Adelaide-based Southern Launch closed a A$25M Series A led by Brindabella & Company, with A$10M from the National Reconstruction Fund, to scale its launch and re-entry ranges.
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Space Economy
The business of space: company stories, industry news, startup news and funding rounds across launch, satellites and in-orbit services.
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- Updated Oct 6, 2026
Latest in Space Economy
Letara Pre-Series A Round: ¥2.6B for Plastic-Fuelled Hybrid Engines
Sapporo-based Letara raised ¥2.6B (about $16M) from Headline Asia, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Incubate Fund and ten others to scale hybrid engines from satellites to launchers.
Ravee Optics Seed Round: $6M to Shrink Satellite Laser Terminals
Dayton-based Ravee Optics raised an oversubscribed $6M seed led by BIG Capital, with CincyTech and JobsOhio, to qualify a 2 kg laser communications terminal and fly it in early 2028.
Foundational Pre-Seed Round: £8.2M for Satellite Laser Ranging
London startup Foundational left stealth with an £8.2M pre-seed from Inflection, BACKED, Final Frontier, Adjacent and Type One Ventures to build automated laser ranging stations.
ORiS Pre-Seed Round: €5M to Beam Laser Power Between Satellites
Turin startup ORiS raised €5M (a €4.5M pre-seed led by Earlybird and Pitchdrive plus a €0.5M regional grant) to demonstrate laser power transfer between satellites in 2027.
NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1: SpaceX Wins $1.6 Billion for 18 Launches as Rivals Stay Grounded
In July 2026 the US Space Force raised its commercial-style launch contract ceiling to $17 billion and awarded SpaceX 18 Falcon 9 missions worth $1.6 billion while Vulcan and New Glenn were grounded.
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Rocket Lab’s 20-Mission Electron Launch Deal With Synspective: The Business Case
Synspective booked 20 more dedicated Electron launches for 2028 to 2031, taking its total to 47 and Rocket Lab’s launch backlog past 100 missions. We look at the value and the risks.
New Glenn 9×4 Joins NASA’s Launch Contract as the Agency Weighs Bulk Rocket Buys
NASA made Blue Origin’s larger New Glenn eligible for its science and exploration launches on 29 September 2026, days before officials described plans to buy rockets in batches for the Moon Base.
IRIS² Contracts: Europe Commits €15.6 Billion and Names Its Satellite Builders
Between 7 August and 10 September 2026 the EU expanded IRIS² to 348 satellites, raised the budget to €15.6 billion and saw its operators award the main manufacturing contracts.
SpaceX Earnings Report: What the First Quarter as a Public Company Reveals
SpaceX reported $7.8 billion of second-quarter revenue on 4 August 2026, its first results since the IPO. Starlink funds the group, AI absorbs the capital and launch is now the smallest segment.
Orbex Assets Sold: What Omnidea’s PrimeNEO Plan Means for Launch
Eight months after Orbex collapsed, Portugal’s Omnidea has bought its factory, designs and brand. Here is why Orbex failed, what the buyer gets and what investors should learn.
Sovereign Space Programs: Nebex’s US$700M Latin America Framework
Space exchange startup Nebex has partnered with Mexico’s Thrusters Unlimited on US$700 million of planned government space programmes. Here is how the model works and what is still unproven.