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Another packed week in the wake of SpaceX’s historic IPO. Plus some new deals in commerce, science and space governance. Having trouble with links? Click the link below to read the unclipped publication. ↓

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Astronomers have directly measured the mass of the most distant dormant black hole yet detected, located in the galaxy MRG‑M0138 more than 10 billion light‑years away. The international team used the James Webb Space Telescope to track stellar motions influenced by the black hole’s gravity, determining a mass of about 6 billion solar masses. Gravitational lensing by a foreground galaxy magnified MRG‑M0138 roughly 30‑fold, enabling JWST to resolve stellar dynamics at a distance 15 times farther than any previous use of the technique.

The galaxy itself is quiescent, no longer forming stars, and its central black hole is inactive, lacking the bright accretion signatures seen in quasars. Researchers say the result demonstrates the feasibility of weighing dormant black holes in the early universe and provides new constraints on how black holes and galaxies co‑evolve. The findings were published June 4 in Science.

A Boston University–led team has proposed an active method to blunt severe space‑weather impacts by temporarily strengthening Earth’s magnetosphere, outlining a concept called StormWall that uses a fleet of six spacecraft to release ionized material ahead of major solar storms. In simulations published in Space Weather, the system reduced the intensity of a large geomagnetic storm by more than half.

The approach would deploy "mass-loading material" such as barium, lithium, sodium or calcium from geosynchronous orbit, creating artificial plasma that drifts to the sunward edge of the magnetosphere and disrupts magnetic reconnection, the process that allows solar energy to penetrate near‑Earth space. The team modeled the May 2024 geomagnetic storm to test feasibility.

Researchers note the concept is technically achievable but costly, requiring launches carrying material equivalent to a dozen oil trucks, and stored as a solid or liquid, to be vaporized on command. They argue the potential benefits include protecting satellites, GPS, communications networks and power grids from extreme events that could cause trillions of dollars in damage.

The U.K. government and Vast have signed a memorandum of understanding that could enable ESA reserve astronaut John McFall to fly a research mission to the Haven‑1 commercial space station. The agreement tasks the U.K. Space Agency with helping Vast secure sponsorship to fund the flight, though it does not guarantee McFall’s participation. Haven‑1, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 as early as 2027, is planned as Vast’s first commercial outpost in low Earth orbit.

McFall, a U.K. National Health Service surgeon and former Paralympian who lost his right leg at 19, was selected in 2022 for ESA’s Fly! project and became the first person with a physical disability medically cleared for long‑duration spaceflight. If flown, he would conduct research on human physiology, musculoskeletal adaptation, prosthetic performance and movement in microgravity, with potential applications for rehabilitation and prosthetic design on Earth.

The MoU also establishes broader U.K.–U.S. cooperation with Vast and follows France’s recent two‑mission agreement with the company.

MIT engineers have demonstrated a dual‑mode propulsion approach that uses a single “green” ionic‑liquid, monopropellant to power both chemical and electrospray thrusters, enabling small satellites to perform high‑thrust maneuvers and precise, low‑thrust adjustments from the same fuel source. This capability that could expand mission flexibility while reducing onboard fuel volume. In tests described in the Journal of Propulsion and Power, researchers showed that the U.S. Air Force-developed ASCENT (Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic Propellant) propellant, originally designed as a less toxic chemical‑thruster fuel, can also drive MIT’s thumbnail‑sized electrospray engines with performance comparable to conventional ionic liquids.

The team tested ASCENT-fueled electrospray engines on a magnetically levitated CubeSat inside a vacuum chamber for up to 100 hours, varying voltage levels and measuring the thrust, resulting maneuvers and spin. The work underpins NASA’s Green Propulsion Dual Mode mission, a CubeSat launching in November that will carry one chemical thruster and four electrospray thrusters fed from a shared tank, the first in‑orbit test of such a system.

NASA says the technology could support future deep‑space missions, while MIT researchers note potential applications for interplanetary exploration as well as rapid‑response Earth‑observation maneuvers in low Earth orbit.

9 June, 2026

NASA has outlined the full mission profile for Artemis III, a 2027 Earth‑orbit test flight that will require three heavy‑lift launches and in‑space demonstrations, the first rendezvous and docking operations between Orion and two commercial lunar lander prototypes that remain under development by from Blue Origin and SpaceX.

