Rocket Lab Completes ESCAPADE Spacecraft Commissioning Ahead of 2027 Mars Arrival

Rocket Lab's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft Blue and Gold have completed commissioning at L2, with Mars arrival set for September 2027 to study atmospheric escape.

NASA's Perseverance Rover Pioneers AI-Driven Autonomy on Mars

Perseverance completes its first AI-planned drive and deploys Mars Global Localization, giving the rover GPS-like capabilities on the Red Planet.

Sophia Space Raises $10M Seed Round

Pasadena-based Sophia Space closes a $10M seed round to develop modular space computers, targeting orbital data centers by the 2030s.

SpaceX Keeps Starlink Momentum with Rapid Falcon 9 Launches

SpaceX continues its relentless Starlink deployment cadence in February 2026, hitting the 600th Falcon 9 launch milestone while expanding the constellation past 9,700 satellites.

Axiom Space Secures $350M

Axiom Space raises $350 million led by Type One Ventures and Qatar Investment Authority, accelerating development of its commercial space station and NASA's next-generation lunar spacesuits.

This Week in Space Tech #26

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech (February 9-15, 2026), your weekly guide to the most significant developments in the space industry.

SpaceX Acquires xAI in $1.25 Trillion Merger

Elon Musk merges SpaceX and xAI in a mega-deal valued at $1.25 trillion, setting up a potential SpaceX IPO and a push to explore space-based AI infrastructure.

Stoke Space Extends Series D to $860 Million

This Week in Space Tech #25

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech (February 2-8, 2026), where we break down the most important developments reshaping the space industry.

This Week in Space Tech #24

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech (January 26 - February 1, 2026), your weekly roundup of the most significant developments shaping the space industry.

This Week in Space Tech #23

Jan 19 to 25, 2026: A rocket test failure, more satellites in LEO, and startups pushing servicing, manufacturing, and European launch options.

This Week in Space Tech #22

A high tempo week where launch cadence stayed hot, defense constellations kept scaling, and startups pulled in fresh capital to turn satellite data into real products.

This Week in Space Tech #21

This Week in Space Tech: Jan 5 to 11, 2026. A fast moving week where funding landed, regulators reshaped satellite plans, and SpaceX kept the launch tempo high.

This Week in Space Tech #20

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech, covering Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 4, 2026. Here is what mattered as the industry turned the calendar.

This Week in Space Tech #19

Dec 22 to Dec 28, 2025 was a holiday week with launch setbacks, a major direct to phone satellite step, and a notable leadership shift among US launch providers.

This Week in Space Tech #18

The week of Dec 15 to Dec 21, 2025 brought multiple launch milestones, a major US defense satellite procurement, a new NASA administrator, and fresh focus on space traffic safety.

This Week in Space Tech #17

In the week of 8 to 14 December 2025, SpaceX stretched reuse to new records, a close call in orbit reignited the space traffic debate, and Rocket Lab delivered a tech demo for Japan.

This Week in Space Tech #16

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech, covering 1 to 7 December 2025. Here is how launch cadence, public money and startup momentum reshaped the landscape over seven very dense days.

This Week in Space Tech #15

Welcome to This Week in Space Tech, covering 24 to 30 November 2025. Here is what actually moved the needle across launch pads, startups and ministries.

This Week in Space Tech #14

The week of 17 to 23 November 2025 brought an ocean-watching Sentinel into orbit, record Starlink activity from Florida, fresh Rocket Lab and Chinese missions, and more.