Core Insights - The article highlights significant developments in the commercial space sector, focusing on SpaceX's advancements and contracts, as well as other companies' activities in the industry [2][3]. SpaceX Developments - NASA awarded SpaceX a modification to its NASA Launch Services II (NLS II) contract, incorporating the Starship into its existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch services [4][6]. - The NLS II contract provides a wide range of commercial launch services for NASA's planetary, Earth observation, exploration, and scientific satellites, with a performance period extending to December 2032 [6]. - This contract modification not only secures stable government business for SpaceX but also reinforces its leadership position in the aerospace industry [7]. - SpaceX is actively developing its next-generation facilities at Starbase in Texas to support the Starship's development and launch [8]. - The company plans to develop Starbase into a new registered city, "Starbase City," to support Starship manufacturing and attract top engineering talent [10]. - SpaceX has successfully launched 27 Starlink satellites using the Falcon 9 rocket, expanding its satellite constellation to over 8,100 satellites [11][13]. International Expansion - Vietnam and India have approved SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite internet services, with Vietnam allowing a pilot program until the end of 2030 [14][16]. - The approval in India marks a significant step for Starlink's operations in the country, enabling high-speed internet services for users [16]. New Contracts and Collaborations - Airbus won a contract worth £150 million (approximately 1.41 billion yuan) for the ExoMars lander platform, marking a significant advancement in European space exploration [17][19]. - French startup MaiaSpace signed its first commercial launch contract to provide multiple launch services for Exotrail, with operations expected to begin in 2027 [20][22]. - Constellation Technologies & Operations (CTO) partnered with TDF to advance VLEO 5G services, planning to deploy 1,500 small satellites by 2029 [23][25]. Technological Innovations - Miles Space is testing a new water-fueled plasma thruster, which has shown potential for safe and efficient propulsion in space [33][35]. - Maxar Intelligence launched the "Raptor" drone navigation system, which provides precise navigation without GPS signals [36][38]. - Star Catcher Industries successfully completed ground tests for its space energy transmission service, demonstrating the ability to wirelessly transmit solar energy over 100 meters [39][41]. Funding and Investments - Pangea Aerospace completed a €23 million (approximately $25 million) Series A funding round to accelerate growth in the European propulsion system market [55][57]. - Spanish satellite company Sateliot secured €14 million (approximately $15 million) to expand its LEO satellite constellation, aiming for a total of 250 satellites [58][60].