The mission will begin with Blue Origin launching its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander pathfinder, a crewed lunar version of the company’s Blue Moon lander, on a New Glenn rocket which will loiter in orbit for several weeks. It will be followed by the crewed SLS launch of Orion for a two‑day docked test of rendezvous, hatch operations, life‑support systems, and an Axiom Space spacesuit prototype carried aboard Blue Moon. After undocking, Orion will wait in orbit for SpaceX’s Starship pathfinder, launched separately on a Version 3 Starship equipped with a docking adapter but no crew cabin, for about a day of additional integrated checkouts. Orion will repeat the process with the Starship pathfinder for about a day of integrated checkouts before returning to Earth.

The flight will validate interfaces, software, propulsion, communications, and docking hardware needed for Artemis IV’s planned lunar‑surface mission.

NASA confirmed that both landers will participate despite prior uncertainty tied to development delays. The agency also named the crew: commander, NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, pilot, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, and mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, with Bob Hines as backup, from NASA. The mission is expected to last roughly two weeks.

10 June, 2026

NASA says Canadarm2 will remain offline for several weeks after the International Space Station’s primary robotic arm experienced elevated motor current in a wrist joint during routine operations on May 27, halting its motion. The joint’s motor was drawing more electrical power than normal because it was pushing against unexpected resistance, a classic sign of a mechanical problem. When controllers commanded the joint to move, the arm either failed to move or moved incorrectly, indicating the mechanism inside the wrist joint was likely jammed or failing.

Following consultations with the Canadian Space Agency, engineers determined the joint must be replaced during a June 30 spacewalk using a spare already aboard the station. Canadarm2, which marked 25 years of service in April and has exceeded its design life by a decade, remains in a safe configuration while standard arm operations are paused. The repair is critical for future cargo‑ship berthings and maintenance tasks; the arm last captured a Cygnus freighter in April.

NASA will announce the spacewalk crew at a later date, likely selecting from Expedition 74’s U.S. segment: NASA astronauts Chris Williams, Jessica Meir, and Jack Hathaway, or ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. Canadarm2 continues to support more than 100 days of annual robotic operations from ground controllers in Canada and the United States.

12 June, 2026

Japan’s H3 rocket returned to flight Thursday with its first successful mission since a December failure that destroyed its payload, marking the vehicle’s eighth launch and the debut of its three-engine configuration. Liftoff occurred at 8:54 p.m. EDT from Tanegashima Space Center, with JAXA confirming all six satellites, PETREL, STARS‑X, BRO‑22, VERTECS, HORN‑L and HORN‑R, were deployed to their planned orbits.

The previous H3 mission lost the Michibiki‑5 satellite after a damaged payload adapter caused second‑stage propellant‑tank damage and engine ignition failure. An investigation earlier this year traced the anomaly to the adapter, prompting corrective actions ahead of the 2026 flight.

H3, developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as the successor to the retired H‑2A, is powered by LE‑9 engines and had experienced two failures since its 2023 debut. JAXA said Thursday’s nominal performance places the program back on track for future missions, thanking supporters after the launch.

8 June, 2026

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, ASI) will conduct a regional space law technical advisory mission in Malindi, Kenya, in November to support African nations developing national legal frameworks for space activities. The effort, part of UNOOSA’s Global Space Law Project, aims to help governments translate international obligations into domestic regulation, strengthen regional cooperation and improve readiness for participation in a global space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

UNOOSA said clear national legislation is increasingly important as orbital activity expands and congestion grows. The mission will be hosted at ASI’s Luigi Broglio Space Center and reflects Italy’s broader engagement with Africa under its Mattei Plan. Officials said demand for legal and regulatory assistance continues to rise as states seek to close gaps, avoid vulnerabilities and build space sectors. Previous missions have led countries to ratify treaties, establish space agencies and register satellites.

8 June, 2026

Rwanda has joined the Augmented Navigation for Africa programme, becoming the latest national space agency to participate in the continent’s satellite‑based augmentation system effort. The Rwanda Space Agency formalized its membership through a May 7 memorandum of understanding with the Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), which leads ANGA. Under the agreement, Rwanda will host a Mission Control Centre supporting the system’s ground segment and promote adoption of ANGA services domestically.

