Latest briefing · September 19, 2026
What Ning Liu Just Got Right About Building on Mars With Biology
A researcher's genetically engineered yeast could cut Mars construction costs by eliminating the need to ship building materials from Earth.
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September 19, 2026
Starship's First Orbital Attempt Is the Launch Cost Test Space Solar Has Been Waiting For
SpaceX's IFT-14 orbital flight attempt could reshape the economics that have blocked space-based solar power for decades.
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September 18, 2026
BAE Systems' $16M RH45 Award Signals Radiation-Hardened Electronics Are Back on the Critical Path
A new $16M qualification contract for BAE Systems' RH45 microelectronics highlights the unglamorous bottleneck threatening every space power program.
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September 17, 2026
Idemitsu's US CIGS Lab Is a Bet That Thin-Film Wins the Space Solar Cell Race
A Japanese petroleum giant opens its first US lab for space-grade CIGS solar cells — here's what that signals for in-space power supply chains.
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September 16, 2026
Antares Lands $161M DoD Nuclear Power Contract — What It Means for In-Space Power
A $161M DoD award to Antares marks the largest U.S. military nuclear space power contract to date, signaling serious procurement intent beyond solar.
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September 15, 2026
DOE Bets on Silicon and Perovskites to Break III-V's Grip on Space Solar Cells
The U.S. DOE is funding 7–11 research projects to move space photovoltaics beyond rare-material III-V cells toward scalable silicon and perovskite alternatives.
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September 12, 2026
What Rocket Lab Just Got Right About Space Solar Cell Design
Rocket Lab's IMM Apex cell delivers 31.5% BOL efficiency and 40% less mass than legacy triple-junction products — with no germanium substrate. Here's what that means for your next procurement decision.
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September 12, 2026
Rocket Lab's 31.5%-Efficient IMM Cell and Idemitsu's CIGS Lab Signal a Space Solar Cell Shakeup
Two announcements in 48 hours reframe the space photovoltaic supply chain: one kills germanium dependency, the other bets on thin-film.
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September 11, 2026
Stoke Space's $1B Series E Signals Fully Reusable Rockets Are Now a Serious Launch Bet
Stoke Space closed a $1B Series E tranche, bringing total capital to $2.3B — and redefining what "affordable launch" means for space solar payloads.
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September 10, 2026
Chang'e-7 Delay Sharpens the Stakes for NASA's Lunar Power Race
China's postponed Chang'e-7 mission and NASA's fresh power-generation solicitation put lunar surface energy back at the center of the 2020s space competition.
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