Surging satellite investment and financing activity helped push Telesat to officially enter the LEO broadband arena with a US$3bn commitment. The biggest procurement contract in the Canadian satellite operator’s 50-year history went to Thales Alenia Space, which aims to begin delivering the constellation they call ‘Lightspeed' for launch in 2023.

Years behind its initial schedule as...

SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) are becoming an increasingly important pillar for capex-heavy newspace. Startup Astra’s fast-track IPO is set to make it the first publicly traded space launch company – an accolade that had been anticipated for SpaceX before the SPAC boom.

But as ‘blank cheque’ firms help open newspace up to public markets, a social media-driven retail investor surge poses...