Alan Boyle
Alan Boyle is an award-winning science writer, author of The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference, and a contributor to GeekWire who is involved with the Fiction Science podcast.
Kymeta wins FCC blanket authorization for next-gen u8 antenna as beta moves toward commercial release
Kymeta, the Bill Gates-backed mobile connectivity venture, won FCC blanket authorization for its next-generation u8 flat-panel antenna, which is in beta and slated for commercial release later this year; the company also secured type approvals from several satellite operators and recently raised $85 million and acquired Lepton Global Solutions.
MagniX and Universal Hydrogen to Retrofit Dash 8s with 2 MW Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Electric Propulsion, Cutting Capacity to 40 Seats
MagniX is partnering with Universal Hydrogen to retrofit de Havilland Canada DHC8-Q300 (Dash 8) regional aircraft with hydrogen fuel-cell–powered, 2-megawatt-class electric propulsion systems, reducing capacity from 50 to 40 seats. The program could extend to ATR 42 family retrofits and complements MagniX’s existing work on smaller all-electric aircraft.
Blue Origin Alumni Launch Startups: Relativity Prepares Terran Launch as Co-founder Jordan Noone Steps Back; Stoke Space Wins $225K NSF Grant
Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos 20 years ago, has spawned a wave of space startups led by its alumni, including Relativity Space and Stoke Space. Relativity is preparing a Terran rocket launch and undergoing leadership change as co-founder Jordan Noone steps back, while Stoke Space in Renton is developing reusable upper-stage propulsion with a $225,000 NSF SBIR grant.
Kymeta acquires Lepton Global Solutions to add 17-satellite service network, targets U.S. government and military contracts
Kymeta Corp., the Redmond-based satellite antenna company backed by Bill Gates, acquired Lepton Global Solutions to add satellite service capabilities and strengthen its position for U.S. government and military contracts. Lepton will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary in Tysons Corner with fewer than 15 employees, expanding Kymeta’s workforce to nearly 200; financial terms were not disclosed.
Sentinel Healthcare’s Sentinel Monitor to test and monitor 1,300 residents and 900+ staff at Era Living retirement communities
Seattle startup Sentinel Healthcare expanded its Sentinel Monitor COVID-19 tracking app — already used by UT Health Austin to diagnose about 1,600 Texas cases and trigger contact tracing for 4,000 people — into local retirement communities to test and monitor over 900 staff and 1,300 residents. The company partnered with Era Living and Transpara Health to support regular testing, monitoring and outbreak prevention in long-term care facilities amid rising case counts.
WiBotic raises $5.7M Series A to scale wireless charging and fleet power software for robots and drones
Seattle-based WiBotic raised $5.7 million in Series A funding to accelerate development of its near-field wireless charging stations and fleet power-management software for robots and drones, bringing total funding to nearly $9 million. The company, spun out of the University of Washington five years ago, says its technology enables scalable, contactless charging useful for automated deployments and COVID-19–era social distancing.
Planetary Resources’ Lab Gear, Including 10‑Foot Vacuum Chamber and CNC Machine, Auctioned After 2018 Shutdown
Planetary Resources’ remaining hardware — including a 10-foot thermal vacuum chamber, CNC machining center, laptops, chairs and a rooftop satellite dish — was sold in an online-only auction after the asteroid-mining startup ran out of funding. Bids ranged from about $730 for the vacuum chamber to over $34,000 for the CNC machine, while the satellite dish drew no bids due to costly removal requirements.
A-Alpha Bio wins $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR to develop molecular-glue discovery system
Seattle startup A-Alpha Bio received a $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR grant to develop a system that identifies molecular glues which tag disease-causing proteins for cellular degradation, aiming to target previously 'undruggable' proteins for diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Anduril Industries opens Seattle office, hiring engineers to expand AI-linked defense systems and aims for 25 staff by end of 2021
Anduril Industries is opening a new Seattle office and hiring engineers to build defense technologies like AI-powered Lattice, surveillance drones, and sensor-equipped sentry towers. The company has nearly 200 employees at its Irvine HQ, recently hired seven for Seattle, and aims to grow that office to 25 staff by the end of 2021.
BlackSky’s Spectra platform uses satellite imagery and AI to track activity and flag early signs of COVID-19 economic recovery
BlackSky's Spectra platform combines satellite imagery, AI image recognition, and multiple data streams to monitor activity—such as counting cars in parking lots—to identify early signs of economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SpaceX to launch limited Starlink broadband in northern U.S. and southern Canada by year-end; seeks FCC rule changes
SpaceX plans to begin limited commercial Starlink broadband service in the northern U.S. and southern Canada by the end of the year, aiming for near-global populated coverage in 2021, and is asking the FCC to apply equal fees to non-U.S. satellite operators and relax gateway station location rules.
Refactr wins Phase I AFWERX SBIR to let Air Force evaluate its DevSecOps automation platform
Seattle-based Refactr won a Phase I AFWERX SBIR contract for the Air Force to evaluate its DevSecOps automation platform that layers on existing tools to reduce tool and content sprawl; Phase I awards are typically around $50,000.
Rebellyous Foods raises $6 million to scale plant-based chicken-style nuggets, CEO Christie Lagally signals strategic pivot during pandemic
Seattle startup Rebellyous Foods raised $6 million to scale production of plant-based chicken-style nuggets made from wheat, soy and other plant ingredients. CEO Christie Lagally says the funding will help make plant-based meat affordable and expand sales to food-service customers, though the pandemic has prompted a rethink of near-term strategy as cafeteria demand lags.
Xplore wins $50,000 AFWERX award to design cislunar GPS-like navigation for Xcraft missions
Seattle-based smallsat company Xplore won a $50,000, three-month AFWERX award from the Air Force to design a position, navigation and timing (PNT) architecture for cislunar missions, aiming to extend GPS-like tracking to the moon. The study supports Xplore’s Xcraft plans (first launch as early as next year) and explores concepts like Cubesat-sized "space buoys" to enable triangulation in deep-space and highly elliptical orbits.
Seattle’s A-Alpha Bio Raises $2.8M Seed Round to Advance AlphaSeq Drug Discovery Platform
Seattle startup A-Alpha Bio raised $2.8 million in seed funding to advance its genetically engineered protein analysis platform, AlphaSeq, which accelerates drug candidate evaluation by sorting millions of protein interactions. The round was led by OS Fund and included investors such as Madrona Venture Group and AME Cloud Ventures.
Cyrus Biotechnology Raises $8M Series A Led by Trinity Ventures to Expand Cloud-Based Protein Modeling for Drug Discovery
Cyrus Biotechnology secured $8 million in Series A funding led by Trinity Ventures to advance its cloud-based protein modeling platform, Cyrus Bench, which aids drug discovery. The software builds on the University of Washington's Rosetta platform, enabling researchers to design novel protein configurations for therapeutic applications.
Bill Gates-Backed Kymeta Demonstrates High-Speed Flat-Panel Satellite Antennas at Monaco Yacht Show, Secures Superyacht Commitments
Kymeta Corp., backed by Bill Gates, showcased its flat-panel satellite antennas at the Monaco Yacht Show, delivering high-speed broadband to yachts using Panasonic’s satellite network. The demonstration impressed superyacht owners, resulting in commitments for Kymeta’s mTenna technology from iconic yachts and promising significantly faster maritime broadband.
Organizations
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Cosmic Log Journalist · current
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Fiction Science podcast current
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GeekWire Journalist · current
