State of Space
August 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
23
Total Launches
+35% vs last month
0
Successful
0%
Success Rate
8
Upcoming (30d)
23 orbital launches were attempted this month with a 0% success rate. Launch cadence increased 35% compared to the prior month. 8 launches are on the manifest for the next 30 days.
Notable Launches
Long March 2C | Satellite for Earth Observation (SEO)
2026-08-17 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 2C
Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-366
2026-08-16 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Total Solar Eclipse in Europe
2026-08-12
H3-22 | Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)
2026-08-10 · Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · H3-22
Electron | The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7)
2026-08-06 · Rocket Lab · Electron
Upcoming Launches
US EVA-97
2026-08-18
Zhuque-3 | Flight 2
2026-08-18 · LandSpace · Zhuque-3
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-50
2026-08-19 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-39
2026-08-20 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-20
2026-08-22 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Long March 5 | Chang'e 7
2026-08-24 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 5
US EVA-98
2026-08-25
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-49
2026-08-25 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Funding & Investment
Section 2
$2.1B
Total Raised
-80% vs last month
6
Deals Closed
$344M
Avg Deal Size
manufacturing
Top Sector
$1.4B
Space companies raised $2.1B across 6 deals this month. Investment pulled back 80% from the prior period. manufacturing led sector funding with $1.4B.
Top Deals
| Company | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hadrian | $1.4B |
| K2 Space | $500M |
| BlackSky | $150M |
| Neuraspace | $18M |
| Orienspace | $15M |
Market Movers
Section 3
20
Public Companies Tracked
$1354.4B
Combined Market Cap
LUNR +8.3%
Top Gainer
N/A
Biggest Decliner
20 publicly traded space companies are tracked with a combined market capitalization of $1354.4B. Intuitive Machines (LUNR) led gains at +8.3%.
Movers & Shakers
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
James Webb spotted a bizarre object just 660 million years after the Big Bang that looks like an enormous star but shines with roughly 100 billion Suns’ worth of energy — because hidden inside its star-like cocoon is an accreting black hole, rather than a core powered by nuclear fusion.
SpaceDaily · 2026-08-17
What’s Happening in Space Policy August 16-30, 2026
SpacePolicyOnline.com · 2026-08-16
NASAWatch on DW: Ukraine Attacks On Russian Space Infrastructure
NASA Watch · 2026-08-16
The Impact Of War On Russian Space Activities
NASA Watch · 2026-08-16
Six government employees drive into a Seoul neighbourhood at night to find children who are still studying, and stop them — South Korea even paid bounties to citizens who reported the cram schools
SpaceDaily · 2026-08-15
Technology Milestones
Section 5
0
Major Milestones
4
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.
Notable Headlines
NASA Data Helps Commercial Space Plan Living Off Our Moon
NASA Technology · 2026-08-12
NASA Completes Astronaut-Deployed Science Instrument for Lunar Surface
NASA Technology · 2026-08-11
NASA Delivers Navigation System for Commercial Lunar Relay
NASA Technology · 2026-08-03
NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Discovers Field of Honeycomb Textures
NASA Technology · 2026-07-29
Month Ahead
Section 6
10
Scheduled Launches
0
Key Events
Looking ahead: 10 launches are scheduled over the next 30 days. Next up: US EVA-97 (2026-08-18). Key themes to watch include commercial crew rotations, constellation deployment cadence, and defense procurement timelines.
Upcoming Launches
US EVA-97
2026-08-18
Zhuque-3 | Flight 2
2026-08-18 · LandSpace · Zhuque-3
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-50
2026-08-19 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-39
2026-08-20 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-20
2026-08-22 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Long March 5 | Chang'e 7
2026-08-24 · China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 5
US EVA-98
2026-08-25
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-49
2026-08-25 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-22
2026-08-25 · SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5
Ariane 62 | MTG-I2
2026-08-27 · Arianespace · Ariane 62
Industry Pulse
Section 7
2658
News Articles Tracked
318
Companies Monitored
50+
Data Sources
30+
Automated Pipelines
SpaceNexus tracked 2658 industry news articles and monitored 318 companies this month across 50+ data sources including NASA, NOAA, SEC, CelesTrak, and SAM.gov.
Notable Headlines
NASA Just Found a Clever Way To Keep Voyager 2 Alive in Deep Space
SciTechDaily Space · 2026-08-17
What Can We Actually Find on an Exoplanet? Part 1: The Atmospheric Fingerprint
Universe Today · 2026-08-17
Blue Origin adding second pad to Cape Canaveral launch complex amid rocket explosion repairs
Space.com · 2026-08-17
'This is unprecedented': Why the Pentagon's recent UFO file releases are so important
Space.com · 2026-08-17
Long March 12 launches despite recent 7A failure, Long March 2C launches satellite for UAE
SpaceNews · 2026-08-17
A pop-up tag on a pregnant porbeagle shark kept reporting for four days after it stopped moving like a shark — rising and falling through the water at a constant 22°C, five degrees warmer than the sea, from inside whatever had swallowed it
SpaceDaily · 2026-08-17
James Webb spotted a bizarre object just 660 million years after the Big Bang that looks like an enormous star but shines with roughly 100 billion Suns’ worth of energy — because hidden inside its star-like cocoon is an accreting black hole, rather than a core powered by nuclear fusion.
SpaceDaily · 2026-08-17
A trail camera in British Columbia recorded a wild wolf swimming out to a buoy and hauling a fully submerged crab trap up the beach by its rope, then working the bait cup open — three minutes of footage no wild canid had ever been filmed doing
SpaceDaily · 2026-08-17
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Published by the SpaceNexus Intelligence Team using data from NASA, NOAA, SEC, CelesTrak, SAM.gov, and 50+ additional sources.