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☆ Investing in Space: Where NASA made cuts in its underwhelming budget request
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. A year ago, the space agency was seeking budgets of $27.2 billion and $27.7 billion for 2024 and 2025, respectively. Moreover, NASA's budget remains a tiny fraction (less than 0.4%!) But the branch isn't exactly enthused, with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall giving the 2025 request an "acceptable" grade. Space Force's budget has already surpassed NASA's, and the Pentagon is seeking $29.4 billion for the branch in 2025.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, what's, Artemis, Frank Kendall, That's Organizations: House, NASA, Congress, Exploration Systems, Planetary Society, Air Force, Pentagon, Space Force, Security, NSSL

☆ SpaceX Starship launches successfully, notches new milestones on way around Earth
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's company launched Starship at about 9:25 a.m. The SpaceX Starship spacecraft lifts off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on March 14, 2024. Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty ImagesSpaceX has flown the full Starship rocket system on two tests in the past year, with launches in April and November. The Starship system is designed to be fully reusable and aims to become a new method of flying cargo and people beyond Earth. Starship's staggering sizeThe SpaceX Starship spacecraft lifts off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on March 14, 2024.

Persons: Elon, Musk, Chandan Khanna, we've Organizations: SpaceX, Elon Musk's, AFP, Getty, Federal Aviation Administration, Afp, Super, FAA, NASA Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, Starbase

☆ SpaceX cleared to attempt third Starship launch Thursday after getting FAA license
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is prepared for a third launch from the company's Boca Chica launchpad on an uncrewed test flight, near Brownsville, Texas, on March 13, 2024. Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing to launch its third Starship test flight as soon as Thursday morning after federal regulators signed off on the attempt. The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday issued SpaceX the launch license the company needed to fly its latest Starship prototype. SpaceX is targeting a launch window between 8 a.m. SpaceX and the FAA conducted an investigation into the November launch's problems, resulting in the company making changes to the monster rocket before the third attempt.

Persons: SpaceX's, Elon Organizations: Boca Chica, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, Wednesday, SpaceX, FAA, NASA Locations: Brownsville , Texas

Satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital is "looking at everything" regarding the company's future, CEO Marc Bell told CNBC, as it considers Lockheed Martin' s acquisition offer. "We found out about [Lockheed's takeover bid] when the rest of the world found out about it," Bell said on CNBC's "Manifest Space" podcast. The defense giant is already a significant stakeholder in Terran Orbital, with a 28.3% stake at the time of the proposal. Terran Orbital declined to comment on a shareholder lawsuit filed Wednesday in response to the company's board adopting a "poison pill" stock rights plan after Lockheed's offer. Bell added that Terran Orbital is "thrilled with the validation" that Lockheed's offer gave it.

Persons: Marc Bell, Lockheed Martin, Bell, Jefferies, We've Organizations: CNBC, Lockheed, Terran, Terran Orbital

☆ Space company Astra going private to avoid bankruptcy after dismal public run
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Space company Astra will go private in a cut-rate deal with its founders after a dismal run as a publicly-traded stock. A special committee of the board, with Kemp and London abstaining, voted in favor of the take-private plan. Astra's stock, halted at 85 cents a share near the time of the announcement, closed at 58 cents a share Thursday. The San Francisco-area company, incorporated in 2016, once aimed to mass produce small rockets and conduct launches as often as daily. Since its stock debut, Astra's rockets reached orbit twice – but the company also suffered three launch failures.

Persons: Chris Kemp, Adam London, –, Kemp Organizations: Astra, London, Astra's Locations: San Francisco

☆ NASA shuts down $2 billion satellite refueling project after contractor Maxar is criticized for poor performance
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

NASA is shutting down a $2 billion project to test satellite refueling in space, it announced Friday, after the agency's auditor criticized the program's lead contractor, Maxar, citing "poor performance." The space agency said in a statement that the OSAM-1 — On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 — project was being discontinued after nearly a decade of work. NASA did not respond to CNBC's request for comment on how many personnel will be affected as a result of OSAM-1's cancellation. Maxar was taken private by private equity firm Advent International in May 2023 before being split into two businesses: Maxar Intelligence, focused on satellite imagery and analytics, and Maxar Space Systems, focused on spacecraft manufacturing. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland was leading the work on OSAM-1, with Maxar Space Systems as the project's prime contractor under multiple deals.

