Space Stakes: The Business of the New Space Race

Artemis Moves the Landing to 2028—and Puts the Test in Orbit — October 25, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:49:16 -0700

NASA’s revised Artemis sequence makes Artemis III an orbital docking rehearsal and targets a crewed landing for Artemis IV in 2028. We also cover Rocket Lab’s Neutron delay, Musk’s statements about Starlink’s civilian role, an ESA Space Rider post, and the limits of comparing Rocket Lab with SpaceX by valuation.

NASA Artemis moon landing plan targets 2028 with faster approach — Mashable
Rocket Lab Just Postponed Its Neutron Launch. Again. — Yahoo Finance
Musk: Starlink must remain civilian operation — Breakingthenews.net
ESA downplays Space Rider test mishap — SpaceNews on X
Rocket Lab vs SpaceX: $30B vs $2.2T Cap — Tech Insider

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:52 Neutron debut slips into 2027

02:01 Musk on Starlink in Ukraine

03:28 Rocket Lab comparison with SpaceX

04:34 NASA recast Artemis III as docking test

08:03 Whether speed buys real risk reduction

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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More from Brian Lampert: Quickly Quantum, the daily quantum computing briefing, and Concrete Compute, the daily AI infrastructure briefing. Transcripts and every episode: space-stakes.kngoworld.chatgpt.site.

Phobos Sample Bid, Contested Orbital Maneuvers and Starship Reuse Test — October 24, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 06:52:12 -0700

This week’s recap follows a Phobos sample-return launch, risky satellite maneuvers and Starship ambitions.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:33 Japan's MMX Phobos sample-return mission

02:01 Cosmos 2612 maneuvers near ICEYE-X36

03:53 SpaceX plans Starship tower catches

Source links

science.nasa.gov

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Xona Raises Series D for Pulsar Navigation Network — October 23, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 05:36:23 -0700

Electron launches HawkEye 360 satellites — Yahoo Finance
Starship lunar refueling estimate — Ars Technica
Xona Series D — Payload
ICEYE and Nokia explore Ukraine satellite communications — Via Satellite
Space Force cislunar RFIs — Breaking Defense

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:21 Artemis tanker and depot capacity risks

00:53 Xona $250M Series D for Pulsar GPS

02:24 ICEYE, Nokia letter of intent on Ukraine

03:37 Space Force RFIs for cislunar missions

04:48 Rocket Lab Electron launch for HawkEye 360

07:15 Hype Check: Rocket Lab's wider claims

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Starship's Next Catch and the Price of Readiness — October 22, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:29:50 -0700

SpaceX is targeting a November Starship test flight with an attempt to catch both stages, while its weekly-launch ambition depends on flight results and FAA licensing. The episode also covers Canada’s standby launch-pad agreement, China’s developing cargo and reusable vehicles, a lunar-site study recommendation, and NASA’s RS-25 engine test.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:46 Canada pays for standby launch pad access

01:19 China's reusable rocket and spaceplane steps

02:26 NASA fires RS-25 engine No. 10001 at Stennis

03:14 Starship catch of both stages

05:01 Catches versus a weekly launch schedule

Source links

spacenews.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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SpaceX's $14.6B Quarter: AI Passes Starlink — October 21, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:05:07 -0700

SpaceX posted ~$14.6B in Q3 revenue with AI overtaking Starlink, Musk discussed a SpaceX-Tesla merger, plus Telesat and Eutelsat news.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:45 Musk on SpaceX and Tesla merger

02:23 Telesat offered $3.2 billion rescue package

03:45 Eutelsat capacity deal with Amprion

04:38 SpaceX quarter: space, Starlink and AI

07:29 SpaceXSI AI compute, who pays for buildout

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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A Satellite Shadow, and the Stakes of Sharing Orbit — October 20, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:34:14 -0700

A Russian satellite’s maneuvers near ICEYE-X36 raise questions about commercial spacecraft and security in orbit. We also cover direct-to-device spectrum decisions, Amazon’s planned Germany investment and a Space Force autonomy award.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:47 FCC authority for Globalstar C-3 system

02:18 Four operators explore joint bid for MSS

03:39 Amazon plans more than €16 billion in Germany

04:35 EraDrive won $13M Era-Node award

06:00 Cosmos 2612 maneuvers around ICEYE-X36

09:17 Unconfirmed interference near ICEYE-X36

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Japan’s Phobos Sample Return: A Launch, Then Five Years of Work — October 19, 2026

Brian Lampert — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 04:04:24 -0700

Japan's MMX mission is scheduled to launch toward Phobos, where it aims to collect material and return it to Earth in 2031. The episode also covers a reported close approach between Russian and commercial satellites and Elon Musk's pledge of SpaceX shares to American children.

