Space Stakes: The Business of the New Space Race
The money, missions, and power shaping space. Space Stakes is a daily briefing on the business of the new space race — launches, contracts, constellations, and the capital behind them. Every episode cuts through the industry's hype: signed contracts vs. paper constellations, funded orders vs. "up to" ceilings, launch dates vs. track records. Who pays, who profits, and who actually delivers — told so both aerospace insiders and curious newcomers finish feeling it was made for them. Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, created and built by a real human, Brian Lampert. Nothing on this show is financial advice. Also from Brian Lamp...
10
Norway Proposes Launch Pad Funding — October 13, 2026
Norway Details Funding Allocation for Second Andøya Launch Pad — European SpaceflightYork Space Systems to Support Interoperability Demonstration for Space Data Network — Via Satellite<p>Source links</p>science.nasa.gov@SpaceX on X@YorkSpaceSystem on Xspace.com<p>Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.</p><p>Follow Space Stakes: subscribe on YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify</p><p>More from Brian Lampert: Quickly Quantum, the daily quantum computing briefing, and Concrete Compute, the daily AI infrastructure briefing. Transcripts and every episode: space-stakes.kngoworld.chatgpt.site.</p>
Blue Origin Rebuilds Blasted Pad Toward Year-End Return Target — October 12, 2026
<p>Blue Origin is rebuilding Launch Complex 36 after New Glenn's May pad explosion and is targeting a December return-to-flight mission. The episode also covers a warning about commercial satellite vulnerability, a Starship analysis shared on X, and NASA's Antarctic sea-ice observations.</p>Blue Origin Advances LC-36 Rebuild for Year-End New Glenn Return to Flight — NASASpaceFlight.comGerman Space Command warning on commercial satellite networks — SpaceWatch.GLOBALAdam Jonas's Starship analysis — shared by @SawyerMerritt on XAntarctic Sea Ice Grows to Its 2026 Maximum — NASA<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:41 Germany's warning on Russian satellites</p><p>02:03 Antarctic sea ice third-lowest maximum</p><p>03...
Starlink’s India Pitch Meets the Security Queue — October 11, 2026
<p>Starlink is pitching affordability and consumer choice in India as it awaits final security clearance, while a U.S. military satellite launch and an ISS crew handover provide two concrete delivery updates. The key question is whether the service's customer case can move from a stated goal to a specific offer.</p>Fourth Tranche 1 Transport orbital plane — Space Development AgencyCrew-12 departs as Dubrov takes command — SpaceQStarlink's India affordability pitch — Stocktwits reporting<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:42 Falcon 9 launched Tranche 1 satellites</p><p>02:42 Crew-12 back on Earth after 237-day mission</p><p>03:50 Starlink in India awaits security cleara...
Weekly Recap: Spectrum, NASA's Workforce and SpaceX's Launch Plans — October 10, 2026
<p>This week's recap follows SpaceX's push into direct-to-device connectivity, NASA's proposed workforce shift, Kratos's space-intelligence contracts, Amazon's Leo manufacturing milestone and the FAA's review of proposed Starship operations.</p><p>Across the stories, regulatory authorization, proposed transactions, contracts, manufactured hardware and operational service remain distinct milestones.</p>FCC Grants SpaceX Approval for 15,000 Direct-to-Device Satellites in MSS Spectrum — Via SatelliteSpaceX Moves to Acquire Nationwide Low-Band Spectrum for Starlink Mobile — Via SatelliteWhy is NASA bringing 7,500 contractors back to work as civil servants? — Ars TechnicaKratos Reports More Than $100M in Contracts for Space Intelligence Data — Via SatelliteAmazon builds 1,000th satellite, will launch space in...
