Space - GeekWire

Aerial view of Stoke Space HQ in Kent with Mount Rainier on the horizon

Jun 2, 2026, 7:54 PM

Space Northwest teams up with Commercial Space Federation on business accelerator program

Watch this space: Initiative aims to provide guidance for up to 10 early-stage space businesses with local support from the City of Kent. Read More

Before-and-after pictures of Blue Origin New Glenn launch pad explosion

Jun 2, 2026, 3:42 PM

Blue Origin CEO pledges to repair ruined launch pad and return to flight by the end of the year

CEO Dave Limp shares ‘good news’ about the Florida launch pad’s condition after New Glenn rocket explosion. Read More

Atlas 5 blasts off beneath cloudy skies, carrying Amazon Leo satellites into space

May 29, 2026, 5:47 PM

Blue Origin’s rocket blowup could cause big problems for NASA — and a satellite slowdown for Amazon Leo

With New Glenn rocket and its pad sidelined, NASA faces added complications in its moon exploration plans, while Amazon must turn to other launch providers to get satellites in orbit. Read More

Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explodes on pad. (Credit: Spaceflight Now)

May 28, 2026, 9:41 PM

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes on pad during test; Jeff Bezos vows to rebuild

Blast deals a heavy blow to Florida launch pad — and to Blue Origin’s plans to send up Amazon Leo satellites and a lunar lander. Read More

New Glenn rockets sitting inside Blue Origin processing facility

May 27, 2026, 3:32 PM

Blue Origin readies New Glenn rocket to launch 48 Amazon Leo satellites after FAA clearance

Five weeks after previous New Glenn launch failed, two companies founded by Jeff Bezos announce a mission that would add to Amazon’s satellite broadband constellation. Read More

Illustration: Blue Origin Blue Moon lander with Astrolab CLV-1 rover deployed to lunar surface

May 26, 2026, 5:12 PM

NASA taps Blue Origin to deliver lunar rovers for Moon Base initiative

Blue Moon lander will carry Astrolab and Lunar Outpost moon buggies, while Firefly will drop off NASA’s rocket-powered drones. Read More

May 21, 2026, 10:39 AM

SpaceX is churning out 70 Starlink satellites a week in Redmond, and other tidbits from its IPO filing

SpaceX disclosed in its S-1 filing that its Redmond, Wash., facility produces approximately 70 Starlink satellites per week, putting hard production numbers on the operation for the first time. The filing also reveals Starlink’s financials and names several Pacific Northwest companies as competitors. Read More

Illustration: Otter Pup 2 satellite in orbit

May 20, 2026, 8:00 AM

Starfish Space shifts its sights to Australian satellite for orbital docking demonstration

Seattle-area startup maneuvers its Otter Pup 2 spacecraft into position almost a year after its launch. Read More

Amazon Leo's Rajeev Badyal and Chris Weber onstage during luncheon

May 19, 2026, 7:12 PM

Amazon Leo’s leaders provide an inside look at the satellite broadband network’s past and future

Find out how Jeff Bezos got the ball rolling in the competition with SpaceX’s Starlink for space-based connectivity — and how Project Kuiper became Amazon Leo. Read More

Screenshot of TerraByte AI's Earth Search Engine

May 19, 2026, 7:00 AM

TerraByte raises the curtain on its campaign to use AI to unleash the power of geospatial data

Microsoft veterans raise pre-seed funding for an AI platform that sifts through streams of satellite data in search of valuable insights. Read More

Amazon Leo VP Chris Weber at Mission Operations Center

May 14, 2026, 5:53 AM

Amazon Leo aims to double its pace as it gets set to roll out its satellite broadband network

One year after the start of its launch campaign, Amazon Leo is a ‘couple of months’ away from kicking off commercial service, VP says. Read More

May 13, 2026, 4:10 PM

Cowboy Space raises $275M as it seeks 40-60 employees for new satellite and rocket hub in Seattle

Of its 41 open positions, 18 are based in Seattle, spanning roles in avionics, mechanical engineering, spacecraft design, and software. Read More

New Glenn rocket liftoff from Florida launch pad

May 13, 2026, 10:49 AM

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture reportedly considers seeking outside investment for the first time

The Financial Times quotes sources as saying external fundraising might be needed to support increased launch cadence. Read More

Engineers work on hardware in Interlune's Regolith Lab

May 4, 2026, 10:26 AM

Interlune wins $6.9M NASA contract to create system to extract helium-3 and hydrogen from moon dirt

Seattle-based startup will build and test payload that advances its plan to bring back lunar helium-3 for use in quantum computers. Read More

Apr 19, 2026, 12:35 PM

In a first, Blue Origin uses a recycled rocket to send a satellite into orbit — unfortunately, it’s the wrong orbit