Russian Satellite Kosmos-2612 Closes to Within 26 Meters of ICEYE-X36 During Pursuit — Mіlіtarnyi
Musk pledges 1 SpaceX share for every child in America — Axios reporting via Yahoo Finance
Returning the first samples from a Martian moon: Inside the science of Japan's bold MMX mission to Mars — Space.com
Japan launching bold sample-return mission to Mars moon Phobos today: Watch it live — Space.com

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:38 Kosmos-2612 approached ICEYE-X36

02:31 Musk's SpaceX share pledge for every kid

03:50 Japan's MMX mission to study Phobos

05:01 Japan's MMX mission to return Phobos sample

08:33 Hype Check on Japan's MMX mission

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Who Holds the Switch on Ukraine’s Starlink? — October 18, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 06:31:35 -0700

Ukraine's Starlink slowdown prompts competing claims from Zelenskyy and Rubio, while the cause remains unresolved. Also: a planned Starfall demonstration, JAXA's MMX launch date, a Space Force jammer plan, and conditional Toronto Stock Exchange approvals.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:40 SpaceX Starfall capsule's second flight

02:33 Space Force plans wider jammers

03:05 NorthStar, Maritime conditional approval

04:10 Rubio denies Washington ordered Starlink slowdown

07:13 Accountability for a commercial network

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Weekly Recap: Control, Cadence and the Cost of Clearing Orbit — October 17, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:25:54 -0700

This weekly recap follows the week's debate over control of military satellite communications, alongside tests and targets for launch and connectivity systems. It also looks at a UK contract for an active debris removal mission.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

01:06 Starlink speed limit, Ukrainian drones

02:47 Army stress-tested Amazon Leo network

04:24 Starship launch request at Starbase

06:06 Blue Origin rebuilding Launch Complex 36

07:38 Neutron delayed to no earlier than 2027

09:21 ClearSpace for UK Active Debris Removal

10:48 Ariane 6 no earlier than November 23

Source links

faa.gov

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Rocket Lab Faces Composite Tank Test as UK Funds Debris Capture — October 16, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:33:09 -0700

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:34 Starshield access reportedly restored

01:40 Falcon 9 booster lands, cargo classified

02:43 UK active debris removal with ClearSpace

03:42 Ariane 6 launch no earlier than 23 November

04:39 Neutron debut slips on carbon fibre

06:04 Neutron tank ruptured in hydrostatic testing

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Who Controls Ukraine’s Link? Spain Moves €65.8 Million — October 15, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:28:54 -0700

Ukraine’s reliance on satellite connectivity turns a reported Starlink speed restriction into a question of control, authority and operational alternatives. The episode also covers Amazon’s Army network test, Reflect Orbital’s Skyroot launches, Artemis III hardware progress and Spain’s PAZ 2 funding schedule.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:41 Amazon's satellite network in Army test

01:19 Reflect Orbital bought two launches

02:49 Artemis III rocket: tanking test ahead

03:50 Spain's PAZ 2 funding timing changed

05:09 SpaceX accused of limiting Starlink

08:05 Who controls Starshield and its limits

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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SpaceX’s 456-Launch Request Meets the Reuse Test — October 14, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 04:18:46 -0700

SpaceX is seeking permission for a major increase in Starship operations at Starbase, while a recovered ship offers data about flown hardware. The episode also examines reported Starlink restrictions in Ukraine, CSG’s investment in MDA Space and a new PTS-G payload integration subcontract.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:45 Ship 40 is back at Starbase

02:16 Reported Starlink limit disrupts drone missions

05:11 CSG's 9.5% stake in MDA Space

07:50 Lyntris selected as payload integrator for PTS-G

09:31 SpaceX requesting up to 456 Starship launches

11:21 FAA environmental review of Starship launches

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Follow Space Stakes: subscribe on YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Norway Proposes Launch Pad Funding — October 13, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 04:29:28 -0700

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:54 Norway proposes funding for launch pad

01:49 Two task orders for York Space Systems

02:56 Cargo Dragon C211 making fourth flight

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Blue Origin Rebuilds Blasted Pad Toward Year-End Return Target — October 12, 2026

