September 9, 2026

SpaceX Sinks 5% as $47.2B Insider Share Unlock Hits the Tape, AST SpaceMobile Drops 4%, Rocket Lab Slips 2% (Source: 24/7 Wall Street)
SpaceX stock is down 5% to $146.35 in midday trading Wednesday as the company’s 90-calendar-day insider share unlock milestone comes due. The tranche of early-release-eligible shares now becoming sellable represents up to $47.2 billion in potential insider selling pressure, per SpaceX’s own IPO prospectus. It’s a heavy overhang for a stock that floated only a small slice of itself in June and has traded with elevated volatility ever since.

Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile stock is down 4% to $63.18, giving back part of a sharp run earlier this month that followed a fresh sell-side buy call. Shares are up 55% over the past year even after today’s slide. The move looks like sympathy selling rather than a company-specific development, since AST SpaceMobile hasn’t put out a release into today’s session.

Rocket Lab stock is down 3% to $63.92, matching the sector-wide drift. Still, shares of RKLB are up 34% over the past year on the strength of a record backlog and pending acquisitions in satellite communications. Both names sit inside the Procure Space ETF, which is why a scheduled event at the sector’s flagship listed name drags them along on the session. (9/9)

Trump Claims the US Owns the Moon (Source: Geekspin)
President Trump recently posted a photo of the moon on Truth Social with the text "The Moon is Ours," reviving a once-held claim that the United States owns the celestial body. Unwittingly or not, the assertion violates the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which the U.S. helped draft and which was signed by more than 100 other countries. The treaty in question explicitly states that outer space and celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, use, occupation, or any other means.

The same posting run also included a map of New Mexico with "Mexico" crossed out in red and replaced with "America." Whether that's a real proposal is unclear. While such social media posts serve as potent political messaging, they lack the legal authority to actually alter state names or status. On Aug. 27, Trump announced from the Oval Office that he had formally submitted paperwork to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America," amid an escalating trade dispute with Canada. (9/7)

Pivotal Research Rates SpaceX a Buy, Betting Starship Reusability Can Unlock Launch Economics and Starlink Growth (Source: CNBC)
Pivotal Research initiated coverage of SpaceX with a buy rating, arguing the company can overcome Starship’s reusability bottleneck. The firm sees a successful solution potentially supporting Starlink’s expansion into part of the $1.7 trillion terrestrial and wireless communications market, while failure could leave SpaceX smaller than expected. (9/8)

FCC Poised to Reaffirm Environmental-Review Exemption for Satellite Constellations, Including Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space News)
The FCC is expected to formalize its longstanding practice of excluding satellite constellations from environmental reviews as developers advance proposals for more than 1 million orbital data centers. The decision could establish a clearer regulatory baseline for large-scale commercial space infrastructure. (9/8)

ESA Seeks European Plant to Produce Americium-241 Heaters for Future Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency has opened a call to establish a pilot plant producing European-manufactured americium-241 radioisotope heater units. The devices convert radioactive decay into heat, enabling spacecraft components to remain operational in cold environments during future exploration missions. (9/8)

Pixxel Raises $100 Million to Fund U.S. Growth and New Sensing Technologies (Source: Via Satellite)
Hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel has completed a $100 million funding round to support its expansion in the United States and develop additional sensing technologies. The raise accelerates the company’s growth plans as it builds a larger commercial position in satellite-based Earth observation. (9/8)

Brownsville Shrimper Suspects SpaceX Debris Ruined $12K in Fishing Gear (Source: KRGV)
A Brownsville shrimp boat captain says something underwater damaged his fishing equipment and forced his crew off the water. Shrimp boat captain Juan Pablo Sandoval Perez and his crew are docked at the shrimp basin in Brownsville after their equipment got caught on what they describe as a large, thick piece of metal in the water. "When I felt a hit, then another hit—the third hit sent my boat veering all the way to the right," Sandoval Perez said. It happened last Wednesday about eight miles off Boca Chica Beach. (9/7)