ANGA aims to provide dual‑frequency, multi‑constellation Satellite-Based Augmentation System or SBAS coverage across the Africa and Indian Ocean region by 2030 and is recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a key enabler of the African Union Space Policy and the Single African Air Transport Market. An SBAS improves the accuracy and reliability of GPS and Galileo signals by correcting errors in real time, tightening typical positioning accuracy from several meters to about one meter. This precision enables safety‑critical uses such as aviation precision‑approach and landing procedures without requiring Instrument Landing System infrastructure at each airport.

SBAS services also support precision agriculture, maritime navigation, road and rail transport, mapping and disaster‑management operations, where higher‑accuracy positioning directly affects efficiency, safety and economic performance.

The programme builds on NIGCOMSAT‑1R broadcasts and 2023 flight demonstrations in Abuja, Nigeria, validating SBAS‑based precision approaches. Rwanda’s participation aligns with its broader space infrastructure investments, including a Tier 3‑certified teleport and a national geospatial data hub.

9 June, 2026

The White House has proposed a rule that would give political appointees broad authority over federal science funding, allowing them to alter or overturn peer‑reviewed grant decisions and evaluate researchers based on personal conduct, including social media activity. The Office of Management and Budget’s May 28 proposal, “Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance,” states that peer review would remain advisory and requires every grant to undergo political review, building on a 2025 executive order directing agencies to fund projects aligned with presidential priorities.

Political appointees would be able to revise or overturn science‑funding decisions regardless of peer‑review outcomes under the proposed rule, which states that peer review “remains advisory” and does not limit agency discretion. These appointees, selected by elected officials and not required to have scientific expertise, would gain authority to approve or block grants based on their own assessments.

Science policy experts warned the rule would centralize control over research agendas, restrict participation in scientific societies, limit publication options and impose new constraints on international collaboration. Space‑science advocates said NASA research could be redirected regardless of congressional appropriations, and new restrictions could impede routine coordination with foreign satellite operators. The Planetary Society and Stand Up for Science said the rule would undermine U.S. scientific leadership. The proposal remains open for public comment.

10 June, 2026

Namibia’s communications regulator, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has received 624 public petitions urging it to reconsider its March 2026 decision denying Starlink Internet Services Namibia operating and spectrum licenses. CRAN said none of the submissions came from Starlink or SpaceX, but reflect strong local demand for the service. The regulator found Starlink met competition, technical and financial criteria but failed ownership, national‑security and compliance requirements, including a legal mandate that license holders be at least 51% Namibian‑owned. Starlink previously operated without authorization until a 2024 suspension. CRAN said all petitions will be reviewed under the Communications Act to ensure procedural fairness.

Separately, Starlink has delivered 150 user terminals to support Ebola response operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, providing high‑speed connectivity for surveillance, testing, treatment and field coordination in Ituri Province. The deployment follows discussions between Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Starlink on using satellite broadband to strengthen emergency response in remote areas. The kits, which include a mount, router and power cables, can be activated within minutes and will enable real‑time data transmission, communication between health facilities and emergency operations centers, and training for frontline workers. Africa CDC said reliable connectivity improves case reporting, logistics coordination and technical support for responders.

10 June, 2026

U.S.-based space analytics company, Spire Global and German defense contractor, Diehl Defence have signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue satellite‑based missile‑warning and hypersonic‑threat detection capabilities, positioning the companies for future opportunities in Europe’s expanding space‑security market. The June 10 agreement outlines plans to combine Spire’s low‑Earth‑orbit constellation and radio‑frequency analytics with Diehl’s defense systems to support early‑warning architectures for Germany and Europe.

Diehl said the effort aims to link space‑derived intelligence with weapons platforms and command‑and‑control networks. The partnership comes as European governments accelerate development of sovereign missile‑warning systems following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and growing concern over ballistic and maneuvering hypersonic threats. Detecting hypersonic weapons remains a technically demanding mission due to their high speeds and unpredictable flight paths.

The collaboration builds on Spire’s recent expansion in Germany, including growth of its Munich satellite‑manufacturing facility intended to support sovereign missions. European nations have historically relied on U.S. missile‑warning assets but are examining independent sensing architectures.

10 June, 2026

LeoLabs has deployed a mobile space‑tracking radar in the Indo‑Pacific region to monitor Chinese satellites and other maneuvering spacecraft, the company said June 10. The new system, called Scout‑S, is the first operational unit in a planned family of transportable sensors designed to provide rapid, location‑flexible coverage for military operators. Housed in a standard 20‑foot container, the radar became operational within hours of arrival and has tracked Chinese Yaogan reconnaissance satellites at 800–1,000 kilometers altitude as well as China’s reusable spaceplane.

