What are the latest funding news in the space economy? (July 2026)
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In our space economy deck, you will find everything you need to understand the market
Space economy funding stayed active in June and early July 2026, with the biggest new checks going to in-space mobility, orbital AI infrastructure and space power systems.
The latest deals show that investors are backing both mature launch and propulsion companies and very early teams building the next layer of orbital infrastructure.
Capital is also moving beyond classic launch and satellites, with orbital compute, laser communications, lunar robotics and space-to-space power becoming visible funding themes.
And if you want to better understand this new industry, you can download our pitch covering the space economy.
Insights
- In-space infrastructure dominated this July 2026 space economy screen, with Impulse Space, Cowboy Space, Star Catcher, Sophia Space and Orbital together representing $852M of disclosed funding
- The two largest rounds, Impulse Space and Cowboy Space, accounted for $775M, showing how quickly orbital mobility and space-based AI infrastructure are absorbing growth capital
- Launch and propulsion are still central to the space economy, with Venus Aerospace, Unastella and Skyroot raising $175M across rocket engines and launch vehicles
- Orbital compute moved from concept to funded category, with Sophia Space, Orbital and Cowboy Space all raising capital for AI data centers or edge compute in orbit
- Optical communications is becoming a clear satellite infrastructure theme, with Ravee Optics and Observable Space both raising capital around lasercom and space data movement
- Most disclosed valuations were private, but Cowboy Space and Skyroot both crossed billion-dollar valuation territory, signaling investor appetite for ambitious space infrastructure platforms
- The list is geographically diverse, but U.S.-based companies still dominate the latest space economy funding, especially across propulsion, in-space mobility, orbital compute and lunar infrastructure
- Several companies are pre-product or demo-stage, which suggests investors are funding technical milestones before commercial revenue fully proves the new orbital infrastructure stack
As this chart shows, and as featured in our space economy deck, search interest in the space economy has been rising steadily
Summary table of the latest funding deals in the space economy as of July 2026
We define the space economy as the set of activities that design, build, launch and operate space infrastructure and sell services directly based on space data, signals or connectivity.
We include manufacturers, launch providers, satellite and constellation operators, ground-segment and mission-operations providers, and companies whose primary products are satellite communications, Earth observation or navigation services.
We exclude generic consumer devices, broad media and telecom platforms, and downstream industries where space technology is only one of many inputs, such as ride-hailing, logistics or finance that merely rely on satellite navigation or timing.
You can also read our detailed analysis to understand how funding activity in the space economy has evolved over the last few years.
We also have a quarter-by-quarter analysis of funding activity in the market here.
Finally, you can check our complete list of fundraising deals for the space economy (we update this list every quarter) as well as our ranking of the most funded startups.
| Name | When | Amount in $ | Round Type | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyroot Aerospace | 7 May 2026 | $60M | Series C | Launch provider |
| Lunar Outpost | 7 to 8 May 2026 | $30M | Series B | Lunar infrastructure & space robotics |
| Cowboy Space Corp. | 11 May 2026 | $275M | Series B | In-orbit compute, satellite infrastructure & launch |
| Star Catcher | 12 May 2026 | $65M | Series A | In-orbit infrastructure & satellite power |
| Observable Space | 28 May 2026 | $90M | Series A | Satellite connectivity, ground segment & optical sensing |
| Unastella | 1 June 2026 | $24M | Series B | Launch provider |
| Impulse Space | 2 June 2026 | $500M | Series D | Spacecraft & in-space mobility |
| Orbital | 9 June 2026 | $5M | Pre-seed | In-orbit compute & orbital data centers |
| Sophia Space | 23 June 2026 | $7M | SAFE financing | In-orbit compute & orbital data-center infrastructure |
| Ubotica Technologies | 23 June 2026 | $11M | Undisclosed | Earth observation, orbital AI & maritime intelligence |
| Ravee Optics | 6 July 2026 | $6M | Seed | Satellite connectivity & optical terminals |
| Venus Aerospace | 8 July 2026 | $91M | Series B | Launch & propulsion systems |
All the latest funding deals during in the space economy as of July 2026
Venus Aerospace raised $91M in July 2026
When was it?
The Venus Aerospace Series B was announced on 8 July 2026.
Who are they?
Venus Aerospace builds rotating detonation rocket-engine propulsion systems for high-speed defense and commercial space missions.
Geographical focus?
Venus Aerospace is U.S.-based and serves both defense customers and commercial space customers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Venus Aerospace belongs in the space economy because the funded product is rocket propulsion hardware for launch, in-space propulsion and high-speed space vehicles.
What is the company stage?
Venus Aerospace is in growth and early production, with a flight-proven RDRE and plans for larger production capacity.
How much did they raise?
Venus Aerospace raised $91M for this round.
What round is it?
