Alan Boyle
Starfish Space to Launch 660‑lb Otter on SpaceX Transporter‑18 Oct. 1 for NASA’s $15M SSPICY Satellite‑Inspection Mission
Starfish Space will launch its full-size Otter on SpaceX's Transporter-18 no earlier than Oct. 1 from Vandenberg to demonstrate close-up inspection of inoperable satellites for NASA’s $15 million SSPICY mission; the 660-pound vehicle follows two prototype tests and will approach selected decommissioned satellites after commissioning. The company says Otter is built, has a customer and mission, and insights will inform future servicing operations.
Interlune raises $5M SAFE to fund lunar infrastructure and helium-3 mining ahead of priced round
Seattle-based Interlune raised $5 million via a SAFE to fund development of lunar infrastructure and mining technologies, marking a second $5M SAFE after an earlier round this year. The startup, founded in 2020 and led by CEO Rob Meyerson, is expanding from helium-3 extraction into space infrastructure and survival services and has partnerships such as an expanded deal with Vermeer for lunar construction tools.
Stoke Space raises roughly $1B in Series E to fund Nova rocket scale-up, Pathfinder launch targeted for early 2027
Stoke Space raised about $1 billion in a Series E round led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital to prepare for the first launch of its fully reusable Nova rocket and to scale up the vehicle and test facilities. The Seattle-area startup aims for a Pathfinder flight in early 2027 and plans a larger Nova Block 2 debut in 2029 as it expands capacity amid rising launch demand.
Starcloud raises $250M from Manhattan West, Nvidia and others to outfit satellites with Nvidia Space-1 chips
Starcloud raised $250 million in a Series A extension — led by Manhattan West and including Nvidia and Cisco Investments — to build a constellation of data-center satellites using Nvidia’s Space-1 Vera Rubin Module for in-space AI processing, bringing its total funding to $450 million and valuing the company at $2.3 billion.
Portal Space Systems to Launch Starburst-1 in October; Developing 1,100‑lb Supernova with Solar Thermal Propulsion
Portal Space Systems is preparing to ship its first Starburst-1 satellite to Florida for an October launch on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-5 rideshare while advancing plans for a larger, 1,100-pound Supernova spacecraft that will use solar thermal propulsion for greater orbital maneuverability.
Interlune demonstrates Cold Capture to extract 99% pure helium-3 from industrial helium, aims to scale for lunar mining
Seattle startup Interlune says it produced 99% pure helium-3 from industrial-grade helium using a cryogenic distillation process called Cold Capture, a technique it plans to scale for lunar extraction. The company argues helium-3’s rarity and suitability for quantum computing, detectors and future fusion makes lunar-sourced supply potentially profitable, and demonstrated the process at small scale in early 2025.
TerraByte AI launches TerraByte News map and adds SkyFi high-resolution imagery partnership, images from $15
TerraByte AI expanded its Earth Search Engine with a TerraByte News interactive map that links to news, social posts and satellite imagery, and added high-resolution images via a partnership with SkyFi offering images from 300+ sources starting at $15. Founded by Rishi Madhok and Fuxun Yu after Microsoft geospatial work, the startup recently grew its team and aims to make Earth intelligence as easy as a web search.
Pulse Space Wins $40 Million Space Force Award to Develop Laser Power-Beaming and Orbital Tracking Systems
Bellevue startup Pulse Space won a $40 million U.S. Space Force award to develop laser-based power beaming and orbital tracking technologies, building on prior Air Force work and plans for a satellite constellation that can transmit nearly 29.7 kW to targets at 1,000 km.
