April 23, 2026

SpaceX and Tesla are on an Inevitable Collision Course (Source: Financial Times)
If rocketmaker SpaceX indeed goes public in June, Elon Musk could be conducting quarterly earnings calls for two companies. But how long until that reverts to one? On Wednesday afternoon, the world’s richest man hosted the first-quarter call for Tesla, his electric-vehicle maker. Sales of automobiles, which grew 16 percent year on year, were hardly discussed. Instead, the company is focused on energy storage, robotaxis and Optimus, its bi-pedal, autonomous humanoid robot.

If Tesla increasingly feels like a science project, all the more reason to think its natural home is under one roof with SpaceX, which last year merged with Musk’s social network and AI company xAI. SpaceX is set to list at what could be a near-$2tn valuation. The possibly sidelined electric-vehicle business still generates serious cash flow, even if sales have moderated from historic levels and factories are being retrofitted for robot production. (4/22)

Univity Funds VLEO 5G Demonstrators with $32 Million Raised (Source: Space News)
French startup Univity has raised around $32 million to deploy a pair of 5G demonstrators into very low Earth orbit next year, ahead of plans for at least 1,600 VLEO satellites to help telecom operators extend 5G coverage from space. (4/23)

Ohio is Built for Space (Source: Jobs Ohio)
Whether your space company needs robust education and training, strong R&D, or access to mission-critical partners like the NASA Glenn Research Center, the National Space Intelligence Center (NSIC), and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), Ohio has it all. Our military and federal presence make Ohio a proving ground for space missions, while our world-class workforce, shovel-ready sites, and business-friendly policies ensure you can grow bigger and succeed faster. It’s no wonder space businesses soar in Ohio. (4/22)

Lawmakers Promise to Reject Proposed NASA Cuts—Again (Source: Payload)
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said they were committed to boosting NASA’s FY2027 budget, during a hearing on Wednesday. The Trump administration proposed an $18.8B NASA budget—a $5.6B cut from the funding level approved by Congress for FY2026. The topline funding level—and the proposed cuts—largely mirror the administration’s budget request last year for the space agency, which was overwhelmingly rejected by Congress. It sounds like history may repeat itself—at least, if it’s up to bipartisan members of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. (4/22)

Space Force Awards Contracts to Leidos, MapLarge for ‘Battle Planning’ Software (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force awarded contracts to data analytics firms Leidos and MapLarge to support what the military calls battle management and command and control — the process of understanding what is happening in orbit, deciding what it means and directing a response. (4/22)

Mars or the Moon or AI Musk's Changing Goals for SpaceX (Source: New York Times)
For years, SpaceX’s mission was clear: get humans to Mars. “The most powerful thing we could do is establish a second, self-sustaining civilization outside of Earth,” Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive, told Forbes in 2003, a year after founding the company. “And the only place that’s really feasible is Mars.”

But over the last six months, Mr. Musk has shifted SpaceX’s priorities. Though the tech mogul once forecast that humans would take off for Mars as early as 2024, he has de-emphasized reaching the planet. Instead, SpaceX on Tuesday said it had struck a deal with the artificial intelligence start-up Cursor that could result in its acquiring the young company for $60 billion. And Mr. Musk, 54, has proposed other moonshots that could drive more attention and investment to SpaceX as it prepares for one of the largest-ever initial public offerings.

Among his pronouncements are A.I. data centers that could orbit Earth, moon-based factories and an A.I. chip manufacturing plant. The changing goals have caused whiplash. “It’s a hallucinogenic business plan,” said Ross Gerber, the chief executive of Gerber Kawasaki, an investment firm that owns SpaceX shares. He added that Mr. Musk “has lost his mind” as he tries to drum up excitement for the public offering. (4/22)

Eutelsat Signs New Broadcast Deals in Mexico and Caribbean (Source: Via Satellite)
Eutelsat has announced three new broadcast deals this week in Mexico and the Caribbean. The satellite operator is to partner with Co-op Cable, introducing an expanded direct-to-home (DTH) and connectivity offering across the Caribbean using the Eutelsat 65 West A (E65WA) satellite. Co-op Cable aims to enhance its service portfolio to deliver bundled television and internet services, combining high-quality satellite TV distribution with advanced GEO-based connectivity. (4/22)

SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites From Vandenberg (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched its 40th Starlink mission of the year when its Falcon 9 rocket took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base Wednesday night. The Starlink 17-14 mission will add another 24 broadband internet satellites to the company’s low Earth orbit constellation, which consists of more than 10,200 spacecraft. (4/23)