The Venus Aerospace financing was a Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Venus Aerospace raised to mature the RDRE into full propulsion systems, expand production, hire and fund follow-on demonstrations.
Ravee Optics raised $6M in July 2026
When was it?
The Ravee Optics seed round was announced on 6 July 2026.
Who are they?
Ravee Optics makes ultra-compact laser communications terminals that help small satellites send more data from orbit.
Geographical focus?
Ravee Optics is U.S.-based and targets satellite owners, satellite bus makers and constellation developers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Ravee Optics belongs in the space economy because its core product is optical inter-satellite and satellite communications hardware.
What is the company stage?
Ravee Optics is pre-product and MVP-stage, with lab-validated technology and demos still ahead.
How much did they raise?
Ravee Optics raised $6M for this round.
What round is it?
The Ravee Optics financing was a seed round.
Why did they raise?
Ravee Optics raised to miniaturize laser terminals, complete demos and qualification, and prepare for an in-orbit demonstration in early 2028.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, compares the main business model options for Earth observation satellite operators
Sophia Space raised $7M in June 2026
When was it?
The Sophia Space fundraising was announced on 23 June 2026.
Who are they?
Sophia Space builds modular orbital edge-compute hardware that lets satellites run AI inference and process data in orbit.
Geographical focus?
Sophia Space is U.S.-based and targets satellite operators and future orbital data-center customers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Sophia Space belongs in the space economy because its TILE platform is in-orbit compute infrastructure for satellites and orbital data centers.
What is the company stage?
Sophia Space is MVP and pre-PMF, with demo missions planned before broader deployment.
How much did they raise?
Sophia Space raised $7M for this financing.
What round is it?
The Sophia Space financing was a SAFE financing, not a priced equity round.
Why did they raise?
Sophia Space raised to invest in R&D, expand engineering and sales, and build a manufacturing pipeline for TILE hardware.
Ubotica Technologies raised $11M in June 2026
When was it?
The Ubotica Technologies round was announced on 23 June 2026.
Who are they?
Ubotica Technologies builds onboard satellite AI software that turns Earth-observation data into faster maritime intelligence.
Geographical focus?
Ubotica Technologies is Ireland-based, with a strong Europe and security focus and global maritime use cases.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Ubotica Technologies belongs in the space economy because its core platform processes satellite data in orbit and sells satellite-derived intelligence.
What is the company stage?
Ubotica Technologies is in PMF and early growth, with orbital AI proof points across more than ten missions.
How much did they raise?
Ubotica Technologies raised $11M for this round.
What round is it?
The Ubotica Technologies round type was not disclosed.
Why did they raise?
Ubotica Technologies raised to accelerate commercialization of real-time maritime intelligence powered by onboard satellite AI.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, shows why SpaceX is leading in the space economy
Orbital raised $5M in June 2026
When was it?
The Orbital pre-seed round was announced on 9 June 2026.
Who are they?
Orbital is building solar-powered AI data-center satellites in low Earth orbit.
Geographical focus?
Orbital is U.S.-based and targets global AI compute demand.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Orbital belongs in the space economy because Orbital is building and operating orbital compute satellites, not a terrestrial AI application.
What is the company stage?
Orbital is idea-stage and pre-product, with Pathfinder planned for 2027 before its first purpose-built orbital compute satellite.
How much did they raise?
Orbital raised $5M for this round.
What round is it?
The Orbital financing was a pre-seed round.
Why did they raise?
Orbital raised to fund the 2027 Pathfinder demo, develop Orbital-1 and start building Factory-1 in Los Angeles.
Impulse Space raised $500M in June 2026
When was it?
The Impulse Space Series D was announced on 2 June 2026.
Who are they?
Impulse Space builds in-space mobility vehicles that move satellites and payloads after launch.
Geographical focus?
Impulse Space is U.S.-based and serves commercial, government and national-security missions.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Impulse Space belongs in the space economy because it designs and operates spacecraft for orbital transfer, mobility and in-space logistics.
What is the company stage?
Impulse Space is in growth, with Mira already flown and production scaling across Mira and Helios.
How much did they raise?
Impulse Space raised $500M for this round.
What round is it?
The Impulse Space financing was a Series D round.
Why did they raise?
Impulse Space raised to hire up to roughly 200 people and scale spacecraft production for broader in-space mobility infrastructure.
In our space economy deck, we identify pain points entrepreneurs should prioritize
Unastella raised $24M in June 2026
When was it?
The Unastella Series B was announced on 1 June 2026.
Who are they?
Unastella develops South Korean launch vehicles and engines for small-satellite launch services.
Geographical focus?
Unastella is focused first on South Korea, then broader Asian and global launch markets.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Unastella belongs in the space economy because its primary business is designing, manufacturing and operating launch vehicles.
What is the company stage?
Unastella is MVP and pre-revenue, with a test rocket launch completed and higher-altitude validation still ahead.