Brian Lampert — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:15:29 -0700

Blue Origin is rebuilding Launch Complex 36 after New Glenn's May pad explosion and is targeting a December return-to-flight mission. The episode also covers a warning about commercial satellite vulnerability, a Starship analysis shared on X, and NASA's Antarctic sea-ice observations.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:41 Germany's warning on Russian satellites

02:03 Antarctic sea ice third-lowest maximum

03:10 Blue Origin rebuilding Launch Complex 36

05:38 Hype check: New Glenn rebuild evidence

Source links

@XploraSpace on X

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Starlink’s India Pitch Meets the Security Queue — October 11, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 05:41:47 -0700

Starlink is pitching affordability and consumer choice in India as it awaits final security clearance, while a U.S. military satellite launch and an ISS crew handover provide two concrete delivery updates. The key question is whether the service's customer case can move from a stated goal to a specific offer.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:42 Falcon 9 launched Tranche 1 satellites

02:42 Crew-12 back on Earth after 237-day mission

03:50 Starlink in India awaits security clearance

06:49 Hype Check: Starlink pitch depends on price

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Weekly Recap: Spectrum, NASA's Workforce and SpaceX's Launch Plans — October 10, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:48:44 -0700

This week's recap follows SpaceX's push into direct-to-device connectivity, NASA's proposed workforce shift, Kratos's space-intelligence contracts, Amazon's Leo manufacturing milestone and the FAA's review of proposed Starship operations.

Across the stories, regulatory authorization, proposed transactions, contracts, manufactured hardware and operational service remain distinct milestones.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

01:04 SpaceX FCC authorization for satellites

02:49 SpaceX to acquire low-band spectrum

04:32 NASA proposal on contractor positions

06:07 Kratos space-intelligence awards

07:56 Amazon's 1,000th Leo satellite built

09:26 FAA scoping for Starship operations

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Starlink Mobile Eyes Indoor Coverage With Low-Band Spectrum Deal — October 9, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:33:46 -0700

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:41 Crew-12 is back on Earth after 237 days

01:37 SpaceX calls for better data-sharing

02:51 Amazon built its 1,000th Leo satellite

04:10 Fortastra raised $30M in Series A

05:24 SpaceX to acquire 14 megahertz spectrum

08:02 Low-band spectrum as a coverage layer

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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FCC Clears Regulatory Path for SpaceX Standalone Satellite-to-Phone — October 8, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:30:52 -0700

000-satellite direct-to-device system.

FCC Grants SpaceX Approval for 15,000 Direct-to-Device Satellites in MSS Spectrum — Via Satellite

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:20 FCC approved SpaceX's 15,000 satellites

03:42 SpaceX trying to become the carrier

Source links

spacewatch.global

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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EU Backs Collective Response to Satellite Threats — October 7, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:35:16 -0700

NASA's planned move of 7,500 contractor positions into civil service raises questions about expertise, accountability and taxpayer value. The episode also covers an EU space-security decision, progress on the Themis demonstrator and Dawn Aerospace's planned German expansion.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:31 EU approves collective satellite threat response

02:23 Themis completes second wet dress rehearsal

03:54 Dawn Aerospace plans German expansion

05:40 NASA plan moves contractor roles to civil service

08:23 Hype check on NASA's workforce shift

Source links

@eu_eeas on X

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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What Public Money Buys in Space Intelligence and Connectivity Plans — October 6, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:14:20 -0700

Kratos announced multiple contracts worth more than $100 million combined for space-intelligence and cyber prototype work, while the public details leave key questions about the awards' structure. The episode also covers Open Cosmos' constellation target, the Army's enlisted space specialty, York's GEO mission integration and this week's launch plans.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:20 Open Cosmos targets 192 satellites

01:44 Army creates enlisted space specialty

02:50 York moves into GEO integration

03:43 Launch slate three programs

04:27 Kratos receives space and cyber contracts

06:28 Hype check on Kratos contract total

Source links

spacenews.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Follow Space Stakes: subscribe on YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Florida Review, Orbital Weather Watch and Post-Station Planning — October 5, 2026

Brian Lampert — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:15:48 -0700

SpaceX (SPCX) Faces FAA Review On 76 Cape Canaveral Starship Launches — finance.yahoo.com
ESA, CAS release first images from SMILE; officially begin science operations — NASASpaceFlight.com
Airbus and OHB to Lead ESA Studies on Future European Orbital Outpost as ISS Era Nears End — SpaceWatch.GLOBAL
@SawyerMerritt on X — X/@SawyerMerritt