New UK Space Strategy Prioritizes Domestic Launch Capacity (Source: Aviation Week)
The UK government is to invest £30 million in SaxaVord Spaceport as it makes assured access to orbit a priority of its new Space Strategy. The funding will support development of two additional launchpads at the Shetland Islands site as it moves toward regular commercial launch operations, with a first orbital launch expected in the coming months. Alongside access to space, the strategy—announced ahead of the International Space Summit in Paris—will prioritize satellite communications, in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, and space domain awareness. The strategy is backed by £7.8 billion ($10.5) through 2030 to support national security and defense capabilities, space science, and research and development. (9/7)

Funding Boost Worth £60m for SaxaVord Spaceport (Source: Shetland News)
The UK Government has committed £30 million in funding for the SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst as part of a wider £60 million public-private investment program. The government investment, which is subject to due diligence, is being announced as part of the UK’s updated space strategy published today (Tuesday), and will be complemented by £30 million of planned private investment.

The spaceport said the funding will support completion of key infrastructure as it moves towards regular commercial launch operations. It is targeted towards all three launchpads, mission management infrastructure and second integration hangar required by international launch companies keen to bring their business to the UK. (9/8)

Five Cities Want The Space Academy (Source: Washington Examiner)
President Donald Trump wants America to establish something it has never had: a national academy dedicated to preparing Americans for the space age. The decision should not simply come down to which governor offers the most land or which congressional delegation has the most influence. The country should consider existing its military infrastructure, NASA expertise, aerospace engineering, commercial spaceflight, and the kind of identity it wants the new institution to develop. Now comes another consequential question: Where should we put it? Click here.

Editor's Note: One interesting proposal is for this academy to avoid brick-and-mortar classrooms, labs, dorms and other facilities altogether. Instead, the academy could focus on scholarships and curriculum development that would put students through a distributed program at existing universities nationwide. Florida might be an underdog to attract a brick-and-mortar academy, but the state's public and private universities would surely win a lot of students and their funding under a distributed model. (9/8)

Trump Reveals New Space Force Uniforms Inspired by Nazi-Esthetic Film (Sources: New York Post, Telegraph)
President Trump unveiled new uniforms for the United States Space Force Sunday, inspired by the sci-fi film “Starship Troopers.” The commander-in-chief shared a mock-up of the black and grey fits on Truth Social, which also detailed how they were “inspired by the discipline of the Starship Trooper uniform” but “modernized for the guardians of the space domain.” People on social media were quick to quip that the uniforms were also reminiscent of the Imperial officers in Star Wars. The movie's uniforms were modeled after those worn by Nazi SS officers. (9/7)

NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers (Source: NASA)
Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore aerospace jobs while competing for monetary awards. The applications period is currently open. The deadline to register is Monday, Sep. 28. (9/2)

US Aircraft Engine Supplier to Build Next-Gen Testbed for Hypersonic Systems (Source: Interesting Engineering)
US aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace has received a new contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to advance development of a liquid-fueled hypersonic test platform under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities, or HyCAT, program. The project is aimed at making hypersonic flight testing faster and more repeatable. (9/6)

NASA Funds Effort to Chart Multiple Planets and Moons (Source: Space.com)
Nearby Earth, an iconic series of orbiting U.S. government satellites called Landsat have collectively been charting minerals and climate change for more than 50 years. What if we can do the same thing in space? A new NASA early-stage project, whimsically named "Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys", aims to bring "Landsat-style mineral intelligence" to other worlds, including the moon.

The newly funded concept  isn't meant to address that big task all at once, but to be a Phase 1 study for a far-future Discovery-class (large) mission. The spacecraft could fly from world to world, scanning destinations such as the moon, an asteroid near Earth, or a target like the Mars moon Phobos, said principal investigator Pablo Sobron. (9/5)

Astronomers Have Completed the Largest Map of Space (Source: Wired)
The new map boasts an overwhelming amount of information: 5.6 trillion pixels containing approximately 4 billion celestial objects, including stars, galaxies, black holes, and asteroids. It covers approximately 75 percent of the entire sky, recording both visible light and near-infrared wavelengths. Missing pieces include the deeper parts of space blocked by the stars, space dust, and other matter in our own galaxy, which is a major challenge for astronomy surveys.

