# SpaceNexus Daily, Thursday, October 22, 2026: SpaceX to attempt Starship catch on next flight, Ars Technica Space reports

> Ars Technica Space reported that SpaceX will attempt a Starship catch on its next flight, with an eye on a rapid cadence increase.

- Canonical page: https://spacenexus.us/briefing/2026-10-22
- This Markdown version: https://spacenexus.us/briefing/2026-10-22.md
- Data as of: published 2026-10-22 06:10 UTC; records from 2026-10-21 06:00 UTC to 2026-10-22 06:00 UTC
- How the numbers are made: https://spacenexus.us/methodology#ai-content

## About this edition

- AI-generated briefing, AI voice. This briefing is AI-generated: an AI model wrote the script from SpaceNexus records and the sources listed, two independent AI passes checked every claim against those records and the web, and an AI voice reads it. No sponsor, advertiser or partner has any part in it.
- How it was checked: All 28 claims in the script were checked one by one against the SpaceNexus records listed below, by two independent AI fact-checkers that did not write it, one of them also searching the web; every number, date and time was matched to the records by code. It publishes only if every claim passes.

## Transcript

This is SpaceNexus Daily, for Thursday, October 22, 2026.

### Space stocks and money

In the trading session of Wednesday, October 21, the SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index of space stocks rose 3.2 percent, with 30 companies up and 5 down. The largest gain was Eutelsat, up 11.5 percent, and the largest decline was Comtech Telecommunications, down 5.3 percent.

Sources: [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/markets-daily); [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/eutelsat); [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close)](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/comtech-telecommunications)

### Starship catch planned

Ars Technica Space reported that SpaceX will attempt a Starship catch on its next flight, with an eye on a rapid cadence increase. The article's summary quotes the line: "We have had significant constructive engagement with the FAA." Three outlets covered the story: Ars Technica Space, New Space Economy and Teslarati SpaceX.

Sources: [Ars Technica Space](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/spacex-will-attempt-to-reach-weekly-starship-launches-by-early-2027/)

### Launches ahead

Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Starlink Group 15-15 from Vandenberg SFB no earlier than 22:40:24 UTC on October 22. Also scheduled for October 23: Rocket Lab's Electron from New Zealand, Long March 6A from Taiyuan and Long March 4B from Jiuquan. Launch Library 2 lists the Electron status as to be confirmed.

Sources: [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmv5e8m6f18jj3p0m8clsyxwl); [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmogcfc9cu4ad10zhnz3ogzuu); [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmvchawao234v6po9ujohdyb6); [Launch Library 2](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmva1ffa7018i13ojehsqlye8)

### Laser terminal mission

SatNews reported that Marble Imaging, Reflex Aerospace and Odysseus Space announced a joint mission to deploy space-to-ground laser communications. Marble Imaging is an Earth observation operator, Reflex Aerospace a satellite manufacturer and Odysseus Space an optical communications specialist.

Sources: [SatNews](https://satnews.com/2026/10/21/marble-imaging-and-reflex-aerospace-select-odysseus-space-laser-terminal-for-first-satellite-mission/)

### CGI contract

Via Satellite reported that the UK Ministry of Defence National Armaments Director Group has tapped CGI to provide technical and project support services for the PICASSO programme.

Sources: [Via Satellite](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2026/10/21/cgi-wins-new-uk-mod-contract/)

### Jobs board

The SpaceNexus jobs board lists 10,196 job postings, about 9,000 distinct roles, as of October 22. Of the postings, 672 were posted in the last 7 days.

Sources: [SpaceNexus jobs board](https://spacenexus.us/jobs)

Full details and sources are at spacenexus.us.


## Sources

- [SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/markets-daily)
- [Eutelsat (ETL) (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/eutelsat)
- [Comtech Telecommunications (CMTL) (SpaceNexus Pure-Play Index (Yahoo Finance daily close))](https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/comtech-telecommunications)
- [SpaceX to attempt Starship catch on next flight, with eye on rapid cadence increase (Ars Technica Space)](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/spacex-will-attempt-to-reach-weekly-starship-launches-by-early-2027/)
- [Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-15 (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmv5e8m6f18jj3p0m8clsyxwl)
- [Electron | We're Not Hawking Around (3x HawkEye 360) (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmogcfc9cu4ad10zhnz3ogzuu)
- [Long March 6A (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmvchawao234v6po9ujohdyb6)
- [Long March 4B (Launch Library 2)](https://spacenexus.us/launch/cmva1ffa7018i13ojehsqlye8)
- [Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace Select Odysseus Space Laser Terminal for First Satellite Mission (SatNews)](https://satnews.com/2026/10/21/marble-imaging-and-reflex-aerospace-select-odysseus-space-laser-terminal-for-first-satellite-mission/)
- [CGI Wins New UK MoD Contract (Via Satellite)](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2026/10/21/cgi-wins-new-uk-mod-contract/)
- [SpaceNexus jobs board (SpaceNexus jobs board)](https://spacenexus.us/jobs)

## Licence and credits

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