After liftoff, New Glenn booster makes its second successful touchdown, but AST SpaceMobile says its satellite will have to be deorbited. Read More

Apr 14, 2026, 8:21 AM

Amazon and Apple vs. Starlink: Globalstar satellite acquisition comes with a big iPhone bonus

Amazon’s deal for satellite operator Globalstar doesn’t just bulk up Amazon Leo — it brings Apple along for the ride, with a long-term agreement to power iPhone and Apple Watch satellite features. Read More

Orion splashdown as seen from above, with parachutes unfurled

Apr 10, 2026, 7:39 PM

Artemis 2 crew makes triumphant splashdown at the end of humanity’s first trip around the moon since 1972

Textbook mission to the moon and back comes to a close, but NASA’s chief says ‘this is just the beginning’ of a grand era of exploration. Read More

Image from Orion: Thrusters in foreground to the left, Earth in center of image

Apr 9, 2026, 9:07 PM

Artemis 2’s trip around the moon enters the home stretch — here’s how to watch the splashdown

Sen. Maria Cantwell talks to the astronauts about Washington state’s connection to milestone test mission, and invites them to visit. Read More

Illustration: Portal's Starburst and Supernova space vehicles in orbit

Apr 9, 2026, 6:00 AM

Portal Space Systems raises $50M as it gets set to launch its first orbital vehicle made for rapid maneuvers

Startup gears up to build Starburst and Supernova spacecraft for defense and commercial applications at facilities in Bothell. Read More

Wide-angle view of Earthset during Artemis 2 lunar flyby

Apr 7, 2026, 12:17 PM

Earthset and eclipse, oh my! NASA releases magnificent images from Artemis mission’s moon flyby

High-resolution views of Earth, the moon and a solar eclipse rekindle the spirit of round-the-moon missions from decades ago. Read More

Illustration: Starfish Space Otter space vehicle in orbit with Earth's full disk in background

Apr 7, 2026, 6:00 AM

Starfish Space raises $110M to scale up its satellite servicing missions

Fresh funding will boost Seattle-area company as it gets set for its first operational space mission. Read More

Earthset picture from Artemis 2: Crescent Earth dips beneath lunar horizon

Apr 6, 2026, 8:04 PM

‘Moon joy!’ Artemis 2’s crew sets a distance record, documents lunar far side and heads back toward Earth

The first humans to travel around the moon in more than 50 years experience hours of scientific wonder — and moments of deep emotion. Read More

Model of the inner solar system with sprays of light teal representing newly discovered asteroids

Apr 3, 2026, 9:00 AM

Rubin Observatory team discovers 11,000 new asteroids, with help from University of Washington software

Advanced algorithms speed up the search for small solar system objects, and astronomers say there’s much more to come. Read More

Apr 1, 2026, 4:37 PM

‘Let’s go!’ NASA launches humanity’s first moon voyage in nearly 54 years

Artemis 2 mission will send four astronauts around the moon during the ‘opening act’ of a new age of discovery. Read More

Sen. Maria Cantwell and L3Harris program manager Brent Urke looking at model of Orion crew vehicle

Mar 31, 2026, 8:52 AM

Milestone moon mission is getting a push from Pacific Northwest tech

As NASA prepares for Artemis 2 launch, senator tours hotspots in the ‘Silicon Valley of space.’ Read More

Mar 30, 2026, 5:04 PM

Portal Space’s ‘Mini-Nova’ payload goes into orbit to test technologies for maneuverable space vehicles

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket provides a piggyback ride for Portal’s instrument package and more than 100 other payloads. Read More

Mar 30, 2026, 4:00 AM

Orbital AI: Seattle-area startup Starcloud hits $1.1B valuation to build space-based data centers

Redmond, Wash., startup Starcloud has raised $170 million and hit a $1.1 billion valuation building solar-powered data centers that operate in space. Read More

Mar 21, 2026, 3:37 PM

51,600 more satellites? Blue Origin adds another twist to the data center space race with Project Sunrise

Jeff Bezos’ space venture seeks FCC’s go-ahead for a constellation that would complement TeraWave network — and set up another rivalry with SpaceX. Read More

Illustration: Starburst and Supernova spacecraft in orbit, both equipped with Triton hardware

Mar 19, 2026, 10:00 AM

Got space junk? Portal and Paladin team up to create an orbital trash disposal service

Partnership will pair Portal’s maneuverable spacecraft with Paladin’s space debris collector for missions starting as early as 2027. Read More

Mar 2, 2026, 10:31 AM

Total lunar eclipse will turn the full moon red — but will the skies be clear enough to see it?

March weather could turn your chance to see a blood-red moon into an iffy proposition. Read More