Weekly Recap #20

Описание: Main Topics


Communications


SpaceX is rumored to be developing its own Starlink-branded smartphone to connect with the company’s satellite services. The device is intended to help boost revenue as SpaceX prepares for an IPO. [source (https://www.reuters.com/business/medi...) ]


Spanish telco MasOrange will trial Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell service under a new agreement with SpaceX. MasOrange plans to carry out a technical pilot in the Spanish province of Valladolid. [source (https://www.satellitetoday.com/connec...) ]


AT&T and Amazon announced an extensive strategic partnership that leverages Amazon LEO network to augment terrestrial fiber infrastructure across the US. [source (https://www.mobileworldlive.com/netwo...) ]


CesiumAstro closes its $470M services C round to scale operations. This includes $200M in debt from EXIM and JP. Morgan that was reported a few weeks ago, along with $270 million in equity announced this week led by Trousdale Ventures. [source (https://www.cesiumastro.com/press-rel...) ]


Gilat Satellite Networks receives an over $10M order from an undisclosed leading ground gateway antenna provider to support rollout of ground infrastructure for a LEO constellation. [source (https://www.gilat.com/pressreleases/g...) ]


Gilmour Space has partnered with Singapore and US-based Transcelestial to integrate and test laser optical communications on their MMS2 ElaraSat mission later this year. [source (https://www.gspace.com/post/gilmour-s...) ]


Earth Observation


HEX20 partners with Transcelestial to integrate laser-based inter-satellite communication into their DINK-N Earth observation constellation. [source (https://transcelestial.com/blog/singa...) ]


Tomorrow.io raises $175M in equity led by Stonecourt Capital and HarbourVest to accelerate the deployment of their AI weather satellite constellation called DeepSky [source (https://www.tomorrow.io/blog/tomorrow...) ]


Vantor wins a $5.3 million contract under NGA’s Luno B program to detect and deliver automated insights on real-time changes to Earth’s landscape for global mapping and intelligence missions. [source (https://vantor.com/blog/vantor-wins-n...) ]


Blacksky wins a seven figure multi-year contract with geospatial intelligence fusion company EMDYN to deliver space-based imagery services to international customers including API-enabled automated tip-and-cue tasking and fusing of signals and other intelligence sources. [source (https://ir.blacksky.com/news-events/p...) ]


Launch


SpaceX pausedFalcon 9 launches for four days after an issue with the rocket’s upper stage encountered at the end of a successful Starlink deployment mission on Feb 2. [source (https://www.reuters.com/business/aero...) ]


Artemis II encountered a hydrogen link, the issue has been fixed, but the launch is now delayed to early March. [source (https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/03...) ]


FAA approves Starship launches from LC-39A, pushing all future Dragon flights to SLC-40; SpaceX has begun construction on LC-39A to accommodate the larger rocket. [source (https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/06...) ]


Business Moves


SpaceX merges with xAI to form the most valuable private company at ~$1.2B. The combined AI/space capability prepares them for launching orbital data centers, and a planned IPO. [source (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6...) ]


SpaceX has acquired Hexagon Purus ASA‘s high-pressure composite storage cylinder subsidiary for $15 million. [source (https://hexagonpurus.com/news/divestm...) ]


York Space asked to dismiss its protest of Apex’s $46M SBIR contract, filed about a year ago, one day before going public. Judge Loren Smith accepted the motion, formally dismissing the case on Jan. 30 “with prejudice,” meaning it can’t be brought back to court [source (https://news.bloomberglaw.com/federal....