What are the latest funding news in the space economy? (September 2026)
Download our beautiful pitch about the space economy
In our space economy deck, you will find everything you need to understand the market
Space-economy funding remained focused on companies building the physical systems that make orbit commercially useful.
The 12 deals reviewed here represent roughly $2.94 billion in disclosed capital, led by satellite networks, spacecraft manufacturing and orbital transportation.
Capital is increasingly supporting repeatable production and operational infrastructure rather than single demonstration missions.
And if you want to better understand this new industry, you can download our pitch covering the space economy.
Insights
- Satellite platforms and constellation operators accounted for about $2.07 billion of the disclosed capital, showing that the space economy is increasingly financing scalable orbital infrastructure rather than isolated spacecraft projects.
- SpaceSail alone represented roughly one-third of the disclosed capital in this selection, highlighting the exceptional funding requirements of low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation deployment.
- Four rounds of at least $250 million captured about 77% of the disclosed funding, which suggests that investors are concentrating capital behind companies already positioned to manufacture or deploy at scale.
- In-space mobility, satellite servicing and orbital refueling attracted at least $635 million across Impulse Space, Starfish Space and Orbit Fab, creating a meaningful space logistics investment category.
- European space economy companies raised about $207 million across launch, satellite manufacturing and propulsion-component infrastructure, led by PLD Space’s Miura 5 commercialization plans.
- Large satellite manufacturing is becoming a distinct funding theme, with K2 Space, Muon Space and SWISSto12 raising for production capacity, integration and high-power spacecraft programs.
- Several rounds support dual-use space infrastructure for commercial and sovereign customers, especially in secure communications, Earth observation, orbital mobility and resilient satellite systems.
- Orbital computing moved from a conceptual category toward a major funding theme as Starcloud raised $250 million to build larger AI-capable spacecraft and secure launch capacity.
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 September 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLD Space | September 1, 2026 | $125M | Series C extension | Launch provider |
| Starcloud | August 21, 2026 | $250M | Series A extension | Orbital data centers & satellite infrastructure |
| Muon Space | August 20, 2026 | $250M | Series C | Satellite manufacturing & mission operations |
| SpaceSail | August 20, 2026 | ~$1.0B | Series B | Satellite communications constellation |
| K2 Space | July 30, 2026 | $500M | Series D | Satellite manufacturing |
| deltaVision | July 21, 2026 | ~$11.6M | First external round | Spacecraft components & orbital refueling |
| SWISSto12 | July 16, 2026 | $70M | Series C | Satellite manufacturing & satellite communications |
| Venus Aerospace | July 8, 2026 | $91M | Series B | Rocket propulsion |
| Orbit Fab | July 7, 2026 | $25M+ | Interim financing | In-space refueling |
| Impulse Space | June 2, 2026 | $500M | Series D | In-space mobility |
| Starfish Space | April 7, 2026 | ~$110M | Series B | On-orbit servicing & space sustainability |
| Catalyx Space | October 25, 2025 | $5.4M | Seed | Orbital logistics & reentry |
All the latest funding deals in the space economy as of September 2026
PLD Space raised $125 million in a September 2026 Series C extension.
When was it?
PLD Space announced the €108 million extension on September 1, 2026.
Who are they?
PLD Space develops the Miura family of launch vehicles for placing commercial and institutional satellites into orbit.
Geographical focus?
PLD Space is based in Spain, serves European customers and plans launch operations from French Guiana.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
PLD Space belongs in the space economy because its rockets are core orbital launch infrastructure for satellite missions.
What is the company stage?
PLD Space is a growth-stage launch company moving from technology demonstration toward regular commercial flights.
How much did they raise?
PLD Space raised €108 million, or about $125 million, in new capital for this extension.
What round is it?
PLD Space extended its Series C, taking the total round size to €288 million.
Why did they raise?
PLD Space raised the capital to industrialize Miura 5, expand production and testing, and prepare launch infrastructure for commercial service.
Starcloud raised a $250 million Series A extension in August 2026.
When was it?
Starcloud announced the financing extension on August 21, 2026.
Who are they?
Starcloud builds satellites designed to run high-performance AI inference and computing workloads in orbit.
Geographical focus?
Starcloud is based in the United States and is developing an orbital computing network for global customers.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Starcloud belongs in the space economy because its product is computing infrastructure designed to operate on satellites in orbit.
What is the company stage?
Starcloud is in the growth stage, with an early GPU-equipped spacecraft in orbit and larger commercial systems in development.
How much did they raise?
Starcloud added $250 million, bringing its expanded Series A to about $420 million.
What round is it?
Starcloud completed a Series A extension at an approximately $2.3 billion valuation.