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:31 FAA seeks comments on Starship scope

02:08 SMILE mission captures ring of auroras

04:22 Airbus and OHB lead planning study

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Falcon Heavy’s Classified Payload—and Europe’s Crew Ambitions — October 4, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 04:35:53 -0700

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:35 ESA investigating European-led space station

02:13 Crew-13 arrives at the space station

03:44 Falcon Heavy's first reconnaissance mission

05:33 Falcon Heavy's classified payload question

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Weekly Catch-Up: Classified Launch, Policy Shifts and Venture Moves — October 3, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:05:07 -0700

A week of launches and crew operations sat alongside changes in military-space leadership and satellite connectivity and Europe's small-launch plans. This recap separates completed events from ventures and vehicles that still have to demonstrate delivery.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

01:30 Falcon Heavy flew classified NROL-97 mission

02:18 Carriers formally establish satellite venture

03:45 Pentagon space leadership, Miller nominated

04:53 Omnidea bought Orbex assets, plans PrimeNEO

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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Falcon Heavy's Classified Mission Puts Reuse and Cadence on Display — October 2, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 04:16:56 -0700

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:33 Crew-13 reaches station in fast trip

01:39 ICEYE and Nokia plan sovereign satellites

03:26 Norway proposes funding second launch pad

04:38 Falcon Heavy classified mission

06:56 What the mission shows about Falcon Heavy

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

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The FCC Opens Spectrum—and Rewrites Space’s Environmental Review — October 1, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 06:50:03 -0700

The FCC voted to open satellite spectrum and change its environmental-review approach for certain space activities; the practical effects depend on final rules. Varda, Crew-13, and Astranis also feature in today's episode.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:30 Varda has closed a $251M Series D

01:57 Astronauts scheduled to launch on repaired Dragon

03:07 Astranis gets credit facility for satellites

04:28 FCC opens spectrum and changes NEPA review

07:05 Hype check on the FCC's spectrum vote

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Follow Space Stakes: subscribe on YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Who flies NASA’s astronauts when Dragon steps aside? — September 30, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:41:47 -0700

NASA faces a consequential crew-transport question if SpaceX follows through on reported plans to retire Crew Dragon after International Space Station support. The episode also covers AT&T's challenge to SpaceX's cellular strategy, Blue Origin's New Glenn 9x4 contract eligibility, Astro Digital's proposed SPAC merger, and Northrop Grumman's satellite delivery.

Chapters

00:00 Today's headlines

00:47 Telecom chief calls satellite plan unviable

01:18 New Glenn 9x4 added to NASA launch catalog

02:30 Astro Digital plans SPAC merger

04:02 Northrop satellites reach Vandenberg

05:23 Crew Dragon access in question

07:47 NASA's crew transport dilemma

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Starliner’s Return Depends on What Starliner-1 Proves — September 29, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:46:39 -0700

NASA and Boeing outlined an uncrewed Starliner test and planned steps toward a crewed return. The episode also covers Meridian Space’s reported separation from SpinLaunch, new Artemis Accords signatories, and a Starship claim circulating on X.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Who Funds Lunar Hardware and Who Controls Orbital Tracking Data — September 26, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:38:47 -0700

We revisit NASA's Artemis update promise, PRIMA's move into Phase B, and a reported SpaceX tracking-data arrangement.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Artemis Needs More Than an October Update — September 25, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:55:57 -0700

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman promised an early-October Artemis timing update as he described the stakes of the lunar competition. The episode also covers Hubble Network's Series C, Starfish Space's Otter inspection mission, and a European rover's Blue Moon ride agreement.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Who Gets the Best View of Space? — September 24, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:39:44 -0700

A reported exchange between SpaceX and the Space Force raises questions about collision safety, classified tracking data and competition in commercial space surveillance. We also cover Starship testing, a funded Viasat task order, NASA’s PRIMA telescope and European support for launch infrastructure.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Italy Pledges $5B+ for Moon Habitat and Two Landings — September 23, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:33:15 -0700

Italy commits over $5B to a lunar habitat for two Moon landings under NASA's good-deals doctrine, plus FCC environmental review vote, Planet's Berlin factory, HEO's $25M raise, and Starship tile reuse.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Viasat Completes ViaSat-3 Trio as Starfall Books Starship Flights Ahead — September 22, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:56:59 -0700

Viasat says its ViaSat-3 trio is fully operational, plus Starfall bookings on Starship, and five launches this week.

