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The Space Investor - 🚀 United Airlines feat. Starlink

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The Space Scoop
Week Ended 09.13.2024
Happy Friday! Big news this week revolves around SpaceX - the Poalris Dawn mission as well as Starlink partnering up with United Airlines. Oh also btw, there are 19 people orbiting the Earth right now. Lets dive in.

Market Max-Q
Forward Forward

Top Stories
1) Polaris Dawn Mission 1 makes history. 
  • While not investment related, we felt this was worthy of our top story this week. For those not familiar, the Polaris Program seeks to demonstrate important operational capabilities that will serve as building blocks to help further human exploration to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
     
  • On Tuesday, September 10th, Falcon 9 launched Polaris Dawn crew to LEO and on September 12th performed the first private spacewalk at 732.2 km above Earth in commercially developed spacesuits, making it the furthest from Earth that humans have been in over half a century.
     
  • The crew will also support scientific research designed to advance both human health on Earth and our understanding during future long-duration spaceflights while also testing Starlink laser-based communications in space.
     
  • Here's to wishing the rest of the mission success and a safe return home!

2) AST SpaceMobile ($ASTS) successfully launched its first five BlueBird satellites.
  • Sp🅰️ceMob rejoice, on September 12th at 4:52am EST, the Company's BlueBird 1-5 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral delivering five of its commercial communications satellites into LEO.
     
  • “Today’s historic launch marks the next step in our shared mission of democratizing telecommunications,” said Rakuten Chairman and CEO.
     
  • Shares finished the week +12.1%. Next up: unfolding and initial operations. Stay tuned.

3) United Airlines ($UAL) is integrating Starlink into its entire fleet.
  • The U.S. based airline announced on Friday it will integrate SpaceX's Starlink internet service into its 1,000+ mainline and regional aircraft fleet on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously, for free.
     
  • Testing will begin in early 2025, with the first passenger flights expected later next year. 
     
  • "Everything you can do on the ground, you'll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world," said United CEO Scott Kirby.
     
  • Shares finished the day +1.2% higher

In Other News
Rocket Lab Appoints COO (Company)
In an effort to support company growth, Frank Klein (who has three decades of manufacturing and automotive industry experience) will assume his new position on September 16th. Mr. Klein will lead $RKLB's efforts to scale spacecraft manufacturing, launch vehicles and components to meet growing customer demand and backlog.

Airbus Ventures Launches $155M Fourth VC Fund (CNBC)
The fund, dubbed "Fund-Y", will be targeting long-term opportunities in early-stage deep tech startups, which they defines as “going back to the laws of physics and not being afraid of what’s difficult.” Over half of the funds capital is coming from institutional investors, private equity and family offices. Airbus Ventures currently has $465M AUM.

Slingshot Aerospace Raises $30M in Growth Equity (Company)
The debt was raised from Trinity Capital and will allow the mission-critical solutions company “to continue to scale operations and fund key growth initiatives.”

Viasat Increases Debt Facility to $1.975B (Company)
$VSAT's wholly-owned indirect subsidiaries, Connect Finco SARL and Connect U.S. Finco LLC have upsized and priced the offering of $1.975B 9.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2029. The offering was offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States via a private placement. The proceeds will be used to redeeming previously issued 2026 senior secured notes.

Image of the Week
Polaris Dawn Space Walk: No caption needed. (Source: SpaceX)

Links
• Spire ($SPIR) Awarded $3.8M NOAA Contract for Satellite Weather Data

• Intuitive Machines ($LUNR) Announces Key Leadership Appointments

• Lynk Global ($SLAM) Co-Founder Steps Aside From CEO Role

• NASA Selects Eight Companies Including $PL $BKSY $SATL for $476M IDIQ To Acquire Earth Observation

• MDA ($MDA) Awarded Antenna System Contract by SWISSTO12 To Support Hummingsat Geo Satellites

• Sidus ($SIDU) Announces Follow-On Contract Award for NASA Stennis ASTRA

• Momentus ($MNTS) Enters Into Collaboration Agreement With Lodestar Space for Robotics in Space

• Momentus ($MNTS) Joins DARPA Consortium for Classified Defense Innovation

• MDA ($MDA) Doubles Satellite Manufacturing Capacity With Quebec Production Facility

Opinion
• AT&T ($T) Shares What To Expect From AST SpaceMobile’s ($ASTS) BlueBird Satellites

• Why Space Is the Next Frontier To Accelerate Medical Research

• Market Study Says Amazon Is Spending up to $20B on Project Kuiper Satellite Network

• EchoStar ($SATS): Shares’ Recent Surge Might Represent a Good Opportunity To Exit

• Planet ($PL) Looking Interesting After Q3 Guidance Revised Downward

• Spire ($SPIR): A Recently Inked Milestone Deal Once Again Overshadowed by Another Management Blunder
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