The recent explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which severely damaged its launch pad infrastructure, has had important implications for the broader space industry. The incident is expected to delay New Glenn launches by several months and jeopardize the timeline of upcoming lunar missions, as well as deployment schedules for satellite operators such as…
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled this week one of the most ambitious lunar strategies since the Apollo era, outlining a long-term vision centered on a permanent human presence on the Moon, large-scale lunar infrastructure, and the transformation of the lunar south pole into a strategic economic and scientific hub. The announcement marks a major expansion…
Semiconductors have long been a cornerstone of the space industry—a highly technology-intensive sector requiring a wide range of power and radio-frequency components to operate. This dependency is becoming even more pronounced as satellites evolve to deliver high-speed broadband and, increasingly, direct-to-device connectivity. Conversely, the space industry is now emerging as a major growth engine for…
Satellite imaging specialist Planet Labs delivered a strong set of FY results last night, showing for the first time $15 million positive EBITDA and positive free cash flow, well ahead of market expectations. The company also surprised investors with its 2026/27 outlook, guiding for a continued positive EBITDA despite recent growth initiatives. Amid robust demand for…
SpaceX has just announced its blockbuster merger with xAI. While Elon Musk publicly frames the move as part of his long-standing ambition to take data centers to space, there is also a clear and pragmatic financial rationale. xAI has been cash-hungry since inception and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future, whereas SpaceX is reportedly…
Not so long ago, making a satellite phone call from a remote corner of the planet was an ordeal. You had to lug around a brick-sized device, angle it precisely toward the sky, and pray for a faint signal. Even then, the connection was often scratchy, and the bills were exorbitant, turning a simple conversation…
We have long argued that SpaceX is on track to disrupt the global telecom market. Yesterday, the company took a decisive step in that direction with the announced $17B acquisition of EchoStar’s 50 MHz S-band spectrum in the US along with its global spectrum licenses. SpaceX’s Starlink initially focused on providing broadband internet to underserved…
In recent days, SpaceX’s Starlink announced partnerships with two of India’s leading telecom giants, Airtel and Jio, to provide broadband internet services to even the most remote and rural regions of the country. This marks a significant step as Starlink seems poised to finally break into the Indian internet market, the second largest in the…
SpaceX’s Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, and US wireless operator T-Mobile made the headlines recently when they announced a partnership aimed at connecting users’ current mobile phones directly to satellites in orbit, hence providing mobile users with (limited) network coverage in remote areas of the United States. The use of satellites for bi-directional telecommunications is…
If 5G roll-outs are now well on track, there is also a lot of activity in space-based connectivity that is expected to complement 5G in hard-to-reach locations, make the Internet of Things a reality (e.g. providing connectivity to a ship in the middle of the ocean) and provide faster Internet to rural areas. SpaceX’s Starlink,…