Source links

payloadspace.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Canada and France Weigh Shared Launch Infrastructure — September 21, 2026

Brian Lampert — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:44:47 -0700

Ariane 6 faces year-end delays over a reported turbopump issue and Canada-France pitch shared space infrastructure.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Weekly Recap: Weapons in Orbit, Money on the Table — September 19, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 05:18:03 -0700

This week's recap: NASA's $5.92 billion Commercial Crew total after a new SpaceX award, a slipping Starship launch date, Boeing's Starliner comeback, the Pentagon's first public admission of orbital weapons, Rocket Lab's near-$2 billion Iridium raise, and new moves in Earth observation, GEO surveillance, and space-domain-awareness software — plus the interstate fight over the new US Space Academy.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Bonus: Meet Quickly Quantum

Brian Lampert — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0700

A bonus introduction from Space Stakes to Quickly Quantum, another daily show created by Brian Lampert. This cross-promotion features a short recommendation in this show’s voice, followed by the Quickly Quantum trailer.

Listen and subscribe to Quickly Quantum for its regular episodes.

This is a bonus introduction. The regular Space Stakes briefing remains on its usual schedule.

Why NASA Needs the Capsule It Just Watched Fail — September 18, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:46:07 -0700

NASA is reportedly preparing to order more Starliner missions and help fix Boeing's capsule despite a 'Type A' mishap finding — because SpaceX has signaled Crew Dragon's retirement is coming. Plus: European startups win real contracts in Paris, Impulse Space's raise tops eight hundred million dollars, Starship's orbital debut slips again, and Telesat lights up its first European gateway.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

The Reset: Is Cheap Launch Really Over? — September 17, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:09:43 -0700

Launch rivals at World Space Business Week say the price-per-kilo era is ending as Falcon 9 winds down and Starship ramps up — plus a wave of European satellite funding, a new Pentagon radar program, and Starship's next orbital attempt.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Starship's Real Test: Can It Actually Reach Orbit? — September 16, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:06:42 -0700

Starship's fourteenth flight is the first real shot at orbit, and the FAA's reentry review is the actual gate. Plus: Space Force budget risk, LeoLabs sells radar directly to allies, and a tight rideshare market.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Pentagon Confirms Orbital Weapons; Iceye's $1 Billion Global Expansion — September 15, 2026

Brian Lampert — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:53:20 -0700

The Air Force secretary confirms, for the first time on record, that the U.S. has weapons deployed in orbit — with almost no specifics attached. Plus: a Vega C mission delivers two European science satellites, Iceye chases sovereign satellite contracts across six new markets, Open Cosmos closes a €300 million round, and the Pentagon wants AI to make sense of space threats.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

SpaceX's 700th Falcon Flight Reopens the Monopoly Question — September 14, 2026

Brian Lampert — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 06:43:53 -0700

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

NOAA's $8 Billion Weather-Data Bet: Ceiling or Check? — September 13, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 07:10:36 -0700

NOAA locks in a decade-long, $8 billion-ceiling commercial weather-data buy across fourteen companies — while KBR walks away with the round's biggest single award, up to $1.1 billion, for ground-based mesonet data. Plus: Europe's best stretch in years for commercial launch, a French suborbital rocket slips to 2027, and a real executive order raises real questions about NASA and the military sharing a classroom.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Does Europe's First Orbital Launch Outrun Washington's Own Space Fights? — September 12, 2026

Brian Lampert — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 06:44:01 -0700

This week's recap: Europe reaches orbit and signs billion-euro contracts across the launch and cargo markets, while Washington works through a Mars contract protest, a nuclear power award, a radar site pick, and the long-running question of whether ULA's owners will finally sell.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Bonus: Meet Concrete Compute

Brian Lampert — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0700

A bonus introduction from Space Stakes to Concrete Compute, another daily show created by Brian Lampert. This cross-promotion features a short recommendation in this show’s voice, followed by the Concrete Compute trailer.

Listen and subscribe to Concrete Compute for its regular episodes.

This is a bonus introduction. The regular Space Stakes briefing remains on its usual schedule.

