains and operational models across civil, commercial and defense space.

2026-01-19T02:13:43.542128-08:00

Pax Technologica: The Industrial Era of Space Travel

SpaceWatch Global

Who Built China’s 2025 Satellite Surge? CAST and SECM Account for Just Over Half China launched almost 400 satellites in 2025, with CAST and SECM responsible for just over half of the spacecraft built and developed. The concentration highlights how a small set of domestic manufacturers dominated production amid a record launch surge this year.

2026-01-19T00:27:56.781634-08:00

Who Built China’s 2025 Satellite Surge? CAST and SECM Account for Just Over Half

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

ArianeGroup names Safran executive Christophe Bruneau as CEO, effective 1 April 2026

Elliott Takes Stake and Board Seat at Cerberus‑Backed Stratolaunch

Week ahead: Seven launches across six sites — SpaceX targets Vandenberg Starlink launch, Isar readies second Spectrum attempt

Isar Aerospace’s second Spectrum flight will be a test of hardware — and of Europe’s space credibility

News Timeline