Starlink Mobile Eyes Indoor Coverage With Low-Band Spectrum Deal — October 9, 2026
SpaceX Moves to Acquire Nationwide Low-Band Spectrum for Starlink Mobile — Via SatelliteSpaceX calls for better coordination in orbit after near-misses with Starlink — Ars TechnicaAmazon builds 1,000th satellite, will launch space internet service by end of year — Ars TechnicaFortastra Raises $30M Series A to Fund its Next Security Spacecraft — Payload<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:41 Crew-12 is back on Earth after 237 days</p><p>01:37 SpaceX calls for better data-sharing</p><p>02:51 Amazon built its 1,000th Leo satellite</p><p>04:10 Fortastra raised $30M in Series A</p><p>05:24 SpaceX to acquire 14 megahertz spectrum</p><p>08:02 Low-band spectrum as a coverage...
FCC Clears Regulatory Path for SpaceX Standalone Satellite-to-Phone — October 8, 2026
<p>000-satellite direct-to-device system.</p>FCC Grants SpaceX Approval for 15,000 Direct-to-Device Satellites in MSS Spectrum — Via Satellite<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:20 FCC approved SpaceX's 15,000 satellites</p><p>03:42 SpaceX trying to become the carrier</p><p>Source links</p>spacewatch.global<p>Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.</p><p>Follow Space Stakes: subscribe on YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify</p><p>More from Brian Lampert: Quickly Quantum, the daily quantum computing briefing, and Concrete Compute, the daily AI infrastructure briefing. Transcripts and every epis...
EU Backs Collective Response to Satellite Threats — October 7, 2026
<p>NASA's planned move of 7,500 contractor positions into civil service raises questions about expertise, accountability and taxpayer value. The episode also covers an EU space-security decision, progress on the Themis demonstrator and Dawn Aerospace's planned German expansion.</p>EU deepens collective space security with mutual defense pact — Breaking DefenseArianeGroup Completes Second Themis Wet Dress Rehearsal — European SpaceflightDawn Aerospace Expands into Germany Amid Growing Space Defense Investment — SpaceWatch.GLOBALWhy is NASA bringing 7,500 contractors back to work as civil servants? — Ars Technica<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:31 EU approves collective satellite threat response</p><p>02:23 Themis completes second wet dress re...
What Public Money Buys in Space Intelligence and Connectivity Plans — October 6, 2026
<p>Kratos announced multiple contracts worth more than $100 million combined for space-intelligence and cyber prototype work, while the public details leave key questions about the awards' structure. The episode also covers Open Cosmos' constellation target, the Army's enlisted space specialty, York's GEO mission integration and this week's launch plans.</p>Open Cosmos Targets 192 Satellites for ConnectedCosmos LEO Constellation — Via SatelliteKratos Reports More Than $100M in Contracts for Space Intelligence Data — Via Satellite<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:20 Open Cosmos targets 192 satellites</p><p>01:44 Army creates enlisted space specialty</p><p>02:50 York moves into GEO integration</p><p>03:43 Laun...
Florida Review, Orbital Weather Watch and Post-Station Planning — October 5, 2026
SpaceX (SPCX) Faces FAA Review On 76 Cape Canaveral Starship Launches — finance.yahoo.comESA, CAS release first images from SMILE; officially begin science operations — NASASpaceFlight.comAirbus and OHB to Lead ESA Studies on Future European Orbital Outpost as ISS Era Nears End — SpaceWatch.GLOBAL@SawyerMerritt on X — X/@SawyerMerritt<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:31 FAA seeks comments on Starship scope</p><p>02:08 SMILE mission captures ring of auroras</p><p>04:22 Airbus and OHB lead planning study</p><p>Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.</p><p>Fol...
Falcon Heavy’s Classified Payload—and Europe’s Crew Ambitions — October 4, 2026
U.S. intelligence selects Falcon Heavy for a classified mission for the first time — universemagazine.comESA to pursue crew transport and space stations as European launchers come online — NASASpaceFlight.comWeekly ISS update: Joshua Kutryk aboard after record-fast docking — SpaceQ Media Inc.<p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Today's headlines</p><p>00:35 ESA investigating European-led space station</p><p>02:13 Crew-13 arrives at the space station</p><p>03:44 Falcon Heavy's first reconnaissance mission</p><p>05:33 Falcon Heavy's classified payload question</p><p>Source links</p>nasa.gov@globeandmail on X@nasaspaceflight on X@SpaceX on Xspaceflightnow.com<p>Space Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built...
