🚀 Starship's Third Launch

🚀 Starship's Third Launch

March 15, 2024

The Space Scoop

Week Ended 03.15.2024

Happy Friday! In a generally quiet week, Starship stole the show. Lets dive in.

Market Max-Q

Top Stories

1) Redwire ($RDW) reported FY'2023 earnings and forecasted slower revenue growth in 2024 with expectations of $300M. Highlights include:

  • Total Available Liquidity: $48M

  • Revenue: $244M, +52% YoY

  • Net Loss: $(27)M vs. $(131)M

  • Adj. EBITDA: $15M vs. $(11)M

  • Backlog: $373M, +19% YoY

  • Shares: +3.7%

In Other News

Stell Raises $4M Seed

The Los Angeles-based software startup focused on digitizing the industrial base technical requirements plans on using some of the capital to build out its team and build out its supply chain-focused functions. The round was led by Long Journey Ventures and Scott & Cyan Banister, with participation from Urban Innovation Fund, Third Prime, Wischoff Ventures, Forward Deployed VC, Fulcrum Venture Group and angel investors. 

Lumen Orbit Raises $2.4M 

The Seattle-based startup aims to speed up downlink times by processing data in space via a 300-bird constellation in VLEO underneath customer satellites s to act as an “in-orbit ground station." The round included participation from Nebular.vc, Caffeinated Capital, Plug & Play VC, Everywhere Ventures, Tiny.vc, Sterling Road VC, Pareto Holding, and Foreword.vc.

Phantom Space Raises Bridge Funding

The Tucson-based startup that develops and manufacturers satellites and launch vehicles will use the capital to scale up hiring ahead of its first launch in 2025. The value of the latest round was not disclosed but to date, the company has raised about $37M.

Simera Sense Raises $15M 

The Belgian nanosatellite end-to-end optical payload solution plans to build production facilities likely in Europe and continue developing its high-resolution EO cameras. NewSpace Capital led the funding round, with participation from Knife Capital.

Japan Establishes Strategic Space Fund 

The country has established a multibillion-dollar Space Strategic Fund to help develop the country’s innovation, autonomy and international competitiveness in space. In November, Japan’s cabinet approved a bill to establish a ¥1T, 10-year fund for JAXA. New details were presented last month in a Space Policy Committee meeting that defined three areas for support: satellites, space exploration and space transportation.

Interlune Raises $18M Seed

The space resources startup founded by ex-Blue Origin colleagues emerged from stealth this week, aiming to be the first private company to commercialize natural resources from space. Seven Seven Six led the round, with participation from Aurelia Foundry Fund, Gaingels, Liquid 2 Ventures, Shasta Ventures, and angels from the Univ of Michigan.

Image of the Week

Starship IFT-3: On Thursday morning EST time, Starship had its third test launch which improved vastly on its second attempt in November. Milestones included all 33 Raptor engines completing a full duration burn, hot stage separation, Super Heavy flip maneuver, boost back landing burn, and first ever entry from space among others. Go Starship!

(Source: SpaceX)

Links

• Redwire ($RDW) Partners with Eli Lilly ($LLY) on Second Spaceflight Mission to Conduct Additional Research on Chronic Diseases• Rocket Lab ($RKLB) Successfully Launches 45th Electron Mission• AST SpaceMobile ($ASTS) Updates Licensing Administration of its Satellite Constellation• BlackSky ($BKSY) Wins $24M AFRL Contract for Global Moving Target Engagement• Planet ($PL) Upgrades Crop Biomass Planetary Variable to Include Daily PlanetScope Data• Terran Orbital ($LLAP) Unveils Next-Generation SmallSat GEO Solution• Sidus ($SIDU) Receives Signals from LizzieSat 10 Days After Transporter-10 Launch• SatixFy ($SATX) Chips for Digital Satellite Payloads Advance into Customer Testing Stage• Mynaric ($MYNA) Increases $75M Borrowing Capacity on Loan Agreement• FCC Approves Rules to Help Satellite Providers Beam Service to Your Phone

Opinion

• Rocket Lab ($RKLB): A Launchpad For High Returns• Final Frontier or Final Countdown?• Politicians Must Not Ignore Security Threats in Space• The Psychological Challenges of a Long Voyage to Mars• Space Loves AI, AI Doesn’t Love Space• Satellite Firms Forge Unlikely Alliances To Create Seamless Multi-Orbit Networks

Earnings Calendar

• $LUNR: Mar 21 - Before Market Open• $LLAP: Mar 26 - Before Market Open• $PL: Mar 28 - After Market Close

*Company confirmed dates only.