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China's LandSpace rumoured for US$2.7bn IPO in 2026
Beijing-based commercial aerospace firm LandSpace is accelerating its capital market strategy, aiming for a listing on the Shanghai STAR Market. Regulatory filings from the East indicate LandSpace completed its pre-listing "tutoring" process on December 23, marking a significant step toward an IPO that could value the entity at ~US$2.7 billion. The move comes as the company attempts to operationalise its Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) reusable rocket, a vehicle explicitly engineered to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 dominance. LandSpace is targeting high-frequency launch contracts for China’s "Guowang" satellite constellation, a 13,000-satellite network designed to provide global internet coverage. If the tech company can achieve routine reusability by 2026 as projected, it would become the first non-U.S. entity to operate a commercially viable reusable orbital launch vehicle.Zhuque-3 and company growthIn January 2024, the company successfully completed a vertical takeoff and landing test (VTVL-1) at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. During that test, the prototype hovered for approximately 60 seconds and reached an altitude of 320 metres before executing a precision touchdown, validating the guidance algorithms used in the rec
Space
NASA chief: US to return to Moon within Trump's term
Newly appointed NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said on Friday that the United States will return to the Moon within President Donald Trump’s second term. Speaking to CNBC’s “Closing Bell Overtime”, Isaacman said the president’s recommitment to the Moon is central to unlocking what he described as the emerging “orbital economy”. “We want to have that opportunity to explore and realise the scientific, economic and national security potential on the moon,” Isaacman said. The remarks were among Isaacman’s first public comments since his Senate confirmation last week, following a protracted approval process throughout 2025. Trump initially nominated Isaacman for the role in December 2024 but withdrew the nomination in May, citing unspecified “prior associations”. The decision was widely linked to Isaacman’s close ties with SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk, amid a public feud between Musk and Trump over the summer. Trump renominated Isaacman in November. The entrepreneur became a civilian astronaut after commanding an orbital mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021 and has since emerged as a prominent advocate for commercial space development. Isaacman said lunar opportunities could include the est
Space
SpaceX’s mega-IPO plan: Lift-off or lofty hype?
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly gearing up for a colossal public listing in 2026, and the numbers being floated are so huge they make even the AI boom look modest. But behind the staggering valuations and sky-high expectations lies a simple question: how much of this story is real growth — and how much is simply rocket-fuelled optimism? SpaceX is preparing for what could be one of the biggest IPOs of all time, with plans to raise more than US$25 billion (A$37.63 billion) and potentially push its valuation north of $1 trillion, according to a source speaking to Reuters. The momentum behind this move comes largely from the explosive growth of Starlink, the company’s global satellite-internet network, and steady progress on its deep-space ambitions through the Starship program. Discussions with major banks are reportedly underway, with a target launch window of June or July 2026. Neither Musk nor the company has commented publicly on the plans. The timing aligns with a broader revival in the IPO market, which rebounded in 2025 after years of sluggish activity. Wall Street expects even more activity heading into 2026 as high-profile private giants finally consider going public. Industry analysts view SpaceX’s
Space
Blue Origin upgrades New Glenn, plans super-heavy rocket
Jeff Bezos' space technology company Blue Origin will build an upgraded version of its New Glenn rocket, including high-performance engines, and later launch a new super-heavy class rocket. The upgrades will enhance the rockets’ reusability as well as their propulsion, Blue Origin said. New Glenn 9x4, its next super-heavy class rocket, will carry more than 70 metric tonnes to low-Earth orbit. “These enhancements will immediately benefit customers already manifested on New Glenn to fly to destinations including low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond,” wrote Blue Origin. “The next chapter in New Glenn’s roadmap is a new super-heavy class rocket.” The company’s upgraded New Glenn rockets will include 4.5 million pound-force booster engines, increasing from the current 3.9 million pound-force engines. Engines for its upper stage will reach 400,000 pound-force of thrust, rising from 320,000 pound-force. Its new super-heavy class rocket, New Glenn 9x4, will also be able to carry over 14 metric tonnes to geosynchronous orbit. Once built, both the 9x4 and current 7x2 rockets will be available for Blue Origin missions. Blue Origin did not disclose an expected launch date for its first 9x4 rockets. Bezos will also be
Space
STAR WARS: Investment in space R&D is lifting off