Persons: Eric Glass, Maxar, NASA's, Goddard, General Organizations: NASA, Space Systems, CNBC, International, Maxar Intelligence, Systems, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, Maxar, U.S, Northrop Locations: Maryland, Goddard

☆ Lockheed Martin looks to acquire spacecraft maker Terran Orbital for nearly $600 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Lockheed Martin submitted a bid to acquire spacecraft manufacturer Terran Orbital , the defense giant revealed in a securities filing on Friday. Together, the offer values Terran Orbital at just below $600 million. Terran Orbital stock closed at $1.07 a share on Friday. Terran Orbital did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Additionally, Lockheed noted in its letter to Terran Orbital management that the defense giant "continues to be Terran's largest revenue generating customer accounting."

Persons: Lockheed Martin Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Lockheed, Terran, Terran Orbital

☆ Investing in Space: How Columbia's fabric tech landed on the surface of the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. Looking at Intuitive Machines ' Odysseus spacecraft, you may have noticed any one of four fairly visible images: The American flag, NASA logo, Intuitive Machines logo … and a Columbia Sportswear logo. Of course, Columbia wasn't just involved to keep a moon lander comfortable with its jacket liner. "A technology that's good enough to get a lunar spacecraft to the moon, that you can wear in your everyday life? Pioneers in space – I would have never attached that to our company, say, 5 years ago," Boyle added.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, Joe Boyle, We've, Boyle, Columbia wasn't Organizations: Columbia, NASA Locations: Columbia

☆ Rocket Lab says contract backlog tops $1 billion, outlines Neutron progress toward first launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An Electron rocket launches the Baby Come Back mission from New Zealand on July 17, 2023. Rocket Lab is making steady progress on the development of its Neutron vehicle, as the company reported fourth-quarter results that saw its contract backlog soar above $1 billion. Year over year, Rocket Lab's fourth-quarter net loss widened by about 36% as the company continues to spend heavily to create its Neutron rocket. Shares of Rocket Lab slipped 5% in after-hours trading from its close at $4.71. Rocket Lab forecast first-quarter revenue between $92 million and $98 million.

Persons: Peter Beck Organizations: Revenue, LSEG, Space Development Agency, Rocket Locations: New Zealand

☆ FAA closes Starship investigation as SpaceX seeks license for next launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday announced the close of its investigation alongside SpaceX into the second Starship flight, as Elon Musk's company seeks a license to launch the towering rocket again. SpaceX led an investigation that the FAA oversaw into the Nov. 18 launch of a Starship prototype that reached space before being intentionally destroyed due to a problem with the rocket. "Prior to the next launch, SpaceX must implement all corrective actions and receive a license. SpaceX, in a post on its website on Monday, identified some of the issues that cut the second Starship launch short. The 17 corrective actions following the second Starship flight also represent a marked improvement from the first, which required 63 corrective actions before the rocket launched again.

Persons: SpaceX's, Elon, —, Musk Organizations: Boca Chica, Federal Aviation Administration, Monday, SpaceX, FAA Locations: Brownsville , Texas

☆ Lunar landing photos: Intuitive Machines' Odysseus sends back first images from the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus explains how the company's IM-1 lander tipped over on the moon's surfacing during a NASA press conference on Feb. 22, 2023. Intuitive Machines' cargo lander, Odysseus, returned its first images from the moon's surface over the weekend, as the spacecraft settles in to its lunar destination. The company's historic IM-1 mission is now operating on the moon after landing on Thursday, becoming the first privately developed spacecraft to soft land on the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines expects Odysseus to operate until Tuesday morning, when its solar panels will no longer be exposed to the sun. The Odysseus lander carried 12 government and commercial payloads — six of which are for NASA under a $118 million contract through the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, initiative.