The deployment is a shift toward continuous tracking of maneuverable spacecraft as traditional catalog‑based methods become less effective. LeoLabs, which maintains a catalog of more than 26,000 objects, said Scout‑S will support the Valiant Shield 2026 Indo‑Pacific Command exercise - a large-scale U.S. Indo-Pacific Command training event conducted with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and other allied partners. The company is also developing Scout‑X for missile warning and Scout‑M for maritime surveillance with U.S. Space Force and private funding. Scout‑S is available for procurement by U.S. and allied customers seeking resilient sensing options.

LeoLabs has intentionally kept the site of deployment undisclosed, consistent with how mobile space‑tracking assets are often handled when supporting U.S. and allied military operations.

8 June, 2026

The FCC has waived Amazon’s requirement to deploy half of its Gen-1, 3,232‑satellite Amazon Leo broadband constellation by the July 30 deadline. The FCC has removed the near‑term milestone while keeping the 2029 deadline to complete the first‑generation Amazon Leo constellation which was first approved in 2020. The agency cited Amazon’s more than $10 billion investment, manufacturing progress and the public‑interest value of a second large LEO broadband provider. The extension avoids a potential halt to deployments but triggers a temporary loss of spectrum priority for any Gen 1 satellites launched after the original 2026 milestone until Amazon accelerates production.

For the next 20 months, or sooner if Amazon proves it has built and booked launches for half the constellation, newly launched satellites must coordinate on a non‑interference basis with systems such as SpaceX’s expanded Starlink Gen 2 and Logos Space’s planned network.

Amazon has launched 333 satellites across 13 missions since October 2023, far short of the 1,616 required under the original rule. It has cited launch bottlenecks despite more than 100 missions on contract. Blue Origin’s New Glenn and ULA’s Vulcan remain grounded after recent anomalies, and Atlas V has only one remaining flight for Amazon. Ariane 6 has flown twice for the program and will launch 36 more satellites this month on an upgraded Ariane 6, while Falcon 9 has conducted three missions after Amazon expanded its use of SpaceX vehicles.

NewOrbit, Quantum Space, Isar Aerospace, Iceye and Orbital report major developments across VLEO, mobility and launch infrastructure, SAR and in‑orbit computing.

8 June, 2026

UK‑based NewOrbit Space has raised $18.5 million in Series A funding to advance its very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite program, positioning the startup for a first mission in 2028 and the establishment of a dedicated production facility. Voyager Ventures led the oversubscribed round.

NewOrbit plans to operate satellites at 250–300 kilometers, aiming to demonstrate higher‑resolution imagery at up to 20‑times lower cost, faster data delivery, and potential applications such as 5G direct‑to‑device links and live HD video. The company is developing proprietary electronics, structures, software, and air‑breathing electric propulsion to address aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen, and torque challenges unique to VLEO. A new NEO Production Complex opening next year will scale from 10 satellites annually to several per week, which NewOrbit says will create Europe’s largest dedicated VLEO manufacturing site and a strategic sovereign capability.

Space mobility and infrastructure startup, Quantum Space will go public through a merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI, a Nasdaq‑listed SPAC, in a deal expected to close in the fourth quarter and valued at up to $1.2 billion assuming no redemptions. In a SPAC deal, “no redemptions” means the SPAC’s shareholders do not pull their money out before the merger closes. The transaction includes a $300 million PIPE and access to $253 million held in trust, funding intended to accelerate production of the company’s Ranger spacecraft, a highly maneuverable platform designed for national security, civil and commercial missions across LEO, MEO, GEO and cislunar space. A PIPE (private investment in public equity) is money that outside investors commit to a company at the same time it goes public through a SPAC merger.

Led by former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Quantum Space was recently selected for the Space Force’s Andromeda program and is expanding manufacturing with a new facility in Tulsa. Ranger features a single‑fuel, multi‑mode propulsion system, modular design and refueling capability to support missions of up to 15 years.

