Rocket Companies adds Adam Blitzer to board as Bill Emerson resigns

Rocket Lab's $8B acquisition of Iridium faces scrutiny from competitors like SpaceX, Ligado, and Globalstar, who allege Iridium has delayed their deployments with regulatory filings.

The Defense Department's Office of Strategic Capital announced three loans totaling $450M to US space firms. Rocket Lab received $150M to accelerate Neutron rocket production, Stoke Space got $150M for a second launch pad, and LeoLabs was awarded $150M for radar infrastructure. The loans aim to address potential launch vehicle shortages and expand domestic manufacturing capacity.

The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital provided a $150M loan to Rocket Lab, following a similar loan to Stoke Space. This comes as SpaceX halts commercial Falcon 9 orders post-2028. The FCC accepted SpaceX's application to acquire Grain Management's 800 MHz licenses. SpaceX also prepared the Super Heavy booster for Starship Flight 15, aiming to catch both stages. Starlink's constellation status remains unchanged, with 11,190 operational satellites.

The Pentagon offered Rocket Lab a $150M loan to accelerate Neutron rocket development, citing national security needs. SpaceX's Falcon 9 retirement and rising launch demand drove the move. Neutron's first launch is delayed to 2027, with 117 launches under contract. The loan is conditional on meeting requirements.

The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital has committed a $150 million loan to Rocket Lab to accelerate Neutron rocket production, including engine and structure manufacturing, maritime recovery, and infrastructure upgrades. This aligns with DoD efforts to diversify defense launch providers as SpaceX shifts focus. The loan is part of a broader strategy to use federal credit tools to strengthen the aerospace supply chain, following similar loans to Stoke Space and LeoLabs.

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) rose 16% after forming a joint venture with Rakuten Group (4755) for a satellite network in Japan, backed by up to $1 billion in government funding. Firefly Aerospace (FLY) and Rocket Lab (RKLB) also gained. AST's Q3 report is expected to detail its cash plan, including a $800 million deal with Firefly for rocket engines. Analysts project AST's revenue to grow to $1.73 billion by 2028.