Earlier this year, DESI researchers released another map, which projected the distances of 47 million galaxies and quasars. This reconstructed 11 billion years of cosmic history, bringing the effects of dark energy into focus. Dark energy is thought to be responsible for the expansion of our universe, and while the force itself remains elusive, astronomers can track it by analyzing the rates at which other celestial objects appear to be moving away from us. (9/7)

Indian River Lagoon is Making a Comeback (Source: Hometown News)
Today’s Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County is in far better health than just 10 years ago. What was a dead sea, with frequent algae blooms that killed fish and other marine life, has begun bouncing back. Water quality is improving, sea grass has returned to thousands of acres, progress is being made to stop sewage and old-style septic systems from leaking into the lagoon. Dolphins and manatee populations are improving. There haven’t been any widespread fish kills in more than five years.

All of this goes back to a decision Brevard voters overwhelmingly made in 2016 to enact a half cent sales tax to clean up the lagoon. That referendum is up for renewal on the 2026 election ballot. Passing the referendum does not mean a tax increase…It simply renews the half-cent tax originally approved by voters ten year ago. Editor's Note: Along with the Mosquito Lagoon, this is among the estuaries impacted by space industry growth at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, so it's good news that conditions are improving. I'm also sure that environmental concerns persist from plans for a big increase in heavy-lift launch activity. (9/7)

BAE Says Golden Dome Role Includes $1.2 Billion Missile-Warning Project, U.S. Space Business Grows 30% (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
BAE Systems expects its U.S. space business to play a significant role in the Golden Dome missile-defense architecture, including through the $1.2 billion Epoch 2 missile-warning and tracking program. Tom Arseneault, President and CEO of BAE Systems Inc., said the company supports several of the mission solutions underpinning the initiative. (9/6)

New UK Space Strategy Released (Source: Gov.UK)
The UK Space Strategy sets out the UK’s enhanced intentions for the space sector, focusing on defense, national security and economic growth, backed by £7.8 billion of investment to 2030. Our vision is for the UK to be a competitive space power; assertive in protecting our interests and driving our growth. Click here. (9/8)

SpaceX Petitions FCC to Block ViaSat-3 F2 Satellite, Citing Interference Concerns (Source: DCD)
SpaceX has submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), citing fears of interference from an upcoming ViaSat satellite. Elon Musk's space company is seeking either a blockage or strict operational restrictions on Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, poised to enter service in September, claiming the F2’s radio frequency allocation and orbital configuration could create electromagnetic interference with SpaceX's Starlink constellation. (9/7)

60-Foot Moon Crater After SpaceX Rocket Stage Hits at 5,400 mph (Source: TCD)
A spent SpaceX rocket stage left a fresh scar on the moon when it slammed into the lunar surface on Aug. 5, and NASA images taken on Aug. 11 and 12 showed exactly where it struck. The newly photographed crater was a stark reminder that when space missions do not go as planned, the debris they leave behind does not simply vanish. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified it after a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the lunar surface on Aug. 5 at roughly 5,400 miles per hour, with the orbiter taking the images from about 60 miles above the Moon. (9/6)

Historic Engines Take Their Place on Artemis III (Source: NASA)
On Aug. 24, technicians at KSC in Florida began installing the four RS‑25 engines in the core stage of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will carry the Artemis III crew into low Earth orbit in 2027.

Each RS‑25 engine has a unique serial number that records its detailed flight history. The four engines assigned to Artemis III — E2054, E2057, E2048, and E2052 — previously powered multiple space shuttle missions. Engine 2048 helped launch NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik’s earlier mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis during STS‑129. It also flew on Space Shuttle Discovery during STS‑95 in 1998, the mission that returned 77-year‑old space pioneer U.S. Sen. John Glenn to orbit, making him the oldest person to fly in space at that time. (9/1)

Nearly 17,000 Satellites Now Orbiting Earth (Source: Look Up)
Look Up, a European company specializing in space situational awareness, is publishing the fourth edition of its quarterly Look Up x Le Point Space Barometer, in partnership with French weekly Le Point. Based on data collected and processed by Look Up's SYNAPSE digital platform, this new edition highlights a further acceleration in orbital activity and an increasingly dense, dynamic and complex space environment. In one year, the number of active satellites orbiting the Earth has risen from 13,005 to 16,819, an increase of 29%.