Persons: Steve Altemus, Odysseus Organizations: NASA, Payload Services

☆ Intuitive Machines jumps in wild trading after moon landing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Intuitive Machines jumped in early trading on Friday after the company's successful first moon landing. The Houston, Texas company confirmed that the IM-1 mission lander was standing upright and sending data back to Earth. "Odysseus has found his new home," Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines' CTO and IM-1 mission director, said from the company's mission control. Intuitive Machines stock initially ripped 40% higher from its previous close of $8.28 a share before paring gains with heavy trading volume. Intuitive Machines went public via a SPAC a year ago and shares had steadily slid to all-time lows near $2 in January.

Persons: Odysseus, Tim Crain Locations: U.S, Houston , Texas

☆ Intuitive Machines stock has surged 300%. How Wall Street reads the moon-fueled rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

NASA TVMuch like Intuitive Machines' spacecraft, its stock has been flying to the moon the past week. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Intuitive Machines stock trading around its IM-1 moon mission. Only a handful of Wall Street analysts cover the $1 billion space company. Along with Canaccord Genuity analyst Austin Moeller, Sullivan and Sheppard were unanimous in their reads that retail, not institutional, investors are driving the current Intuitive Machines' rally. Intuitive Machines and NASA leaders showcase a mockup of the company's Nova-C lunar lander during a presentation on May 31, 2019.

Persons: It's, We've, Cantor Fitzgerald's Andres Sheppard, Sheppard, Josh Sullivan, Canaccord, Austin Moeller, Sullivan, Aubrey Gemignani, NASA Canaccord's Moeller, they'll, Moeller Organizations: NASA, Wall, CNBC, Wall Street, FactSet, Payload Locations: Texas, U.S

☆ Investing in Space: Former NASA official explains 'shots on goal' approach to cargo moon landings
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. We're six years on from NASA declaring it would look to American companies to deliver cargo and research to the moon. As much as CLPS companies are bidding against each other for contracts, it's another example of what I've called space industry coopetition — simultaneous cooperation and competition. Already, Astrobotic represents that dynamic, holding a briefing with other CLPS companies to share the learnings from the company's first effort. But how many CLPS mission failures will NASA tolerate?

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, it's, Thomas Zurbuchen, Zurbuchen, Z, Astrobotic's, – Organizations: NASA, Payload, Aerospace

☆ Watch Intuitive Machines attempt the first U.S. moon landing in over 50 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Intuitive Machines' mission, known as IM-1, aims to soft land near the moon's south pole at about 6:24 p.m. Intuitive Machines would become the first company to pull off the feat — government agencies have carried out all previous successful landings. Intuitive Machines, a Houston, Texas-based company founded in 2013, went public a year ago. After landing, Intuitive Machines aims to operate Odysseus on the surface for up to seven days. NASA leadership emphasized before the launch that "IM-1 is an Intuitive Machines' mission, it's not a NASA mission."

Persons: Odysseus, Aubrey Gemignani, it's, Astrobotic Organizations: Wall, SpaceX, NASA, Payload, Marshall Space, Center, U.S Locations: U.S, Houston , Texas, Pittsburgh, Japan, Russia, China, India

☆ SpaceX SVP Tom Ochinero is leaving the company in a rare high-level departure
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, carrying the Arabsat 6A communications satellite, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 11, 2019. One of SpaceX's senior executives is leaving, CNBC has learned, in a rare high-level departure from Elon Musk's space company. Tom Ochinero, SpaceX senior vice president of commercial business, resigned on Monday, people familiar with the matter told CNBC. Ochinero, like many of SpaceX's dozen or so senior executives, has been with the company for more than a decade. He started his career at SpaceX as an engineer helping design the nosecone used on its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.