The new front line in the battle for technological innovation is 2,000km straight up. And the Ukraine conflict has made it battlefield reality. Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink constellation endured extensive jamming and cyber attacks on its on-orbit assets, effectively normalising satellite attacks as just another tool in modern warfare. Over the weekend, observers found that Russian satellites are stalking British assets in orbit weekly, according to Major General Paul Tedman, head of UK Space Command. He confirmed these satellites aren't just passing by; they carry “payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to conduct reconnaissance on them”. And this isn't an isolated incident. Back in May 2024, Russia reportedly deployed a satellite that U.S. intelligence believes is a “chaser” - capable of rendezvousing and neutralising other satellites. That deployment lines up perfectly with warnings from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about Russia's plans for nuclear weapons in space. Of course, the threat perimeter is way broader than just Russia. Russia and China have rapidly expanded their space warfare capabilities though... "they can jam, blind, manipulate, or kinetically destroy satellites," Ger

Space
Firefly acquires SciTec for US$855 million
Space and defence technology company Firefly Aerospace has acquired SciTec for around US$855 million. Firefly acquired the advanced national security technologies leader with a combination of US$300 million in cash and US$555 million in Firefly shares at US$50 per share. The acquisition is set to improve Firefly’s comprehensive space services by adding mission-proven defence software analytics, remote sensing and multi-phenomenology data expertise. SciTec will also further the company's ground and data onboard processing as well as AI-enabled systems designed for low-latency operations to support advanced threat tracking and response across multiple domains. “SciTec’s mission-proven software and big data processing capabilities provide warfighters with rapid, accurate information to enable informed decisions that protect our homeland from emerging threats,” FireFly CEO Jason Kim said. “These capabilities significantly enhance our ability to deliver integrated, software-defined solutions for critical national security imperatives, particularly Golden Dome.” This comes after SciTech generated revenues of near US$164 million for the 12 months ending 30 June 2025. SciTec was also awarded a US$259 million contract
Space
SpaceX plans US$2bn boost for Musk’s AI startup venture
In an attempt to compete with rival OpenAI, rocketmaker Space Exploration Technologies Corp, commonly known as SpaceX, plans to sink US$2 billion into Elon Musk's artificial-intelligence startup company xAI as part of the Grok chatbot maker’s recent $US5 billion equity raise. Earlier this year, Musk, founder of SpaceX, merged xAI’s research lab with X’s (formerly Twitter), social media platform – creating a new company valued at US$113 billion - to expand the reach of its Grok chatbot. Now powering support for the SpaceX-developed satellite network Starlink, the Grok chatbot is understood to be eyeing future integration into Tesla's Tesla (TSLA.O) Optimus robots. In response to a post on X about whether Tesla (TSLA.O) could also invest in xAI, Musk said, "It would be great, but subject to board and shareholder approval," without confirming or denying SpaceX's investment plans in xAI. Despite Musk calling xAI "the smartest AI in the world," the chatbot has attracted some negative press over comments on social media. Posts on the X account of the Grok chatbot were removed last week after complaints from X users and the Anti-Defamation League that Grok produced content with antisemitic inflections and praise for Adolf
Space
Over 2,100 senior NASA employees to be laid off
The United States government is reportedly planning to lay off more than 2,145 senior NASA employees, as the administration seeks to cut NASA’s funding by 25%. These employees are in GS-13 to GS-15 positions, covering specialised skills and management, according to Politico. The vast majority are working in core mission sectors like space flight and scientific research, and these layoffs will affect staff at all of NASA’s 10 regional centres. Seven former heads of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate sent a letter to Congress last week in protest of potential NASA funding cuts. “The economics of these proposed cuts ignore a fundamental truth: investments in NASA science have been and are a powerful driver of the U.S. economy and technological leadership,” they wrote. Under the White House’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, NASA’s science activities would be cut by 47%. Its total funding would be slashed by 25%, and more than 5,000 staff would be dismissed. These are the largest NASA cuts ever proposed, and would leave the agency with its smallest budget since 1961. This would likely heavily impact NASA’s Artemis moon exploration program, which has a crewed lunar flyby mission scheduled for 2026. The U.S. Senate i
Space
US$88m pollution-tracking satellite goes missing
An US$88 million pollution tracking satellite has gone missing in space in a major setback for climate efforts. The MathaneSat satellite has the backing of Google and billionaire Jeff Bezos and was launched only last year on a SpaceX rocket. The satellite was designed to collect data for five years on sources of methane greenhouse gas. This is responsible for nearly a third of human-induced warming, and will help curb the most serious offenders. The mission failure on 20 June came just as New Zealand was poised to take over the project. The New Zealand government invested NZ$29 million in the satellite and the New Zealand Space Agency was supposed to take over the project in June. "Clearly this is a disappointing development. As those who work in the space sector know, space is inherently challenging, and every attempt, successful or not, pushes the boundaries of what we know and what we're capable of,” the agency said in a statement. According to the Environmental Defence Fund, which oversees the satellite, communication was lost 10 days ago, and an investigation is underway to see what happened. While methane doesn't hang around the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide it is 28 times stronger over a 100-year