September Fundraising Round-Up
September 5 – Chinese launch services start-up Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Co., Ltd. raised $99m in Series C and C+ funding rounds led by Xinding Capital and Sichuan Industrial Fund. The company plans to use the funds to advance development of its Hyperbola-3 launch vehicle.
September 23 – Satelio IOT Services, S.L. (Sateliot), a Spanish start-up developing a satellite-based Internet-of-Things network, raised €30m in a Series B funding round led by Global Portfolio Investments SL. Sateliot intends to use the new funding to deploy its planned 100-satellite constellation.
September 27 – Italy-based space logistics and in-orbit servicing start-up D-Orbit SpA announced that its Series C investment round led by Marubeni Corporation, with participation from existing investors CDP Venture Capital Sgr, Seraphim Space Investment Trust, Indaco Venture Partners Sgr and others, raised a total of €150m in new funding, adding an additional €50m to the €100m received in January 2024.
September Mergers & Acquisitions
September 30 – Echostar Corporation (EchoStar) and DirecTV, LLC (DIRECTV) announced that it entered into a definitive agreement whereby DIRECTV will acquire EchoStar's video distribution business, DISH DBS (DISH), subject to the consent of certain DISH bondholders, in a debt exchange transaction valued at approximately $9.75b.
September 30 – In-flight connectivity services provider Gogo Inc. (Gogo) announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire competitor Satcom Direct, Inc. for $375m in cash, 5m shares of Gogo common stock, and up to $225m in additional performance incentive payments over four years.
Telesat Seals Lightspeed Financing
On September 13, Telesat Corporation (Telesat) announced the completion of funding agreements with the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec for Telesat's planned Lightspeed constellation, securing CA$2.54b in debt financing for Telesat subsidiary Telesat LEO Inc.
In-Flight Starlink Orders Gain Altitude
On September 13 and 26, United Airlines, Inc. and Air France, respectively, announced that they entered into agreements with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) whereby SpaceX will provide in-flight connectivity services for their aircraft fleets using the Starlink system beginning in 2025.
September Launch Missions Performed
September 4 – Arianespace S.A. successfully launched the Sentinel-2C earth observation satellite for the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation program on a Vega launch vehicle, marking the final mission for the vehicle.
September 5, 12, 20, 24 – Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully launched batches of 21, 21, 20, and 20 Starlink satellites, including a total of 52 direct-to-device satellites, each time using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle and recovering the vehicle's first stage.
September 12 – SpaceX successfully performed the Bluebird 1-5 mission for direct-to-device company AST SpaceMobile Inc. (AST SpaceMobile) using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle and then recovering the vehicle's first stage. The mission marks the deployment of the first five commercial satellites in AST SpaceMobile's planned 248-satellite low Earth orbit cellular broadband services system.
September 17 – SpaceX successfully launched the Galileo L13 mission for the European Space Agency, delivering two Galileo navigation satellites to medium Earth orbit using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. SpaceX subsequently recovered the vehicle's first stage.
September 20 – Rocket Lab USA, Inc. successfully launched five Internet-of-Things satellites for French satellite operator Kinéis on an Electron launch vehicle.
September 24 – China Rocket, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, successfully launched eight satellites on a Jielong-3 launch vehicle.
September 27 – The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology successfully launched the retrievable and reusable Shijian-19 satellite for the China Academy of Spaceflight Technology on a Long March 2D launch vehicle.
September Launch Services Orders
On September 18, European satellite operator Eutelsat S.A. (Eutelsat) announced that it entered into an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) whereby MHI will perform multiple launch missions for Eutelsat satellites using the H3 launch vehicle beginning in 2027.
ReOrbit Lands First Geostationary Satellite Order
On September 17, Finland-based ReOrbit Oy announced that it was selected by Malaysian energy company Uzma Berhad to manufacture a geostationary communications satellite.
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