More than 34,000 objects are now tracked in Earth orbit, including satellites, rocket stages and catalogued space debris. With 4,737 satellites launched over the past twelve months, the deployment of new orbital infrastructure continues at an unprecedented pace, nearly 13 per day on average. (9/8)

At Northwest Florida's Eglin AFB, NASA is Concluding its Study on Impacts of Methane Rocket Explosions (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA is targeting the middle of this month to wrap up a test campaign that is simulating explosions of rockets fueled by liquid methane, a common propellant for the new generation of launch vehicles. The goal is to inform efforts to update launch safety protocols and launch pad keep-out zones, the agency said. Tests began in January at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

As of Aug. 26, engineers had conducted 16 detonations of test articles filled with pressurized liquid natural gas — which is mostly methane — and liquid oxygen, Jason Hopper said. The largest detonation used 9,000 kilograms of propellant, and three more explosions at that size are planned. The tests are scheduled to conclude Sept. 16, he added.

Hopper said NASA’s testing includes two failure scenarios. One is a “bulkhead failure,” in which there is some breakdown of the barrier between the liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas tanks in the test article. Another configuration is failure of the “transfer tube” that feeds one of the propellants through the tank containing the other propellant. To measure the resulting explosions, NASA placed instruments on the test articles themselves and out to roughly 240 meters, including optical cameras designed to capture high-speed movement of debris and sensors to measure noise, heat and pressure. (9/4)

How to Advance the S7’s Recommendations on Large Satellite Constellations (Source: Aerospace America)
In May, the science academies of the G7 countries — also known as the S7 — provided French President Emmanuel Macron its statement on large satellite constellations to carry into the G7 Summit. The S7’s working group, of which I was a member, concluded that “the rapid expansion of large satellite constellations, particularly in low Earth orbits (LEO), marks a turning point in humanity’s relationship with near-Earth space.”

But the political moment the S7 recommendations were engineered for came and went without a leaders’ declaration. The load-bearing venue is now a French-hosted summit focused on the space economy, sovereignty, security and responsible use of space. Instead, discussion of satellite constellations would be “directly addressed” during the International Space Summit on Sept. 9-10, the Élysée Palace, Macron’s official residence, said in a statement. (9/4)

SpaceX and Other Rocket Companies May Soon Be Exempt From Key Environmental Rules (Source: NBC)
When companies like SpaceX want to launch rockets or build spaceports, they are required by law to assess how that could affect local ecosystems, wildlife, air, water and even nearby residents. The Federal Aviation Administration factors all of this in when deciding whether to grant licenses and permits. Soon, however, Elon Musk’s rocket company and others like it may get to bypass much of that. (9/6)

Trump Threatens to Ban Bombardier Jet Sales Unless Production Moves From Canada to US (Source: AeroTime)
President Donald Trump has declared that Bombardier will no longer be permitted to sell aircraft in the United States unless it manufactures them there, in a post published on his Truth Social account on September 7, 2026. “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” Trump wrote, adding that the company’s products “aren’t good enough,” and that “if they want our Market, they must build here.” No executive order, tariff schedule or regulatory action accompanied the statement. (9/8)

HyImpulse Could Attempt Second SR75 Flight as Early as 5 October (Source: European Spaceflight)
Maritime and aviation notices indicate that HyImpulse could attempt the second flight of its SR75 suborbital rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland as early as 5 October. On 2 September, Norwegian air navigation service provider Avinor published a notice outlining temporary danger areas for a HyImpulse rocket launch from SaxaVord Spaceport between 5 and 18 October. (9/8)