Persons: Tom Ochinero Organizations: SpaceX, Kennedy Space Center, CNBC Locations: Cape Canaveral , Florida, Elon

☆ Lunar company Intuitive Machines' stock surges 50% to trade above SPAC debut price
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Intuitive Machines jumped for a third consecutive trading session, surpassing their post-SPAC debut price, as the company's first mission completed further milestones as it approached the moon. Intuitive Machines' stock surged as much as 65% in trading Tuesday to an intraday high of $12.05, north of the $10.03 a share price that shares traded at after the company completed its SPAC merger in February 2023. Since its inaugural moon mission launched last week, the company's share price has more than doubled. In a series of daily updates since Friday, the Texas-based lunar company said its cargo lander "continues to be in excellent health" and is preparing to enter the moon's orbit on Wednesday. The company noted that entering lunar orbit, also known as "lunar orbit insertion," will be the mission's "largest challenge to date."

Persons: Odysseus Organizations: SpaceX Locations: Texas

☆ Disney star turned space CEO: Bridgit Mendler launches satellite data startup backed by major VCs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bridgit Mendler is no stranger to reaching millions of people — now she wants to change how satellite data reaches the ground. "The vision is a data highway between Earth and space," Mendler told CNBC. "Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult. Rather than build rockets or satellites, Northwood aims to mass produce ground stations. Also known as teleports, ground stations are the typically large and often circular antennas that connect to satellites in space.

Persons: Bridgit Mendler, The Beverly Hilton, Bridgit, —, Charlie, Mendler, Andreessen Horowitz, Griffin, Luthra, Lockheed Martin Organizations: The Beverly, Disney Channel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Law School, Federal Communications, Space Bureau, CNBC, Northwood, Founders Fund, Lockheed, Mitre Corporation, Space Locations: Beverly Hills , California, Waverly, El Segundo , California

☆ Intuitive Machines stock jumps 16% after company says moon mission is in 'excellent health'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander "Odysseus" deploys from the upper stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to begin the IM-1 mission. Shares of Intuitive Machines jumped for a second consecutive day after the company issued an update that said its moon lander mission "is in excellent health." The Texas-based lunar company launched its inaugural cargo mission, known as IM-1, on a SpaceX rocket early Thursday morning. Intuitive Machines' stock jumped as much as 30% in early trading Friday before paring gains to trade up about 16% from its previous close of $6.70 a share. Since IM-1 launched, Intuitive Machines' stock is up 75% as of Friday's trading high.

Persons: Andrew Chanin, that's, Chanin Organizations: SpaceX, CNBC, NASA Locations: Texas

☆ Moon company Intuitive Machines begins first mission after SpaceX launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander launched from Florida on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, beginning the IM-1 mission. Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander "Odysseus" deploys from the upper stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to begin the IM-1 mission. NASA leadership emphasized before the launch that "IM-1 is an Intuitive Machines' mission, it's not a NASA mission." After landing, Intuitive Machines aims to operate Odysseus on the surface for up to seven days. Last month, U.S. company Astrobotic got its first moon mission off the ground but encountered problems shortly after launch.

Persons: Paul Hennessy, Trent Martin, Odysseus, it's, Joel Kearns, Kearns, Russia —, ispace, Astrobotic, didn't Organizations: SpaceX, Kennedy Space Center, Anadolu, Getty Images, Machines, SpaceX's, NASA, Payload, Artemis, Nasdaq, Marshall Space, Center, Soviet Union —, U.S Locations: Cape Canaveral , Florida, Getty Images Texas, U.S, Florida, United States, Wednesday's, Japan, Russia, Soviet Union, China, India

☆ Intuitive Machines stock spikes as lunar company's first moon mission begins
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Intuitive Machines spiked in early trading on Thursday, as the space company began its first mission to the moon's surface earlier in the morning. A SpaceX rocket launched Intuitive's IM-1 mission successfully. The cargo lunar lander, loaded with research, is headed for the moon and Intuitive expects to make a landing attempt next week. Intuitive's stock rose as much 25% in trading before pairing gains to trade about 22% up from its previous close at $4.98 a share. "You could make money a whole lot of ways – but this isn't just about making money.