ESA Bets €760 Million on a Five-Year-Old Space Startup — September 11, 2026

Brian Lampert — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:08:59 -0700

ESA hands its largest-ever commercial cargo contract to a five-year-old startup, Europe builds its own Venus radar after NASA gets shaky, Eutelsat orders a wave of new satellites for OneWeb and IRIS-squared, and a weather constellation's builder is confirmed.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Eligible, Not Flying: What NASA's Terran R Milestone Really Means — September 10, 2026

Brian Lampert — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:27:55 -0700

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Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

1,000 Launches by 2030: Who Pays the $450 Million Question? — September 9, 2026

Brian Lampert — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:31:05 -0700

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket finally reaches orbit from Norway, The Exploration Company banks Europe's biggest-ever Series C at $450 million, Eutelsat signs on for satellite life extension, and the White House's 1,000-launch-by-2030 policy runs into a very old question: who's paying for it?

Additional sources

Source links

techfundingnews.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

Introducing Space Stakes

Brian Lampert — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:04:40 -0700

Space Stakes: The Business of the New Space Race. Follow the rockets. Follow the money.

A short introduction to the show. New episode every day.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 8, 2026 — Orbit vs. Capital: Isar Flies, Stoke Bets Big Before Liftoff

Brian Lampert — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:26:18 -0700

Two very different bets against SpaceX's reusable-launch dominance landed the same day: Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket reached orbit on its second flight, the first commercial orbital launch from Western European soil, while Stoke Space closed an initial one-billion-dollar tranche of its Series E for a rocket that still hasn't flown. We break down what each actually proves — and what it doesn't.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 7, 2026 — Europe's First Commercial Orbital Launch: Hype vs. Manifest

Brian Lampert — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:31:22 -0700

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket reached orbit from Norway, becoming the first fully commercial European launch to make it to space — plus Cape Canaveral pad progress from Stoke Space and Relativity, and SpaceX's continued Starbase buildout toward Starship's Flight 14.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 6, 2026 — Is Satellite Data's Biggest Beneficiary Also Its Biggest Risk?

Brian Lampert — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:46:22 -0700

Planet Labs posts a record quarter fueled by a defense and intelligence surge, but the four-billion-dollar pipeline behind it is still mostly a promise. Plus: NASA adds a new dish to its strained Deep Space Network, and Europe's BepiColombo splits in two on final approach to Mercury.

Planet Reports Financial Results for Second Quarter — Yahoo Finance (Planet Labs press release)
New Next-Gen Dish Adds Muscle to NASA's Deep Space Network — NASA JPL
After 8 Years, Europe's BepiColombo Mission Is on Final Approach to Mercury — Ars Technica

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 5, 2026 — Rockets, Rockets, and a Diplomatic Rupture in Paris

Brian Lampert — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 13:36:39 -0700

The weekly recap: Roman's flagship launch, Blue Origin's Mars comms win, Europe's billion-euro IRIS2 order, Orion's heat shield vindication, Isar Aerospace's latest scrub, China's new listing rules for rocket startups, an Army desert trial that put a price tag on commercial satellite gear, and the US-France diplomatic spat over a Paris space summit.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 4, 2026 — Isaacman vs. McAlister: How Much of NASA Should Be Commercial?

Brian Lampert — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 05:51:28 -0700

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly clashes with former commercial-space chief Phil McAlister over how far NASA should push commercialization as Falcon 9's retirement looms and Starliner stays grounded. Plus: India's redemption geosynchronous launch, SES's new Peru Navy deal, a Space Force leadership change, and Isar Aerospace's fifth shot at orbit.

Source links

@NASAAdmin on X

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 3, 2026 — Blue Origin's $700 Million Mars Bet

Brian Lampert — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:26:45 -0700

NASA hands Blue Origin a $700 million fixed-price contract to build the Mars Telecommunications Network — but the rocket that will presumably launch it, New Glenn, exploded on the pad in May. Plus: China's Pallas-1 reaches orbit on debut, Russia's Rassvet constellation stumbles, Sierra Space lines up Dream Chaser customers, and Boeing closes out SES's O3b mPOWER build.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 2, 2026 — The Funding Keeps Growing, The Rocket Still Hasn't Flown

Brian Lampert — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:36:42 -0700

PLD Space piles another €108 million onto its already-growing Series C round as it races toward Miura 5's first flight, plus a new Chinese liquid-fueled rocket, a German launch startup's fresh raise, a Washington funding fix, and vindication for Orion's much-criticized heat shield.

Source links

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

September 1, 2026 — Inside the FAA's Power to Ground a Rocket Company

Brian Lampert — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:25:18 -0700

Today's episode is an Orbit 101 on the Federal Aviation Administration's role as the safety gatekeeper for commercial launch and reentry — what its licensing power actually covers, why a suspended license can freeze an entire company's manifest, and what the host thinks needs more transparency. Also a quick headline on the Crew-13 astronaut launch delay.

