This Month
Wealthy Aussies rush to invest in Musk’s SpaceX and xAI
One Australian family office said it had raised more than $72 million to invest in Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI, and his vision to build data centres in space.
Inside NASA’s risky bid to beat China to the moon
All going well, a four-person crew will soon launch into deep space. But delays and troubled test flights have led some to call for radical change.
‘Data centres in space’: Musk combines SpaceX with xAI in $1.8trn deal
The merger puts the billionaire entrepreneur’s rocket and artificial-intelligence companies under one roof
January
Astronaut named Australian of the Year
Australia’s first qualified astronaut has been honoured for her work in helping more women become involved in the space sector.
Gilmour Space’s mega-raising turns rocket maker into unicorn
Securing the backing from big investors including the Future Fund and several superannuation giants will allow the company to fund a string of space launches.
Astronauts splash down after medical evacuation from ISS
The four astronauts returned to earth a month early from the International Space Station after a medical issue.
December 2025
It’s like a scene from Top Gun, but in space, as China fights US
Spacecraft operated by the world’s biggest competing militaries are jousting for supremacy amid rising tensions above Earth.
Ground control to Elon Musk: SpaceX’s $2.2trn IPO plan is pure AI hype
The planned IPO of SpaceX relies on Elon Musk putting data centres in space. No, seriously.
The CEO in a race to replace the International Space Station
The ISS is due to be decommissioned around 2030. Vast’s Max Haot is on a mission to build its successor.
November 2025
The founder of this $800m company doesn’t believe in luck
Reluctant entrepreneur Flavia Tata Nardini had no desire to start her own business, but when she arrived in Australia it became clear it was her only choice.
Gilmour Space poised to bag $150m raising as losses mount
Space start-up Gilmour Space says it has signed preliminary paperwork to raise $150 million from investors, ahead of a second rocket launch next year.
October 2025
Hypersonix value jumps to $141m after government buys in
Hypersonix Launch Systems, a start-up developing superfast aircraft for the US military, has raised $46 million from institutional investors.
Black hole stars challenge our idea of the universe
Did stars and galaxies give rise to black holes, or was it the other way around? New research may challenge ideas about how the first celestial objects formed.
September 2025
Musk’s SpaceX under scrutiny as delays threaten US moon mission
The billionaire’s Starship rocket, which has suffered a series of test explosions, is still years away from being ready, former NASA executives say.
Breakthrough in search for signs of life on Mars
NASA’s rover dug out mud stones flecked with iron-containing compounds notable because similar structures on Earth are thought to be evidence of living organisms.
August 2025
Elon Musk just showed he’s (finally) back to business
SpaceX’s near flawless launch of its massive rocket shows the billionaire is fully focused on his business innovations after ditching the White House.
Musk’s SpaceX cancels critical rocket launch after systems issue
The massive Starship rocket had been set to take off for a 10th time from Texas, with the company hoping to overcome early failures.
Write-downs hurt decade-old Blackbird fund ahead of returns deadline
The venture giant has told investors returns at one of its oldest funds have fallen a year before it is due to pay out, despite promising space start-up bets.
Australian space firm eyeing an IPO – but needs to reach orbit first
The Gold Coast-based company bolsters its board as the start-up launches a $100 million-plus capital raising to put its next rocket into space.
Gilmour brings in Citi, Bell Potter to launch into unicorn status
The Australian space company backed by QIC and Blackbird is working on raising $150 million just weeks after its inaugural flight ended in seconds.