Persons: Steve Altemus Organizations: SpaceX, Kennedy Space Center, CNBC Locations: Cape Canaveral , Florida

☆ Investing in Space: The role of Starlink in limiting space debris
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. But – in the latest edition of "SpaceX is the industry exception, not the rule" – the company's recent announcement that it will de-orbit 100 Starlink satellites is a different story. For one, that number represents about 2% of the Starlink satellites launched to date. And, at SpaceX's current rates, they're able to produce and launch replacement satellites in about two weeks time. More importantly, in the ongoing conversation about space debris: SpaceX has a distinct incentive to make sure any faulty Starlink satellites don't end up in the future path of its own rockets and spacecraft.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, Brian Weeden Organizations: SpaceX, Secure, Foundation

☆ After 8 months stuck in orbit, Varda's drug spacecraft gets FAA approval to return
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Space startup Varda received long-awaited approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to bring its first spacecraft back to earth after a stint manufacturing drugs in space. Varda's small W-Series 1 capsule, or W-1, has been stuck in orbit since it launched eight months ago. The FAA's approval means Varda will try to land the W-1 mission on Feb. 21. The W-1 mission is a demonstration of the company's automated in-space manufacturing process. The company previously said it expects to return a few kilograms of manufactured material on the W-1 mission.

Persons: Varda Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Air Force's Utah, FAA Locations: Utah, United States

☆ K2 Space, a startup with SpaceX veterans building monster satellites, raises $50 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Los Angeles-based startup K2 Space raised $50 million in new funding as the company works to build monster satellites to match the massive rockets that are coming to market. The company's latest fundraiser was led by tech investor Brad Gerstner's Altimeter Capital and joined by Alpine Space Ventures, adding to the $8.5 million in seed funding it raised from investors including First Round Capital and Republic Capital. K2 declined to specify its valuation after the most recent round. "This round is effectively built for the demand that we're seeing for launching constellations of the Mega class satellites," Karan Kunjur told CNBC. K2's Mega class satellite bus — the physical structure of a spacecraft that provides power, movement and more — is sized to fit in "heavy" and "super heavy" rockets.

Persons: Karan Kunjur, Neel Kunjur, Brad, Glenn Organizations: K2, Alpine Space Ventures, First, Capital, Republic Capital, CNBC Locations: Los Angeles

☆ How satellite connectivity startup Skylo hooked backers such as Intel, BMW and Samsung to raise $37 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Silicon Valley space startup Skylo Technologies landed funding from the corporate venture arms of Intel, BMW and Samsung, as the company aims to bridge the gap between satellite and terrestrial communications. Skylo raised $37 million through an equity round, the company told CNBC, that was led by Intel Capital and Innovation Endeavors and joined by BMW i Ventures, Next47, Samsung Catalyst Fund and Seraphim Space. We just don't want extra hardware, because that adds complexity," Skylo CEO Parth Trivedi told CNBC. That way, Trivedi sees Skylo operating as a "roaming partner" to existing cellular networks, effectively rubber-stamping and linking devices made by other connectivity players. "You're going to find that this approach is very, very scalable, because the carriers don't have to change behavior, the users don't have to change behavior, the satellite operators don't have to change behavior, and regulators don't have to change behavior," Trivedi said.

Persons: Skylo, Parth Trivedi, Trivedi, Dave Johnson, They've, Johnson Organizations: Technologies, Intel, BMW, Samsung, CNBC, Intel Capital, Innovation, BMW i Ventures, Next47, Samsung Catalyst Fund, SoftBank, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Sony Locations: Mountain View , California

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