9 June, 2026

German orbital launch vehicle developer, Isar Aerospace has raised €270 million / $312 million in a Series D round to expand production of its Spectrum small launch vehicle and support global launch site growth ahead of its next attempt later this month. New investors Island Green Capital and Molten Ventures joined existing backers including HV Capital, Lakestar, UVC Partners and KfW Capital. The funding will scale manufacturing at Isar’s Munich‑area facility toward a target of 40 rockets per year and bolster plans to add launch sites beyond Norway’s Andøya Spaceport, including a letter of intent with Spaceport Nova Scotia.

The company is targeting a June 15–21 window for Spectrum’s qualification mission, carrying five cubesats and one ESA‑sponsored hosted payload. Spectrum’s first flight in March 2025 failed shortly after liftoff, and subsequent attempts were delayed by technical issues, range violations and a pressure‑vessel leak. Isar cites rising European defense demand, including Germany’s €35 billion military space commitment, as a driver for industrialized launch capacity.

Iceye has raised more than €1 billion / $1.16 billion in a Series F round that values the Finnish radar‑imaging company at over €10 billion / $12 billion, marking one of Europe’s largest space financing deals to date. The round includes €450 million / $520 million in new capital led by General Atlantic, with participation from Solidium, Tesi, Varma, Ilmarinen, Lifeline Ventures, Nokia, Qatar Investment Authority and TCV, alongside a substantial secondary sale.

Iceye, which operates a growing SAR constellation and supplies systems such as Poland’s €200 million MikroSAR and a $1.9 billion joint venture with Rheinmetall for Germany, plans to scale production from 50 satellites annually to 100 by 2028. The company reported more than €250 million in 2025 revenue and a €1.5 billion backlog dominated by national security customers.

10 June, 2026

Orbital has raised $5 million in pre‑seed funding to support an in‑orbit computing demonstration in 2027 and early development of its first dedicated compute satellite, Orbital‑1, planned for 2028. The Los Angeles startup, founded this year by Spin co‑founder Euwyn Poon, aims to deploy more than 100,000 satellites delivering over 10 gigawatts of AI compute, with each production spacecraft targeting 100 kilowatts of power.

The pathfinder mission will test GPU operation, radiation tolerance, thermal performance and downlink. Orbital’s plans join a rapidly expanding sector: Starcloud is developing a three‑ton, 200‑kilowatt‑class spacecraft for a proposed 88,000‑node constellation, while SpaceX outlined a first‑generation AI1 platform with 150‑kilowatt peak power and expects to scale production next year.

9 June, 2026

The European Space Agency awarded the Swedish New Space solutions provider, AAC Clyde Space a €10.9 million / $12.6 million contract to complete development and demonstrate VHF Data Exchange System satellites for the 12‑satellite Inflecion maritime domain awareness program. The constellation is designed to detect, track and verify vessels, including ships that disable AIS transponders, by combining synthetic aperture radar from Iceye UK, signals intelligence from Horizon Technologies and two‑way VDES communications.

ESA and the UK Space Agency are jointly funding the effort under an Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Partnership Project, which follows completion of phase one earlier this year. Demonstrations are planned for early 2029. AAC Clyde also plans additional VDES satellites to expand its maritime‑monitoring services.

10 June, 2026

Separately, ESA has selected Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space to build the Sentinel‑1 Next Generation radar imaging satellites for the Copernicus Earth observation program. Thales will prime two Sentinel‑1 NG spacecraft under a first contract tranche worth €700 million / $807 million, with Airbus supplying radar payloads under a €345 million / $399 million contract. Sentinel‑1 NG will be the fifth and sixth Sentinel‑1 missions, offering 5‑by‑5‑meter geometric resolution, wider 400‑kilometer swaths and polar observations via active beam steering, complementing Sentinel‑1A, -1C and -1D after Sentinel‑1B’s 2021 malfunction.

ESA also approved development of the Arrakihs small astrophysics mission, its second F‑class “Fast” mission, to study galaxy halos with ultraviolet to near‑infrared binocular telescopes, targeting launch by end‑2030. ESA’s Science Programme Committee further recommended the Plasma Observatory medium‑class mission for development and approved extensions for 13 operating science missions, including ESA’s roles on Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.

11 June, 2026

China has shortlisted four commercial launch firms to compete for missions supporting a new low‑cost cargo transport system for the Tiangong space station, signaling an expanded role for private industry in their national human‑spaceflight logistics. Galactic Energy, CAS Space, OrienSpace and LandSpace were named in a June 5 tender for launches of the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft, whose first full‑scale mission is tentatively planned for January 2027. A Qingzhou prototype launched March 30 and completed rendezvous tests in April.

