Communications

Varda Space Industries recovered its W-6 capsule after orbital reentry, confirming successful operation of Rhea Space Activity’s hosted AutoNav payload. The two-camera flight computer system collected imagery through the plasma sheath to enable celestial navigation when GPS and RF were unavailable. The demonstration advanced GPS-resilient positioning for hypersonic and reentry vehicles.

Varda Space Industries recovered its W-6 capsule after orbital reentry, confirming successful operation of Rhea Space Activity’s hosted AutoNav payload. The two-camera flight computer system collected imagery through the plasma sheath to enable celestial navigation when GPS and RF were unavailable. The demonstration advanced GPS-resilient positioning for hypersonic and reentry vehicles.

Rhea Space Activity closed a ~$6 million Series A to scale its optical AutoNav software for GPS-denied environments. The round was backed by Boston Global Space Tech Investors, Iron Prairie Ventures, Blackbird Capital Group, Purdue Research Foundation, New Mexico Vintage Fund, SpaceFund and additional investors. Capital will support hiring, production, validation and expansion to U.S. and allied military/intelligence customers across AUKUS, Five Eyes and NATO.

Rhea Space Activity closed a ~$6 million Series A to scale its optical AutoNav software for GPS-denied environments. The round was backed by Boston Global Space Tech Investors, Iron Prairie Ventures, Blackbird Capital Group, Purdue Research Foundation, New Mexico Vintage Fund, SpaceFund and additional investors. Capital will support hiring, production, validation and expansion to U.S. and allied military/intelligence customers across AUKUS, Five Eyes and NATO.

AST SpaceMobile confirmed on March 26, 2026 that BlueBird 7 had been encapsulated for its upcoming launch, with the company maintaining its target of intermittent nationwide direct-to-device (D2D) service in the United States by end of Q1 2026. Shares surged 10.4% ($96.00) on March 26 following a trifecta of catalysts: BlueBird 7 encapsulation, a $30M US government tactical demonstration contract, and sector-wide excitement around SpaceX's IPO filing. BlueBirds 8–25 are in various stages of assembly at Midland, Texas. The company remains on track to deploy 45–60 satellites by year-end 2026. AT&T and Verizon beta service for select commercial and FirstNet users targeted for H1 2026.

AST SpaceMobile confirmed on March 26, 2026 that BlueBird 7 had been encapsulated for its upcoming launch, with the company maintaining its target of intermittent nationwide direct-to-device (D2D) service in the United States by end of Q1 2026. Shares surged 10.4% ($96.00) on March 26 following a trifecta of catalysts: BlueBird 7 encapsulation, a $30M US government tactical demonstration contract, and sector-wide excitement around SpaceX's IPO filing. BlueBirds 8–25 are in various stages of assembly at Midland, Texas. The company remains on track to deploy 45–60 satellites by year-end 2026. AT&T and Verizon beta service for select commercial and FirstNet users targeted for H1 2026.

Aalyria, the Alphabet/Google spinout founded in 2022, closed a $100M Series B on February 23, 2026, led by Battery Ventures and J2 Ventures with DYNE participating, at a $1.3 billion valuation. The company develops Spacetime (AI-driven network orchestration for dynamic satellite-ground-air meshes) and Tightbeam (ultra-high-speed laser communications terminals). A January 2026 AFRL contract puts Spacetime in the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. Active programs include Telesat Lightspeed (providing the control plane for the $3.5B LEO constellation), NASA EO data delivery, and ESA O-RAN bridging. Battery GP Michael Brown joins the board.

CesiumAstro secured $470M in growth capital on February 2, 2026: $270M equity led by Trousdale Ventures with Woven Capital, Airbus Ventures, the Development Bank of Japan, MESH, EDBI, and NewSpace Capital; plus a first-of-its-kind $200M EXIM/JPMorgan financing package under the "Make More in America" initiative. The capital funds a new 270,000 sq ft Texas headquarters, expanded manufacturing of software-defined active phased array payloads, and eight contracted SpaceX rideshare launches for on-orbit validation. Total equity raised stands at ~$440M; the EXIM tranche is non-dilutive.

CesiumAstro secured $470M in growth capital on February 2, 2026: $270M equity led by Trousdale Ventures with Woven Capital, Airbus Ventures, the Development Bank of Japan, MESH, EDBI, and NewSpace Capital; plus a first-of-its-kind $200M EXIM/JPMorgan financing package under the "Make More in America" initiative. The capital funds a new 270,000 sq ft Texas headquarters, expanded manufacturing of software-defined active phased array payloads, and eight contracted SpaceX rideshare launches for on-orbit validation. Total equity raised stands at ~$440M; the EXIM tranche is non-dilutive.

ATTX/WarpWare and krtkl signed an MoU to jointly pursue opportunities pairing krtkl’s software-defined, radiation-tolerant Space Router with WarpWare’s flight, simulation and operations stack. Goal is faster hardware-software integration and more intelligent interconnected space systems for high-performance LEO constellations.

ATTX/WarpWare and krtkl signed an MoU to jointly pursue opportunities pairing krtkl’s software-defined, radiation-tolerant Space Router with WarpWare’s flight, simulation and operations stack. Goal is faster hardware-software integration and more intelligent interconnected space systems for high-performance LEO constellations.

IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) announced the acquisition of Skyloom Global in November 2025, closed January 28, 2026. Skyloom had delivered ~90 SDA-qualified optical communications terminals by 2025 — making it the leading provider of multi-Gbps laser comms for government satellite constellations. IonQ acquires Skyloom to complete its quantum networking stack alongside purchases of ID Quantique, Capella Space, Lightsynq, and Vector Atomic. Skyloom CEO Marc Eisenberg stays on as subsidiary leader.