Space Exploration
May 26, 2023
Japanese space robotics startup GITAI has raised $30 million in a Series B extension round, the company announced May 25. GITAI is headquartered in Japan and has a U.S. subsidiary. Existing investors primarily contributed to the round. The company plans to use the funds to enhance the technology readiness level of its Lunar Robotic Rover…
May 25, 2023
Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s space tourism company, returned to flight on Thursday with a successful crewed mission to the edge of space. The mission — Unity 25 — was staffed with all Virgin Galactic specialists, and is the company’s final test of its full spaceflight system and experience before it plans to enter commercial service…
May 19, 2023
Blue Origin will now land astronauts on the surface of the Moon, as the Jeff Bezos-owned company won the second NASA human landing system award on Friday. It is a $3.4 billion fixed-price contract. Blue Origin will develop its Blue Moon lander for the Artemis V mission, set for 2029. With this award, SpaceX and…
March 30, 2023
Boeing and NASA have pushed the Starliner capsule's first crewed flight test to July. NASA and Boeing said the spacecraft is complete, but there are certification issues with the capsule’s parachute system and other verification items, on top of a busy flight schedule to and from the International Space Station (ISS) during the next few…