Qingzhou, developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS), is one of two low‑cost resupply vehicles under development, alongside AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute’s 10-meter-long, 7,000 kg, reusable Haolong mini‑shuttle. Qingzhou is designed to deliver at least 1,800 kilograms of cargo and return 2,600 kilograms.

The shortlisted companies’ launchers are at varying readiness levels: CAS Space’s Kinetica‑2 flew the prototype; Landspace’s Zhuque‑2E has flown five times; OrienSpace’s Gravity‑1 is operational with Gravity‑2 expected this fall; and Galactic Energy’s Pallas‑1 is nearing its debut.

Meanwhile, China advanced its communications and satellite‑internet programs with two launches in three days, led by the Long March 5’s June 11 flight carrying the previously undisclosed Tongxin Jishu Shiyan‑25 to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The heavy‑lift mission, the 650th Long March launch, featured nine reliability upgrades and clears the way for the Chang’e‑7 lunar south pole mission expected around August.

Two days earlier, commercial firm LandSpace launched a Zhuque‑2E carrying Spacesail’s DTC‑01 direct‑to‑cell test satellite and the China Mobile‑02 broadband test spacecraft. Both missions support China’s push for integrated satellite‑internet infrastructure.

The launches marked China’s 38th and 39th orbital attempts of the year as the country targets more than 100 annual missions and accelerates development of reusable Long March variants and the crew‑rated Long March 10.

11 June, 2026

Oman’s Etlaq Spaceport and HyImpulse signed a letter of intent to assess potential launch operations in the Sultanate, marking the German launcher’s first formal step toward a Middle East presence. The agreement begins with short‑term mission planning, technical assessments, range and safety evaluations, and coordination on requirements for future campaigns. It covers HyImpulse’s SR75 suborbital vehicle, which completed its maiden flight from Australia’s Koonibba Test Range in May 2024, and the SL1 orbital rocket planned for 2027.

HyImpulse said Oman’s geography offers access to a wide range of trajectories and aligns with its goal of building a flexible international launch network. The company noted that cooperation models may range from simple infrastructure use to integrated, launcher‑specific facilities, depending on mission needs.

The deal complements HyImpulse’s 2026 agreement with SaxaVord for SR75 testing, which the company said remains central to its European operations as it evaluates long‑term opportunities in Oman.

11 June, 2026

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk outlined new technical details of the company’s planned, million-strong orbital data‑center constellation, ahead of its June 12 initial public offering. In a 30‑minute video posted June 8, Musk described AI satellites equipped with large solar arrays, radiators and high‑speed optical links, supported by a dedicated production facility expected to begin operating at scale by late 2027. He said the next generation of Starlink V3 satellites already incorporates much of the required technology, including interconnected “racks of compute” linked by laser crosslinks. The AI1 satellite would be a 70‑meter‑long and 20 meters tall platform with deployed arrays and radiators generating 150 kilowatts peak power and 120 kilowatts continuously.

The first orbital data‑center launches begin in 2027 as per SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, in a June 12 CNBC interview, confirming that “canary” payloads with onboard compute will fly earlier on Starlink and Starlink Mobile spacecraft.

Musk said the satellites would launch on Super Heavy and Starship and dismissed concerns about orbital congestion despite Starlink surpassing 10,000 active spacecraft, and, recurring debris and light pollution concerns. SpaceX is pitching the data‑center constellation, along with its merger with xAI, as a core element of its IPO, which values the company at more than $1.75 trillion. The effort competes with emerging orbital compute plans from Google, Blue Origin, Microsoft, Cowboy Space and Starcloud.

12 June, 2026

SpaceX shares rose on their first day of trading after the company raised $75 billion in the largest initial public offering in history. SpaceX sold 555.6 million shares at $135 each, with trading opening at $150 and closing at $160.95, giving the company a market capitalization of about $2.1 trillion. The company may sell an additional 83.3 million shares to raise $11.25 billion more.

In its SEC filing, SpaceX reported $18.7 billion in 2025 revenue and a $4.9 billion net loss tied to Starship and AI investments, along with $4.7 billion in first‑quarter 2026 revenue and a $4.3 billion loss. SpaceX said IPO proceeds will support AI compute expansion, launch infrastructure, vehicle development and constellation growth.

