By David Fickling   If orbital space is the 21st century’s high seas, China looks to be preparing an armada.  Government plans submitted late last year to the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union, or ITU, promise a fleet of 203,000 satellites to be deployed by the mid-2030s. That would dwarf the ambitions of Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos: SpaceX’s Starlink network has nearly 10,000 orbiters so far, while Amazon.com Inc.’s Leo constellation will top out at just 3,232.    It sounds like an ala ...

Group 1: Investment Potential - Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) is recognized as one of the top 12 mid-cap AI stocks favored by hedge funds, with a Buy rating reiterated by Jeff Van Rhee of Craig-Hallum, raising the price target from $30 to $33, indicating a potential upside of 52% from current levels [1] - The highest Wall Street analyst target for Planet Labs shows an upside of 61.66%, based on coverage from 12 analysts [1] Group 2: Strategic Partnerships - On January 26, Planet Labs PBC announced a significant partnership with the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia (GURS), providing high-resolution tasking services and detailed satellite data to enhance urban planning, infrastructure monitoring, disaster response, and agricultural health tracking [2] - Tomaž Petek, Director-General of GURS, emphasized that this partnership represents a major advancement in national infrastructure, enabling faster decision-making during natural disasters and improving long-term planning capabilities [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Planet Labs PBC specializes in the design, construction, and launch of satellite constellations, offering geospatial data accessible through its online platform, and includes products like the Tanager hyperspectral imaging satellite and an Earth Observation platform [3]

Core Insights - Planet Labs PBC has established two advisory boards to support its strategic expansion in Europe and enhance collaboration with global security partners [1] - The European Advisory Board will guide Planet's growth in Europe and navigate the evolving policy landscape [1] - The Defense and Intelligence Advisory Board will provide expert counsel for developing solutions for national security and intelligence communities [1] European Advisory Board - The board includes prominent figures such as Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Oleksii Reznikov, David Miliband, Dr. Neelie Kroes, and Carl Bildt [1] - These members bring extensive experience in government, military, and diplomatic sectors, which will aid in meeting the needs of Planet's European customer base [1] Defense and Intelligence Advisory Board - Inaugural members include Gen. (Ret.) Tod Wolters, Michèle Flournoy, and Sir Jeremy Fleming, all of whom have significant backgrounds in U.S. and allied government roles [1] - This board aims to enhance Planet's offerings for the national security community globally [1] Company Overview - Planet Labs is a leading provider of daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions, founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists [1] - The company operates the largest commercial Earth observation fleet and serves various sectors including agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education, and finance [1]

Core Viewpoint - AST SpaceMobile stock experienced a decline on Thursday after having more than tripled in value over the past 12 months [1] Company Summary - AST SpaceMobile's stock performance indicates significant volatility, with a notable increase of over 200% in the last year, suggesting strong investor interest and market speculation [1]

Core Insights - AXA and Planet Labs have formed a strategic partnership to enhance disaster management and prevention through high-frequency satellite imagery and AI-powered risk management systems [1] - The collaboration aims to provide near-real-time monitoring and predictive capabilities for natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, and hurricanes, leveraging Planet's daily global satellite data [1] Company Overview - Planet Labs GmbH is a leading provider of daily data and insights about changes on Earth, operating the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites [1] - AXA Digital Commercial Platform (AXA DCP) is a new arm of AXA focused on comprehensive risk management, integrating technology, vast datasets, and AI to address challenges posed by climate change [1] Partnership Details - The partnership will integrate Planet's high-resolution satellite data into AXA DCP's platform, enabling smarter claims monitoring and improved disaster preparedness [1] - AXA DCP aims to provide clients with a "ground truth" layer of environmental intelligence to facilitate preventative actions against extreme weather events [1] Industry Impact - The collaboration is expected to empower the insurance industry by enhancing predictive models and global risk analysis, particularly in disaster preparedness and environmental monitoring [1] - The integration of satellite data is seen as critical for navigating environmental volatility and protecting communities from the increasing frequency of extreme weather events [1]

Core Insights - Amazon is set to launch 32 satellites into orbit, indicating a significant investment in its Leo business, which has surprised investors due to the high expenditure involved [1] Company Summary - The launch of 32 satellites represents a major step for Amazon in expanding its Leo business, which focuses on satellite internet services [1]

Industry Overview - The surveillance and general Earth-observation industry is experiencing significant growth due to escalating geopolitical tensions and increased military spending in 2026 [1] Company Focus - The focus is on identifying promising biotechnology companies that are innovating through novel mechanisms of action, first-in-class therapies, or platform technologies [1] - The analysis emphasizes evaluating the science behind drug candidates, the competitive landscape, clinical trial design, and potential market opportunities while balancing financial fundamentals and valuation [1]

Core Viewpoint - Jeffrey Epstein was involved as an adviser in the establishment of OneWeb Ltd, a significant competitor to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, as revealed by emails from the US Department of Justice [1] Group 1: Company Background - OneWeb was founded in 2012 by Greg Wyler, who sought funding from major investors like SoftBank Group Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. [1] - The company faced bankruptcy in March 2020 but was rescued by the UK government and India's Bharti Enterprises Ltd., later merging with France's Eutelsat in 2023 [3] Group 2: Epstein's Involvement - Wyler confirmed that Epstein had professional relationships in the tech industry and discussed potential investments, but no actual investment was made [2] - Emails indicate that Wyler and Epstein communicated about various business matters, including a potential investment from Alphabet Inc.'s Google [5] Group 3: Relationships and Negotiations - The emails reveal interactions between Wyler and Musk, including discussions about funding and negotiations for OneWeb [7] - Epstein expressed frustration over the pace of negotiations and sought updates from Wyler, indicating a hands-on approach to the advisory role [8][9] Group 4: Current Developments - Wyler is now the CEO of E-Space, another satellite network startup, which is set to create 2,000 jobs in Arlington, Texas [3] - OneWeb has successfully launched over 600 satellites into low-Earth orbit, while SpaceX has launched thousands for its Starlink network [9]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has accepted SpaceX's application to build a non-geostationary satellite system, marking a significant step towards advanced technological capabilities and potential AI applications [1] Group 1: FCC's Acceptance and Public Opinion - The FCC has publicly announced the acceptance of SpaceX's application for a satellite system, inviting public comments on the proposal [1] - FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expressed support for SpaceX's initiative, highlighting its potential to advance towards a Type II Kardashev civilization [1] Group 2: SpaceX's Satellite System Proposal - SpaceX submitted an application on January 30 for a satellite constellation with unprecedented computational capabilities to support advanced AI models and related applications [1] - The proposed satellite system could include up to 1 million satellites, creating a network of orbital data centers around the Earth [1]

Core Viewpoint - SpaceX is applying to launch and operate a satellite constellation of up to 1 million satellites, aimed at providing unprecedented computational capabilities to support advanced artificial intelligence applications for billions of users globally [1] Group 1: Satellite Deployment - The proposed satellite system will operate within a narrow orbital shell with a width of up to 50 kilometers, allowing space for other similar ambitious systems to avoid conflicts [1] - The satellites are planned to be deployed at altitudes ranging from 500 kilometers to 2000 kilometers, utilizing a sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of approximately 30 degrees [1] Group 2: Power and Connectivity - The satellites will be powered by solar energy and will connect to the existing Starlink network via optical links (lasers) to route computational results to ground users [1]