Why did they raise?
Starcloud raised the capital to expand manufacturing, develop Starcloud-3 and secure scarce launch capacity.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, compares the main business model options for Earth observation satellite operators
Muon Space raised $250 million in a Series C round in August 2026.
When was it?
Muon Space announced the Series C financing on August 20, 2026.
Who are they?
Muon Space designs, builds and operates complete satellite constellations, including spacecraft, payloads and flight operations.
Geographical focus?
Muon Space is based in the United States and serves commercial, government and sovereign customers internationally.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Muon Space belongs in the space economy because it supplies end-to-end satellite constellation infrastructure and managed orbital services.
What is the company stage?
Muon Space is a growth-stage company with satellites in orbit, active customer programs and high-rate manufacturing capacity under development.
How much did they raise?
Muon Space raised $250 million in new equity financing.
What round is it?
Muon Space completed an oversubscribed Series C led by Eclipse Capital.
Why did they raise?
Muon Space raised the capital to expand constellation production, dual-use spacecraft platforms, payloads and mission-enabling technologies.
SpaceSail raised about $1 billion for its satellite constellation in August 2026.
When was it?
SpaceSail’s capital increase became public on August 20, 2026.
Who are they?
SpaceSail, also known as Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, operates China’s Qianfan low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation project.
Geographical focus?
SpaceSail is focused first on China and is also pursuing satellite broadband opportunities in overseas markets.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
SpaceSail belongs in the space economy because it is deploying and operating a low-Earth-orbit satellite communications network.
What is the company stage?
SpaceSail is at the deployment and commercialization stage, with hundreds of satellites already in orbit.
How much did they raise?
SpaceSail raised nearly 7 billion yuan, reported as about $1 billion.
What round is it?
SpaceSail completed a large Series B capital increase that valued the company at roughly 50 billion yuan.
Why did they raise?
SpaceSail raised the capital to accelerate satellite production, launches and the rollout of its broadband network.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, shows why SpaceX is leading in the space economy
K2 Space raised $500 million in a Series D round in July 2026.
When was it?
K2 Space announced the financing on July 30, 2026.
Who are they?
K2 Space manufactures large, high-power satellite platforms for communications, sensing and national-security missions.
Geographical focus?
K2 Space is based in the United States and serves commercial and government spacecraft programs.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
K2 Space belongs in the space economy because its core product is the satellite bus that enables demanding orbital missions.
What is the company stage?
K2 Space is a late-growth manufacturer scaling production and preparing higher-volume delivery of large spacecraft.
How much did they raise?
K2 Space raised $500 million in new funding.
What round is it?
K2 Space completed a Series D at a reported $6.8 billion valuation.
Why did they raise?
K2 Space raised the capital to expand manufacturing and support larger commercial, defense and high-power satellite programs.
deltaVision raised about $11.6 million in its first external round in July 2026.
When was it?
deltaVision announced the €10.2 million financing on July 21, 2026.
Who are they?
deltaVision manufactures valves, regulators and fluid-control equipment for launchers, satellites and orbital refueling systems.
Geographical focus?
deltaVision is based in Germany, serves customers across several continents and plans manufacturing expansion in the United States.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
deltaVision belongs in the space economy because its hardware is mission-critical infrastructure for spacecraft propulsion and in-orbit servicing.
What is the company stage?
deltaVision is a profitable industrial scale-up with established production and a growing customer base.
How much did they raise?
deltaVision raised €10.2 million, equivalent to about $11.6 million.
What round is it?
deltaVision completed its first external funding round, co-led by KT Ventures and Valemount Capital.
Why did they raise?
deltaVision raised the capital to increase manufacturing capacity fivefold and advance orbital-refueling hardware.
In our space economy deck, we identify pain points entrepreneurs should prioritize
SWISSto12 raised $70 million in a Series C round in July 2026.
When was it?
SWISSto12 announced the Series C on July 16, 2026.
Who are they?
SWISSto12 manufactures satellite payloads, antennas and compact geostationary satellites for communications missions.
Geographical focus?
SWISSto12 is based in Switzerland and sells satellite systems to commercial and sovereign customers worldwide.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
SWISSto12 belongs in the space economy because it manufactures satellite platforms and communications payloads for orbital networks.
What is the company stage?
SWISSto12 is a commercial growth-stage company that reported positive EBITDA and substantial contracted orders.
How much did they raise?
SWISSto12 raised $70 million, equivalent to approximately €61 million.
What round is it?
SWISSto12 completed a Series C with investors not publicly disclosed.
Why did they raise?
SWISSto12 raised the capital to expand satellite manufacturing and integration capacity for multi-orbit demand.
