Global Scans · SpaceX · Weekly Summary

• [New] SpaceX has plans to launch 42,000 satellites, which will create a mega-constellation to provide global coverage. Civilsdaily
• [New] The time frame could give SpaceX an advantage because of its fleet of rockets, including the Falcon 9, and existing satellites that could be repurposed for the missile defence shield. Yahoo News
• [New] Filled with about 6,700 pounds of supplies, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 39 A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA
• SpaceX's Falcon 9 is expected to launch just twice, with a mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and a Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. NASASpaceFlight.com
• Defence contractors will supply the U.S. Space Force, along with private companies (e.g., Blue Origin and SpaceX) and public corporations (e.g., Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin). Commonwealth Financial Network
• Tesla CEO Elon Musk has shared a post on X announcing that SpaceX will launch a Starship carrying Optimus explorer robots to Mars by the end of 2026. Times of India
• SpaceX plans to launch a Starship carrying Optimus robots to Mars by the end of 2026, aiming to investigate square structures discovered on the planet. Times of India
• SpaceX plans to launch a Starship to Mars in 2026, carrying Tesla Optimus Robots. Decrypt
• SpinLaunch predicts that its future commercial launches could cost between $1,250 and $2,500 per kilogram launched into space, which is less than half the cost of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, which cost around $6,000 per kilogram. Live Science
• Space Force issues $13.5 billion in contracts to 3 launch firms: The U.S. Space Force announced more than $13.5 billion in launch contracts Friday to SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin for missions that will fly between fiscal years 2027 and 2032. The Verardo Group's Substack
• About one hour into flight, the Starlink satellites will be released, after which each spacecraft will maneuver into a refined orbit amongst SpaceX's growing megaconstellation. Space
• Valuing SpaceX is complex and involves considering factors such as its rocket technology, satellite internet business, potential for Mars colonization, competitive landscape, and the influence of Elon Musk. TinyGrab
• A Starlink IPO could provide SpaceX with additional capital, allow investors to participate in a high-growth internet service provider, and provide SpaceX with experience navigating the public markets. TinyGrab
• The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a combined $13.7 billion in launch service contracts to SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Blue Origin, marking the first time three companies will share responsibility for launching high-priority military and intelligence payloads. SpaceNews
• SpaceX's constellation currently uses over 7,000 satellites, so the Project Kuiper and Starlink fleet will use over 10,000 LEO satellites once Amazon's network is complete. Engadget
• Amazon has been slower to start, but sees its dominant web services business and consumer product experience as an edge over SpaceX for attracting Kuiper customers and mass-manufacturing consumer terminals, the pizza box-sized antennas that will communicate with Kuiper satellites overhead. The Indian Express
• Although SpaceX has already launched around 8,000 Starlink satellites and gained millions of users worldwide, Amazon believes its consumer product experience and large-scale manufacturing will help attract Kuiper customers. Channeliam / Channel I'M English
• SpaceX plans to launch its Mars mission by the end of 2026. IASPOINT
• A historic mission, piloted by cryptocurrency mogul Chun Wang, will be launched on a SpaceX capsule, becoming the first time humans will travel directly over Earth's poles. Times of India
• Elon Musk announces SpaceX's Starship spacecraft could launch to Mars as early as 2026, with human missions possible by 2029 or 2031. Times of India
• The Pentagon has hired Musk's Space X to build it a new constellation of low-earth orbit satellites to spy on China, Russia and other threats. runner
• Musk has publicly stated enterprising goals for SpaceX, including launching an uncrewed Starship to Mars by the end of 2026 and sending the first humans there by 2029. archyde

Last updated: 28 April 2025