Linked sources: Commercial Space Transportation Activities — Federal Aviation Administration
Related headline: SpaceX, NASA delay next astronaut launch to ISS due to leak on Dragon spacecraft — Space.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 31, 2026 — Europe Bets Big on Beating Starlink — Can It Ship in Time?

Brian Lampert — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:31:44 -0700

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched successfully Sunday and drew an unusual phone-in from President Trump, SLS hardware is now moving through production on four vehicles at once, Rocket Lab preps another Electron flight for a Japanese radar satellite customer, and Europe hands OHB a near-billion-euro contract for IRIS2's medium-Earth-orbit satellites.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 30, 2026 — Roman Telescope Launches: Did Congress Just Prove It Runs NASA's Science

Brian Lampert — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:53:46 -0700

Roman Space Telescope enters its launch countdown after surviving a White House push to cancel it, ESA reveals the actual euro figures behind its European Launcher Challenge contracts, and NASA's Isaacman predicts weekly Starship flights by 2027.

NASA, SpaceX set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — NASASpaceFlight.com
ESA awards first European Launcher Challenge contracts — NASASpaceFlight.com
First contracts kick off European Launcher Challenge — ESA
NASA chief on SpaceX's Starship cadence target — X/@cb_doge

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 29, 2026 — The Week Space Ambition Met the Launch Bottleneck

Brian Lampert — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 08:24:10 -0700

The weekly recap: NASA's Roman telescope clears its last review for a Sunday launch, LandSpace's Zhuque-3 lands a booster that then topples, the White House sets a bold new national launch-cadence target, SpaceX bets big on a Louisiana spaceport, and the industry spends the week worrying the launch pipeline can't keep up with any of it.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 28, 2026 — $72 Million: The Price of Skipping the Bid on SpaceX

Brian Lampert — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 04:24:30 -0700

The Space Force hands SpaceX a fleet-wide, sole-source Starshield contract for military aircraft — with the award value redacted. Plus: ESA's European Launcher Challenge money breaks down company by company, a Singapore satellite firm SPACs at a billion-dollar valuation, SpaceX and Iridium clash at the FCC, and NASA's Roman Space Telescope reaches the pad after surviving a budget scare.

Linked sources: Space Force expands Starshield service for military aircraft — SpaceNews
First contracts kick off European Launcher Challenge — ESA
PLD Space, Isar Aerospace, and Rocket Factory Augsburg Land ESA Contracts — Via Satellite
Black Spade Acquisition III 8-K — SEC EDGAR
Astrum Space Strikes SPAC Deal — Via Satellite
SpaceX raises red flag over Iridium — Yahoo Finance / Investor's Business Daily
Trump tried to scrap NASA's Roman Space Telescope — Space.com

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 27, 2026 — Europe's Launch Independence Bet: ESA Signs the First Checks

Brian Lampert — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:53:43 -0700

ESA signs its first European Launcher Challenge contracts today, putting real money behind Europe's bid to build launch independence from SpaceX and Ariane — Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and PLD Space signed deals worth 197.8 million euros, 186.9 million euros, and 158.9 million euros respectively, all milestone-gated on an orbital launch by 2027, while MaiaSpace's contract is nearing completion. Plus: the Space Force funds a LeoLabs radar prototype, Roman Space Telescope reaches SpaceX's hangar ahead of a targeted Sunday launch, Chinese state-linked hackers breached NASA among seven federal agencies, and NOAA pays three companies to build next-gen weather instruments.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 26, 2026 — Starbase Louisiana: A $100 Billion Bet on an Unproven Rocket

Brian Lampert — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:30:21 -0700

SpaceX and Louisiana officials unveiled a planned $100 billion, ten-pad 'Starbase Louisiana' spaceport in Vermilion Parish — a huge bet on a Starship that still hasn't flown an operational mission. Plus: Ursa Major's $2.3 billion SPAC deal, a new White House push for 1,000 annual launches by 2030, CesiumAstro's third acquisition of the year, and a critical look at Europe's IRIS2 program.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 25, 2026 — Can Anyone Actually Cool a Computer in Orbit?

