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Space

Catalyx Space raises $5.4 million to establish ‘orbital logistics company’

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Catalyx Space, a space infrastructure company providing turnkey solutions for orbital missions across industries, including logistics, recently announced its oversubscribed $5.4 million Seed funding round led by venture capital firm Outlander VC.

The announcement follows on the heels of its January $1.7 million pre-Seed round, which culminated in their first successful capsule drop test within an accelerated six-month timeline. The new funds will be used to commercialize its next-gen reentry architecture, bolster overseas operations, and expand its global customer acquisition capabilities.

The round also had participation from: Arka Venture Labs, Lex Reddy, KDX Management LLC, Together Fund, Higher Life Ventures, Nivesha Ventures, Prana Tech Ventures, Bria, HF0 Residency, and Techstars. [Read more…] about Catalyx Space raises $5.4 million to establish ‘orbital logistics company’

AI in orbit: Rice University to host workshop exploring future of intelligent systems in space

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Leaders from government, academia and industry will gather in Houston next month for Rice University’s In-Space Physical AI Workshop at Ion, a two-day event examining how autonomous technologies could shape the next era of space exploration and discovery.

The workshop will take place February 11-12, 2026 at The Ion, located at 4201 Main Street, Houston, Texas, and will focus on the convergence of artificial intelligence and space technology – particularly how physical AI systems can enable long-duration, autonomous operations beyond Earth. [Read more…] about AI in orbit: Rice University to host workshop exploring future of intelligent systems in space

Researchers develop robots to work together to explore the Moon and Mars

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University of Pennsylvania engineers, NASA, and five other universities tested robotic systems designed to help unmanned explorers cooperate in the dunes of White Sands, New Mexico, paving the way for Moon and Mars exploration

In early August, the crisp dawn sky above White Sands National Park glows faintly blue, gradually brightening as streaks of marigold and soft pink pierce the clouds with the rising sun.

But although the powder-white sand of the 30-foot gypsum dunes is cool at dawn, air temperatures become blistering hot as the sun approaches its zenith.

It’s precisely these harsh conditions that drew an interdisciplinary research team to this remote desert, using it as an Earthly stand-in for the Moon and Mars. Their goal: to evaluate lunar robots designed to traverse unforgiving terrain. [Read more…] about Researchers develop robots to work together to explore the Moon and Mars

Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

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Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at combining their respective space activities into a new company.

By joining forces, Airbus, Leonardo and Thales aim to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space, a major sector that underpins critical infrastructure and services related to telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security.

This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programmes. [Read more…] about Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

Planet Labs to open new satellite manufacturing facility in Germany

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Planet Labs, a provider of satellite data and insights about Earth, has revealed plans to begin production of next-generation, high-resolution Pelican satellites in Berlin, Germany.

This strategic decision will help Planet better meet growing demand from the European market, responding to an urgent need for persistent and high-performance satellite and intelligence solutions.

This new capital investment in its German operations is, in total, expected to exceed 8 figures, and is anticipated to add up to 70 employees when fully operationalized to Planet’s existing team of nearly 150 in its Berlin-based European headquarters. [Read more…] about Planet Labs to open new satellite manufacturing facility in Germany

NASA awards $30 million to Katalyst Space Technologies to rescue $500 million satellite

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Up in the quiet darkness of low Earth orbit, a satellite known as the “Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory” is fighting a losing battle. Launched in 2004 to chase down the universe’s most violent fireworks – gamma-ray bursts – Swift has faithfully delivered two decades of science.

But now, with its orbit eroding under the subtle drag of Earth’s upper atmosphere, the spacecraft may not survive until its intended twilight. So, NASA has turned to a bold new approach: rescuing a satellite that was never built to be rescued.

However, something has to be done, according to people overseeing the project. Swift is described as “a $500 million space telescope” which is currently at risk of uncontrolled deorbit by late 2026, so the $30 million NASA is spending to rescue it not only seems reasonable, it’s also forward-thinking because new technologies and techniques may emerge for saving other defunct satellites that float around the Earth as debris could either be fixed or disposed of safely.

Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director, Astrophysics Division, NASA headquarters in Washington, says: “Given how quickly Swift’s orbit is decaying, we are in a race against the clock, but by leveraging commercial technologies that are already in development, we are meeting this challenge head-on. [Read more…] about NASA awards $30 million to Katalyst Space Technologies to rescue $500 million satellite

Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology unveil machine that can 3D print buildings using materials it ingests on-site

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A spider-like robot named Charlotte, developed jointly by Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology, was unveiled this week at the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, with ambitious goals both on Earth and in space.

Charlotte is a semi-autonomous, bio-inspired construction robot combining robotics and 3D printing technology. At the IAC, a scaled-down prototype was demonstrated, marking an early milestone in what’s intended to be a transformational shift in how structures are built.

On Earth, the vision is straightforward yet bold: Charlotte would ingest raw materials – such as sand, earth, or crushed brick waste – bind and compress them using a proprietary extrusion system, and progressively “print” building walls and structures in situ. [Read more…] about Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology unveil machine that can 3D print buildings using materials it ingests on-site

The space robotics market: Who is building the machines and who is backing them?

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The global space economy continues to expand at pace, surpassing $600 billion in 2024 according to the Space Foundation, with further growth forecast over the next decade.

Behind the headline numbers, a quieter but equally significant transformation is under way: the rise of robotics as essential infrastructure for working and building beyond Earth.

For decades, astronauts and satellites dominated the narrative. Now, robotic systems – arms, rovers, crawlers, and autonomous builders – are moving from experiment to deployment. [Read more…] about The space robotics market: Who is building the machines and who is backing them?

NASA partners with Arkisys to advance Astrobee robots on the ISS

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NASA is continuing the Astrobee mission through a collaboration with Arkisys, of Los Alamitos, California, which was awarded a reimbursable Space Act Agreement to sustain and maintain the robotic platform aboard the International Space Station.

As the agency returns astronauts to the Moon, robotic helpers like Astrobee could one day take over routine maintenance tasks and support future spacecraft at the Moon and Mars without relying on humans for continuous operation.

In March, the agency issued a call for partnership proposals to support its ongoing space research initiatives. Arkisys was selected to maintain the platform and continue enabling partners to use the Astrobee system as a means to experiment with new technologies in the microgravity environment of the space station. [Read more…] about NASA partners with Arkisys to advance Astrobee robots on the ISS

Canadarm2 grapples Cygnus XL in key robotic arm manoeuvre at the ISS

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The International Space Station’s robotic powerhouse, Canadarm2, took centre stage this morning as it captured and installed Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo ship, delivering over 11,000 pounds of critical science and supplies.

At 7.24 am EDT, on September 18, astronaut Jonny Kim (with Zena Cardman as backup) used Canadarm2 to grapple the Cygnus XL, then manoeuvred it into position for installation at the ISS’s Unity module.

The supply ship launched from Cape Canaveral on September 14, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. It will stay docked until March 2026, when it will depart carrying waste to burn up during re-entry. [Read more…] about Canadarm2 grapples Cygnus XL in key robotic arm manoeuvre at the ISS