Techstars Space Startup Digest

Synthetic aperture radar imaging startup ICEYE has raised $136 million in a new Series D funding round, bringing its total raised to date to $304 million and making it one of the most well-capitalized space startups outside of SpaceX. ICEYE’s focus is on remote sensing, i.e. capturing images of Earth from space, and the technology […]

Italian space transportation and services company D-Orbit announced plans to go public via a SPAC, in a deal valued at $1.4 billion.

Startup mPower Technology said Feb. 1 it has raised $10 million to accelerate production of silicon-based solar panels that gained flight heritage last summer.

After a year that saw the rise and potential fall SPACs, executives and investors have varying degrees of optimism about the industry heading into 2022.

Few would disagree that there’s a growing problem with space debris, particularly in low Earth orbit. The sharply increasing population of active satellites, thanks to megaconstellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, along with defunct spacecraft and other objects result in far more close approaches and risks of collisions.

Challenges remain, but the market is moving toward commercialization, including satellite remote sensing and launch services activity

Paris (AFP) Jan 25, 2022 - The EU launched Tuesday a billion-euro fund to support startups in the space sector with the hope it will be a game changer and attract private investors into the key sector.

Xplore plans to use Orbital Astronautics’ satellite platform for a variety of space missions, starting with one that’s due for launch this year.

Called SEE-1, the module would be “the world’s first content and entertainment studios and multipurpose arena in space.”