🚀 Starship Nears 10th Flight

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The Space Scoop

Week Ended 08.22.2025

Happy Friday! It's a busy weekend ahead for launch as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Rocket Lab are all planning to hit the skies. Lets dive in.

Market Max-Q

Top Stories

1) SpaceX prepares for its 10th Starship launch.

• The next flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as this Sunday evening at 7:30pm EST following regulatory approval from the FAA in what is shaping up to be a critical test following three prior setbacks in January, March, and May and a ground test explosion in June.

• Per SpaceX, "After completing the investigations into the loss of Starship on its ninth flight test and the Ship 36 static fire anomaly, hardware and operational changes have been made to increase reliability."

• The upcoming flight will "continue to expand the operating envelope on the Super Heavy booster, with multiple landing burn tests planned. It will also target similar objectives as prior missions, including first payload deployment and multiple reentry experiments towards returning the upper stage to the launch site for catch."

• Tune in live here.

In Other News

Voyager Invests in Latent AI (Co)$VOYG announced an undisclosed investment in the AI software company bringing advanced edge AI to orbit. This investment will enhance Voyager’s ability to deliver faster targeting, sharper situational awareness and decisive advantage, which is critical to the missions it supports.Platinum Equity Acquires Anuvu (ST)The private equity firm acquired in-flight connectivity provider to more than 150 airlines and licensors/distributor to 30 cruise lines. The transaction details were not disclosed. Anuvu, fka Global Eagle, went through bankruptcy proceedings in 2020.Veteran Ventures Closes Fund II (TD)The $60M oversubscribed fund will focus on veteran-run dual-use national security companies. The firm was founded pre-pandemic by a group of defense tech-obsessed vets without much investing experience. Despite this, they closed a $20M Fund I in 2019 and their 14 Fund I portfolio companies secured over $180M in non-dilutive funding.SpinLaunch Raises $30M Series C (BW)The kinetic launch technology company will use the funding to accelerate the development and commercialization of Meridian Space, its LEO broadband constellation. The round was led by longtime investor ATW Partners, with participation from existing investors and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

Chart of the Week

SpaceX Booster Reuse: Per Payload, over 90% of Falcon 9 launches use flight-proven hardware leading to marginal launch costs of sub-$15M despite increasing F9’s list price from $62M to $70M in recent years.

(Source)

Links

• Rocket Lab ($RKLB) Sets Launch Window for 70th Electron Mission• BlackSky ($BKSY) Signs Seven-Figure SDA Expansion Contract with HEO• New Shepard’s 35th Mission Targets Liftoff on Saturday, August 23rd with 40+ Payloads• Gilat ($GILT) Awarded Over $60 Million for Stellar Blu ESA Sidewinder Terminal• Voyager ($VOYG) Appoints SpaceX Veteran Sam Patel As Strategic Advisor

Opinion

• The Vast Majority of Spacetech Startups Are Pivoting to Defense• Space Manufacturers Fuel Capex With Private Credit• SpaceX Gets Billions From the Government. It Gives Little to Nothing Back in Taxes.• The EU Space Act Will Stifle Innovation and Hurt US Space Companies• Mynaric Charts Path To Rocket Lab ($RKLB), Investors Left Behind• Planet ($PL): Backlog Growth, Fleet Expansion, and Big Contract Wins

Earnings Calendar

• $PL: Sep 8 - Before Market Open

*Company confirmed dates only.