Venus Aerospace raised $91 million in a Series B round in July 2026.
When was it?
Venus Aerospace announced the financing on July 8, 2026.
Who are they?
Venus Aerospace develops rotating-detonation rocket engines for advanced space, defense and high-speed flight systems.
Geographical focus?
Venus Aerospace is based in Houston and is focused on United States propulsion and national-security markets.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Venus Aerospace belongs in the space economy because its rocket propulsion technology can support launch and space mission architectures.
What is the company stage?
Venus Aerospace is in the growth and technology-commercialization stage after a successful engine flight demonstration.
How much did they raise?
Venus Aerospace raised $91 million for this financing round.
What round is it?
Venus Aerospace completed a Series B led by Mercury Fund.
Why did they raise?
Venus Aerospace raised the capital to scale its flight-proven engine into deployable propulsion systems.
This market map, featured in our space economy deck, highlights top companies and startups in the space economy
Orbit Fab secured more than $25 million in interim financing in July 2026.
When was it?
Orbit Fab announced the interim financing and leadership changes on July 7, 2026.
Who are they?
Orbit Fab builds fuel depots, refueling interfaces and delivery systems that allow satellites to receive propellant in orbit.
Geographical focus?
Orbit Fab is based in the United States and targets commercial and government satellite operators globally.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Orbit Fab belongs in the space economy because it is developing physical in-space logistics infrastructure for satellite refueling.
What is the company stage?
Orbit Fab is a growth-stage company transitioning from technology development to commercial deployment and operations.
How much did they raise?
Orbit Fab secured more than $25 million in interim financing led by Stride Capital.
What round is it?
Orbit Fab described the financing as interim capital while opening its larger Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Orbit Fab raised the capital to advance customer programs, deploy refueling infrastructure and prepare for commercial execution.
Impulse Space raised $500 million in a Series D round in June 2026.
When was it?
Impulse Space announced the financing on June 2, 2026.
Who are they?
Impulse Space builds spacecraft and propulsion systems that move satellites and payloads after launch.
Geographical focus?
Impulse Space is based in the United States and serves commercial, civil and national-security missions.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Impulse Space belongs in the space economy because its vehicles provide orbital transportation and maneuvering infrastructure.
What is the company stage?
Impulse Space is a growth-stage company with flown missions, customer contracts and a rapidly expanding manufacturing operation.
How much did they raise?
Impulse Space raised $500 million in fresh capital.
What round is it?
Impulse Space completed a Series D co-led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC.
Why did they raise?
Impulse Space raised the capital to hire staff, expand production and build its in-space mobility fleet.
This chart, featured in our space economy deck, illustrates yearly funding for space economy startups
Starfish Space raised about $110 million in a Series B round in April 2026.
When was it?
Starfish Space announced the Series B financing on April 7, 2026.
Who are they?
Starfish Space builds autonomous spacecraft that inspect, service, reposition and dispose of satellites in orbit.
Geographical focus?
Starfish Space is based in the United States and works with U.S. government agencies and commercial satellite operators.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Starfish Space belongs in the space economy because its Otter spacecraft provide direct satellite servicing and end-of-life disposal.
What is the company stage?
Starfish Space is a growth-stage company with demonstration missions completed and contracted operational missions in progress.
How much did they raise?
Starfish Space raised more than $100 million, reported at about $110 million.
What round is it?
Starfish Space completed a Series B led by Point72 Ventures, with Activate Capital and Shield Capital as co-leads.
Why did they raise?
Starfish Space raised the capital to build more Otter vehicles, execute missions and expand production capacity.
Catalyx Space raised $5.4 million in a seed round in October 2025.
When was it?
Catalyx Space’s seed financing was publicly reported on October 25, 2025.
Who are they?
Catalyx Space develops satellite buses, reentry vehicles and mission systems that support payload deployment and return from orbit.
Geographical focus?
Catalyx Space operates from the United States and India, with development and testing activity connected to India’s space ecosystem.
Why do we include them in the space economy?
Catalyx Space belongs in the space economy because it builds spacecraft and reentry infrastructure for orbital logistics missions.
What is the company stage?
Catalyx Space is a seed-stage company developing its initial satellite-bus and orbital-return platforms.
How much did they raise?
Catalyx Space raised $5.4 million in seed funding.
What round is it?
Catalyx Space completed a seed round led by Outlander VC.
Why did they raise?
Catalyx Space raised the capital to develop its orbital logistics stack, including spacecraft, reentry and mission operations capabilities.
Related blog posts
- The evolution of funding activity in the space economy
- The main fundraising trends in the space economy
- How strong is fundraising in the space economy right now?
- What are the top startups in the space economy?