Brian Lampert — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:54:55 -0700

Nvidia spent this week backing two rival paths to orbital AI compute — SpaceX's in-house Starmind satellite and independent startup Starcloud's fresh funding round — while nobody has yet solved how to cool a computer rack in vacuum. Plus: faster satellite checkouts at the Space Development Agency, SpaceX presses South Africa's regulator on Starlink ownership rules, and Kepler flips on a new optical relay network.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 24, 2026 — China's Chang'e-7 Delay and the Fight for the Lunar South Pole

Brian Lampert — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:28:49 -0700

China scrubbed the Chang'e-7 lunar south pole mission hours before launch, reopening a genuinely uncertain race with Blue Origin and Astrobotic for the Moon's ice deposits. Plus: a Chinese booster lands and then topples, Zelensky and Trump clash over Starlink use inside Russia, a sweeping new U.S. launch policy, Rocket Lab's Neutron fairing test, and NASA's Roman telescope nears its August 30 launch.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 22, 2026 — Weekly Recap: A $71 Billion Ask and a Launch Market in Crisis

Brian Lampert — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 05:13:26 -0700

This week's recap: a launch market so hot it's straining the operators depending on it, the White House's answer with a thousand-launches-a-year target, a record $71 billion Space Force budget request, a Golden Dome cost fight nobody can fully verify, two abrupt CEO exits, a Chinese booster landing, a quarter-billion-dollar funding round, and a historic spacewalk.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 21, 2026 — A Thousand Launches by 2030 — Without the Money to Build It

Brian Lampert — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:49:17 -0700

The White House signed off on a new National Space Transportation Policy setting a goal of a thousand launches and reentries a year by 2030 — heavy on infrastructure directives, light on appropriated money. Plus: SpaceX's reported Louisiana Starship spaceport, Golden Dome's funding fight, Ariane 6's shelved Block 3 upgrade, Taiwan's first rocket test, and the Space Force's newest STRATFI awards.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 20, 2026 — Space Force's $71 Billion Ask, and Last Year's Missing $8 Billion

Brian Lampert — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:18:45 -0700

The Space Force wants $71 billion for FY2027, more than double its current budget — but the number splits into a likely $59.2 billion in appropriations and a shaky $12.1 billion riding on an unprecedented third reconciliation bill, with last year's bookkeeping still missing $8 billion. Also today: Muon Space joins the satellite-manufacturing unicorn race, hypersonic missile startup Castelion raises over $1 billion, with investor Carlyle putting its valuation at $13 billion, NASA calls off its Swift observatory rescue, and Stoke Space keeps closing in on Nova's debut.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 19, 2026 — LandSpace Stuck the Landing — Now Comes the Hard Part

Brian Lampert — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:27:30 -0700

LandSpace lands the Zhuque-3 booster on its second flight, becoming the third organization on Earth to stick a leg landing — the show asks whether recovery is turning into reuse. Plus: Rocket Lab's Space Force network test, NASA's expanded processing contract, a nuclear heater booked for the Moon, SpaceX's salvaged Starship, a historic French spacewalk, and the Pentagon's dual-use debris cleanup research.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 18, 2026 — The Launch Crunch Reaches the Balance Sheet

Brian Lampert — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:15:06 -0700

Launch scarcity stops being a talking point and starts showing up in corporate strategy: AST SpaceMobile tells investors it may need to buy or partner its way into launch capacity after New Glenn's May explosion and Vulcan's continued grounding collide with its BlueBird deployment plans. Plus: Rocket Lab's second national-security GEO satellite deal this year, ULA finally names a permanent CEO, the Pentagon funds deorbit-as-a-service designs, and the NRO makes HawkEye 360 an operational data supplier.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 17, 2026 — The Launch Bottleneck: Who Inherits SpaceX's Backlog?

Brian Lampert — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:54:25 -0700

SpaceX has effectively closed its Falcon 9 rideshare book past 2028, and satellite operators from Telesat to Amazon are scrambling for alternatives — the main story asks who inherits the launch business SpaceX built. Plus: an abrupt L3Harris CEO shakeup, real hardware from MDA Space's Globalstar replenishment fleet, and a busy day in direct-to-device satellite connectivity.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

August 16, 2026 — $60 Million Won't Break SpaceX's Satellite Grip

Brian Lampert — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 06:55:00 -0700

The Space Force pays five companies — Amazon Leo, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab, and York Space — sixty million dollars to prove they can plug into the $2.29 billion SpaceX-built Space Data Network, raising the question of whether that's real competition or just a hedge. Also today: Ukraine strikes Russia's only Soyuz rocket factory, SpaceX sets a launch-turnaround record, NASA eyes a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter successor, and the Pentagon taps three companies to design satellite deorbit services.

Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.