How much did they raise?
Unastella raised $24M for this round.
What round is it?
The Unastella financing was a Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Unastella raised to validate launch technology, build toward UNA EXPRESS-II and prepare for commercial small-satellite launch.
Observable Space raised $90M in May 2026
When was it?
The Observable Space Series A was announced on 28 May 2026.
Who are they?
Observable Space builds laser communications ground stations, optical sensing systems and in-space optical payloads.
Geographical focus?
Observable Space is U.S.-based and is expanding internationally.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Observable Space belongs in the space economy because it builds space communications, space-domain-awareness and optical ground-segment infrastructure.
What is the company stage?
Observable Space is in early growth, with a large Space Force contract pathway and hardware production scaling.
How much did they raise?
Observable Space raised $90M for this round.
What round is it?
The Observable Space financing was a Series A round.
Why did they raise?
Observable Space raised to scale laser communications partnerships, expand in-space systems, grow production and expand internationally.
This market map, featured in our space economy deck, highlights top companies and startups in the space economy
Star Catcher raised $65M in May 2026
When was it?
The Star Catcher Series A was announced on 12 May 2026.
Who are they?
Star Catcher is building an orbital power grid that beams concentrated solar energy to satellites and spacecraft.
Geographical focus?
Star Catcher is U.S.-based and serves commercial and U.S. national-security customers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Star Catcher belongs in the space economy because it is building space-to-space power infrastructure for satellites and spacecraft.
What is the company stage?
Star Catcher is at MVP and early validation, with terrestrial demos completed and in-orbit power-beaming demonstrations ahead.
How much did they raise?
Star Catcher raised $65M for this round.
What round is it?
The Star Catcher financing was a Series A round.
Why did they raise?
Star Catcher raised to fund the first orbital power-beaming demo, deepen national-security engagement and develop a second space mission.
Cowboy Space Corp. raised $275M in May 2026
When was it?
The Cowboy Space Corp. Series B was announced on 11 May 2026.
Who are they?
Cowboy Space Corp., formerly Aetherflux, is building orbital infrastructure for AI, including space-solar power and orbital data centers.
Geographical focus?
Cowboy Space Corp. is U.S.-based and targets global AI infrastructure demand.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Cowboy Space Corp. belongs in the space economy because it plans to own rockets, satellites, orbital compute and optical data transmission infrastructure.
What is the company stage?
Cowboy Space Corp. is pre-product and highly ambitious, with an early satellite demo planned before larger compute and rocket launches.
How much did they raise?
Cowboy Space Corp. raised $275M for this round.
What round is it?
The Cowboy Space Corp. financing was a Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Cowboy Space Corp. raised to expand from space-solar power into an integrated orbital AI infrastructure system.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, illustrates yearly funding for space economy startups
Lunar Outpost raised $30M in May 2026
When was it?
The Lunar Outpost round was announced around 7 to 8 May 2026.
Who are they?
Lunar Outpost builds lunar rovers and robotic systems for Moon mobility, resource scouting and lunar infrastructure.
Geographical focus?
Lunar Outpost is U.S.-based and focuses on NASA and commercial lunar missions.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Lunar Outpost belongs in the space economy because it designs and operates lunar mobility hardware and infrastructure for cislunar missions.
What is the company stage?
Lunar Outpost is in early growth, with several cislunar contracts and Pegasus and Eagle rover platforms in development.
How much did they raise?
Lunar Outpost raised $30M for this round.
What round is it?
The Lunar Outpost financing was a Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Lunar Outpost raised to accelerate lunar rover production and meet growing demand for Moon mobility missions.
Skyroot Aerospace raised $60M in May 2026
When was it?
The Skyroot Aerospace financing was announced on 7 May 2026.
Who are they?
Skyroot Aerospace builds the Vikram family of private launch vehicles for small-satellite missions.
Geographical focus?
Skyroot Aerospace is India-first, with a large share of expected demand coming from international customers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Skyroot Aerospace belongs in the space economy because its core business is private orbital launch services.
What is the company stage?
Skyroot Aerospace is in growth and pre-orbital-commercial, with a suborbital flight completed and Vikram-1 in preparation.
How much did they raise?
Skyroot Aerospace raised $60M total, including about $50M of primary equity and about $10M of structured debt.
What round is it?
The Skyroot Aerospace financing was a Series C or new investment round.
Why did they raise?
Skyroot Aerospace raised to scale manufacturing, increase Vikram-1 launch cadence and develop the heavier Vikram-2 vehicle.
Related blog posts
- How strong is fundraising in the space economy right now?
- The latest news shaping the space economy
- How large is the space economy today?
- The evolution of funding activity in the space economy
- The main fundraising trends in the space economy
- A full list of funding deals in the space economy
- The startups that have raised the most funding in the space economy
