The Aerospace week,distilled.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $12 million funding opportunity to support seven to eleven research projects focused on advancing space-based solar cell technologies.

The European Union's Iris2 secure broadband network project has reached a new milestone with a $2.8-billion contract awarded to the Belgian company Aerospacelab.

Galaxia has raised $4.5 million in a funding round to develop intelligent satellite technology.

The Canadian government has awarded a CA$1.5 million contract to Qubic to supply cryogenic amplifier technology through the Innovation Solutions Canada program.

Halifax-based company Galaxia has secured $4.5 million CAD in an oversubscribed Seed funding round to scale production of orbital edge computing hardware.

The Boring Co. raised $3 billion in a Series D round led by the United Arab Emirates, valuing the company at $23 billion.

The Exploration Company, a Franco-German space startup, has raised $450 million in a Series C funding round.

Indian space technology startup Pixxel announced the closing of a $100 million Series C funding round on September 7, 2026.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch the final three O3b mPOWER satellites (F11, F12, and F13) for SES on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) has introduced three new nuclear reactor platforms: POLAR-1 for defence and Arctic use, JAY-1 for lunar infrastructure, and ORCA-1 for research.

Tomorrow.io has announced the launch of its next-generation weather forecasting instruments.

Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. has established a new development laboratory for space-grade CIGS solar cells at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the United States.

Isar Aerospace CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Metzler announced that the company's new factory in Germany enables the production of 40 rockets per year.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch the USSF-153 national security mission for the U.S. Space Force using a Falcon 9 rocket.

Rocket Lab introduced the IMM Apex solar cell, which eliminates the use of germanium and offers 31.5% conversion efficiency while weighing 40% less than previous models.

Isar Aerospace successfully completed its first orbital mission in Europe, marking a significant milestone for the company.

Pivotal Research Group analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak initiated coverage of SpaceX with a Buy rating and a $220 price target for year-end 2027.

Tesla Inc. has faced a decline in investor sentiment following the initial public offering of SpaceX in June 2026.

In 2016, Berkshire Hathaway acquired Precision Castparts for $37.2 billion, a deal Warren Buffett later labeled a mistake after a $10 billion write-down.

David Tepper's investment firm, Appaloosa Management, acquired $107 million in CoreWeave stock and $38 million in SpaceX stock during the second quarter of 2026.

The Ukrainian government has announced that artificial intelligence is being integrated into strike missiles for the first time, expanding its use beyond drone technology.

On September 10, 2026, NASA issued a solicitation seeking proposals for research and development of radioisotope power systems, specifically radioisotope Stirling generators, to support lunar south pole base missions.

Washington-based startup Besxar successfully completed its first space mission to test semiconductor manufacturing in a vacuum environment.

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is falling out of orbit and is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere by the end of 2026.

The Chinese reconnaissance satellite Yaogan-50 (02) broke apart in orbit following an unidentified anomaly.

Also: 12 Sep — futurism.com

SpaceX has entered into a compute services agreement with an undisclosed customer, valued at approximately $1 billion per month.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia are advancing plans to develop their first joint satellite.

On September 10, 2026, IBM opened a quantum computing lab at ETH Zurich in Switzerland as part of a Lockheed Martin offset agreement related to a $9.1 billion F-35A jet contract.

French spacetech company Loft Orbital has signed a $1 billion contract with UAE-based Marlan Space.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima visited LIG Defense & Aerospace's Pangyo House in Seongnam, South Korea, on September 9, 2026.

The US and Mexico have launched a joint anti-drone operation called High Eagle (Águila Alta) to combat criminal use of drones for trafficking.

Australian Earth observation company LatConnect 60 announced two strategic agreements in India during the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026 on September 7, 2026.

Fusion power startups are increasingly partnering with the defense sector to secure funding and explore dual-use technologies like laser weapons.

The International Space Summit held in Europe in September 2026 highlighted the resilience and growth of the European space ecosystem.

SpaceX is shifting its data center strategy to focus on redesigning existing facilities to improve power and cooling redundancy.

The French Air and Space Force has launched 'Pegase 26', a 40-day global military mission involving four Rafale fighter jets, three refueling planes, and two transport aircraft.

The space solar industry is experiencing a surge in investment and activity, with solar technology providers increasingly focusing on powering satellites.