Russia tries to jam Starlink to counter Ukraine’s long-range drones

Bezos's Blue Origin takes outside money at $130bn

Blue Origin is raising approximately $10 billion in its first-ever outside funding round, valuing Jeff Bezos's rocket company at $130 billion. Bezos himself is contributing $2 billion, hedge fund Coatue Management is set to add $4 billion, and strong demand exists for the remaining $4 billion. The move ends Bezos's 25-year practice of self-funding the company through Amazon stock sales. The timing follows SpaceX's record-breaking IPO, which made Elon Musk a trillionaire, reigniting the rivalry between the two space ventures. Blue Origin still lags SpaceX in launch cadence and has yet to successfully recover its New Glenn rocket's first stage.

Starlink lines up a frontal assault on mobile operators

SpaceX dự định ra mắt dịch vụ Starlink di động tại Mỹ, cạnh tranh trực tiếp với các nhà mạng lớn như Verizon, AT&T và T-Mobile. Với việc mua lại giấy phép phổ tần từ EchoStar trị giá 19,6 tỷ USD và quan hệ đối tác sẵn có với T-Mobile, Starlink có thể làm xáo trộn ngành viễn thông 1,6 nghìn tỷ USD của Mỹ.

Lập trình viên nên đọc bài này để hiểu cách công nghệ vệ tinh thấp quỹ đạo (LEO) như Starlink có thể thay đổi mô hình kinh doanh truyền thống của ngành viễn thông, tạo ra những cơ hội mới cho phát triển phần mềm và giải pháp kết nối di động hiệu quả hơn.

Amazon Leo has enough satellites to take on Starlink

Chòm vệ tinh Leo của Amazon đã đạt 396 vệ tinh hoạt động sau lần phóng 29 vệ tinh vào tháng 7, đủ điều kiện cung cấp dịch vụ internet thương mại sơ khai từ 2026, nhưng chỉ giới hạn ở vĩ độ trung bình. Dù vậy, Amazon vẫn tụt hậu xa so với Starlink (10.000 vệ tinh, 10 triệu thuê bao) do các tên lửa triển khai (New Glenn, Vulcan) chưa sẵn sàng. Ngoài ra, việc mua lại Globalstar trị giá 11,6 tỷ USD giúp Amazon cạnh tranh với Starlink trong dịch vụ kết nối trực tiếp thiết bị (như iPhone) từ 2028.

Những thông tin về chiến lược cạnh tranh của Amazon trong lĩnh vực vệ tinh internet và các hợp tác mới sẽ giúp bạn hiểu rõ hơn về tương lai của công nghệ vệ tinh, từ đó có thể dự đoán xu hướng phát triển công nghệ viễn thông và ứng dụng mới trong tương lai.

Meta, like SpaceX, looks to turn excess AI compute into cash

Meta is reportedly developing a cloud infrastructure business called Meta Compute to monetize excess AI compute capacity and models, following a similar move by SpaceX's xAI. The initiative would compete directly with AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. Meta has committed $182.9 billion to AI infrastructure, including massive data center projects in Louisiana and Ohio, but has yet to generate significant standalone revenue from its AI products like Meta AI or Llama. The new business may sell raw compute capacity similar to CoreWeave, as well as hosted model access similar to AWS, including its recently launched closed-weight model Muse Spark.

SpaceX reportedly showed investors an AI device prototype, Musk says the report is false

The Wall Street Journal reports that SpaceX showed investors a slim, handset-like AI device prototype running a proprietary OS, xAI technology, and Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. Elon Musk denied the report as "utterly false" on X. The device would align with SpaceX's broader wireless ambitions, including plans to sell Starlink phone service directly to US consumers after acquiring EchoStar's wireless spectrum. If real, SpaceX would compete with OpenAI's AI smartphone project (featuring Jony Ive and targeting 2028 mass production). The AI hardware space has a troubled history — Humane's AI Pin and Rabbit R1 both failed — though SpaceX has more manufacturing credibility via Tesla. Musk's denial leaves the situation unresolved: either WSJ's sources are wrong, or SpaceX is walking back a project it recently pitched to investors.

SpaceX’s Starpipe: a gas pipeline for Starship

SpaceX is planning to build an 8-mile natural gas pipeline called Starpipe from the Port of Brownsville to its Starbase facility in Texas. The pipeline would replace the current truck-convoy fuel delivery system, which cannot support the high launch cadence Elon Musk envisions. Starship burns roughly 630,000 gallons of liquid methane per launch, requiring hundreds of tanker trucks today. Beyond the pipeline, SpaceX has signed over 100 oil and gas leases in Texas since 2023 and is exploring its own gas drilling, with plans for an on-site liquefaction plant at Starbase. The 16-inch diameter of Starpipe implies fuel demand far exceeding the FAA's current 25-launches-per-year cap, signaling SpaceX's long-term ambitions for Starlink, AI satellites, and Mars missions.

Rocket Lab buys Iridium for $8bn in a bet to become a smaller Starlink

Rocket Lab has agreed to acquire Iridium Communications for approximately $8bn in a cash-and-stock deal, paying $54 per share. The acquisition gives Rocket Lab access to Iridium's global low-Earth-orbit constellation, valuable L-band spectrum, and an established customer base spanning government, maritime, aviation, and emergency response sectors. The strategic rationale mirrors SpaceX's Starlink model: vertical integration from launch to satellite operations to end customers. Iridium's direct-to-device capabilities are seen as increasingly critical for US national security and emergency response. The deal is expected to close in mid-2027, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals. Rocket Lab reported record Q1 2026 revenue of $200m, up 64%, providing momentum for the move, though integration risks and a cautious space investment climate remain significant challenges.