State of Space
May 2026
A data-driven analysis of launch activity, funding, market movements, regulatory changes, and technology milestones across the global space industry.
Launch Activity
Section 1
21
Total Launches
-61% vs last month
0
Successful
0%
Success Rate
8
Upcoming (30d)
21 orbital launches were attempted this month with a 0% success rate. Launch cadence decreased 61% compared to the prior month. 8 launches are on the manifest for the next 30 days.
Notable Launches
Kinetica 1 | 5 satellites
2026-05-15 · CAS Space · Kinetica 1
Zhuque-2E Block 2 | Mass Simulator
2026-05-14 · LandSpace · Zhuque-2E Block 2
Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-172
2026-05-12 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
SpaceX CRS-34 Prelaunch Media Teleconference
2026-05-11
Long March 7 | Tianzhou-10
2026-05-11 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 7
Upcoming Launches
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34
2026-05-15 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-37
2026-05-16 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon Docking
2026-05-17
Long March 8 | SpaceSail Polar Group TBD
2026-05-17 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 8
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-42
2026-05-19 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Vega-C | Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
2026-05-19 · Avio S.p.A · Vega-C
Starship | Flight 12
2026-05-19 · SpaceX · Starship V3
South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV | Demo Flight
2026-05-20 · Agency for Defense Development · South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV
Funding & Investment
Section 2
$0
Total Raised
Flat
0
Deals Closed
N/A
Avg Deal Size
N/A
Top Sector
Space companies raised $0 across 0 deals this month. Investment activity held steady.
Market Movers
Section 3
0
Public Companies Tracked
$0
Combined Market Cap
N/A
Top Gainer
N/A
Biggest Decliner
0 publicly traded space companies are tracked with a combined market capitalization of $0.
Regulatory Watch
Section 4
5
Regulatory Updates
0
Company Filings
5
Policy News
5 regulatory developments were tracked this month including 0 company filings and 5 policy news items. Space regulation continues to evolve as commercial activity scales and international coordination intensifies.
Notable Headlines
SynMax Bets on Agentic AI to Move from Data Vendor to Intelligence Company
SpaceWatch.Global · 2026-05-15
Ottawa advances 2026 pre-budget consultations: what the accelerated timeline means for the space sector
SpaceQ · 2026-05-14
Meet Blacknight Space Labs In-Orbit Infrastructure Accelerator
Payload Space · 2026-05-14
House appropriators approve spending bill that keeps NASA budget flat
SpaceNews · 2026-05-14
House Appropriators Reject Deep Cuts to NASA in FY2027
SpacePolicyOnline.com · 2026-05-14
Technology Milestones
Section 5
0
Major Milestones
0
Tech Stories
0 significant technology milestones were achieved this month across the space industry. Innovation continues across propulsion, satellite communications, Earth observation, and in-space manufacturing.
Month Ahead
Section 6
10
Scheduled Launches
0
Key Events
Looking ahead: 10 launches are scheduled over the next 30 days. Next up: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34 (2026-05-15). Key themes to watch include commercial crew rotations, constellation deployment cadence, and defense procurement timelines.
Upcoming Launches
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34
2026-05-15 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-37
2026-05-16 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon Docking
2026-05-17
Long March 8 | SpaceSail Polar Group TBD
2026-05-17 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 8
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-42
2026-05-19 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Vega-C | Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
2026-05-19 · Avio S.p.A · Vega-C
Starship | Flight 12
2026-05-19 · SpaceX · Starship V3
South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV | Demo Flight
2026-05-20 · Agency for Defense Development · South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Globalstar 2-R Mission 1 (x 9)
2026-05-20 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-31
2026-05-21 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Industry Pulse
Section 7
3545
News Articles Tracked
232
Companies Monitored
50+
Data Sources
30+
Automated Pipelines
SpaceNexus tracked 3545 industry news articles and monitored 232 companies this month across 50+ data sources including NASA, NOAA, SEC, CelesTrak, and SAM.gov.
Notable Headlines
Cowboy Space Seeks FCC Approval for Stampede Orbital Data Centers
New Space Economy · 2026-05-15
Why Chris Hadfield argues that fear is a knowledge problem, and how we might apply it to our own lives
SpaceDaily · 2026-05-15
Hormuz and the defense posture we don’t have
DefenseScoop · 2026-05-15
I thought my backyard had too much light pollution for astrophotography. This telescope proved me wrong
Space.com · 2026-05-15
Curiosity Shakes Loose a Pesky Rock
NASA · 2026-05-15
Avio CEO: Europe should invest in current rockets to meet surging demand instead of years-long work on startups
Space Intel Report · 2026-05-15
UAP? In this case, it’s only a model.
The Planetary Society · 2026-05-15
Rocket Report: Cowboy up for data centers in LEO; Russia's new ICBM actually works
Ars Technica Space · 2026-05-15
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Published by the SpaceNexus Intelligence Team using data from NASA, NOAA, SEC, CelesTrak, SAM.gov, and 50+ additional sources.