Upcoming Starship test flights include a suborbital Flight 13 and potential orbital Flight 14, and plans to begin launching Starlink V3 satellites on Starship later this year.

However, astronomers are warning that emerging plans for large orbital data‑center constellations could significantly worsen interference with ground‑based observations as companies, led by SpaceX, pursue fleets numbering in the tens of thousands to as many as 1 million satellites. At a June 4 National Academies meeting, University of California, Davis researcher Tony Tyson said current mitigation efforts have not prevented Starlink V2 Mini satellites from reaching fifth‑magnitude brightness, above the recommended seventh‑magnitude limit for facilities such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. He added that upcoming Starlink V3 satellites will be even brighter.

Tyson said proposed AI‑compute satellites would create additional challenges, noting they will be “extremely bright” in low parking orbits and that high launch rates would produce persistent “bright lanes” across the sky. At a million satellites, he said overall sky brightness could approach that of a half‑moon, hindering wide‑field and time‑domain astronomy. He reported little evidence of technical or policy measures capable of mitigating the projected impacts.

New research indicates that the Chicxulub impact, caused by the asteroid responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, may have generated an underground hydrothermal system that remained active for at least 8 million years, far longer than previous estimates. The study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, combines new argon‑argon dating of potassium‑rich feldspar recovered during the 2016 International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 364 with updated geological simulations. The samples show mineral formation spanning from the 66‑million‑year‑old impact to roughly 58 million years ago, identifying the longest‑lived impact‑generated hydrothermal system yet documented.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow, report that fractured, permeable rock, residual impact heat, and regional geothermal conditions sustained the system beneath the 200‑kilometer‑wide crater, where seawater infiltrated melted crust to create warm, porous environments favorable to microbial life. The findings refine models of how early Earth may have supported life in post‑impact settings and may guide future searches for similar habitats on Mars and other planetary bodies with extensive impact histories.

The new analysis using one of the largest cosmological simulations to date identifies a specific mass threshold at which massive galaxies sharply reduce their star‑formation efficiency. The study, led by Preetish Mishra of the Korea Institute for Advanced Study, used the Horizon Run 5 simulation to track roughly 20,000 central galaxies from early cosmic history to the present.

Galaxies eventually slow their growth, with even the most active systems stalling after a peak period of star formation. In a gigaparsec‑scale model the simulation tracks gas, gravity, star formation, supernovas and black hole physics from the early universe to today. One parsec is approximately 3.26 light-years, or almost 19 trillion miles / 31 trillion km. They focused on the stellar‑to‑total mass ratio, a measure of how efficiently a galaxy converts its overall mass budget into stars. It effectively serves as each galaxy’s star‑formation efficiency score. Researchers found that the ratio peaks in systems between 10^12.4 and 10^12.7 solar masses, then drops by more than a factor of three above that range.

The team attributes the decline to the formation of a stable, shock‑heated hot gas halo surrounding the galaxy that reaches gravitational equilibrium and prevents fresh gas from cooling and accreting. The paper rules out enhanced baryon loss (loss of more normal matter, i.e., gas, dust, and stars faster than usual) from supernovas or active galactic nuclei as the primary cause, finding variations of no more than 30 percent. The authors note that future surveys of galaxy clusters and the warm‑hot intergalactic medium can test the proposed mechanism.

A new theoretical study proposes a mechanism for forming microscopic black holes through the critical collapse of spacetime itself, independent of stars or mergers. Researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt and Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) developed the first analytic, pen‑and‑paper solutions describing how spacetime can organize into a crystal‑like structure that becomes unstable and collapses into a tiny black hole with only minimal energy input. The work contrasts with astrophysical black holes, which arise from supernovas or mergers and generate detectable gravitational waves.

The team likens the process to water freezing: a spacetime crystal at a critical point can either disperse into radiation or collapse into a classically stable black hole when supplied with an arbitrarily small amount of energy. Such objects, theorized to have formed shortly after the Big Bang, would rapidly evaporate through Hawking radiation. The model rules out the need for violent triggers and offers a potential pathway for primordial black hole formation in the early universe. The findings, published in Physical Review Letters, provide exact solutions to Einstein’s equations previously accessible only through numerical simulations. The work also offers a new analytic method for studying collapse phenomena previously accessible only through computationally intensive simulations.

Despatch Out. 👽🛸