space manufacturing

Oklahoma is drawing attention for its push to grow as an aerospace hub, building on its existing aviation industry and air cargo infrastructure. The state has long hosted major maintenance and manufacturing operations, and officials are now positioning it for a larger role in the national aerospace and space economy. Coverage focuses on the state's ambitions to attract investment and jobs.

A Ukrainian space startup is working with Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace to test a satellite intended for a future communications network. The project points to Ukraine's growing space sector and interest in building connectivity infrastructure amid the ongoing war. Few further details about the satellite's capabilities or launch timeline have been released so far.

A unit of Paras Defence and Space Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a semiconductor facility valued at ₹6,200 crore. The deal signals the company's expansion into chip manufacturing, aligning with India's broader push to build a domestic semiconductor industry. Details on the partner, location and timeline have not yet been disclosed.

Blue Origin says it has launched Earth's first space manufacturing apprenticeship program, aiming to train workers in skills needed to build hardware and infrastructure for off-Earth industry. The announcement positions the company to grow a specialized workforce as commercial spaceflight expands, though details on partners, curriculum, and enrollment have not yet been made public.

Manufacturing Dive reports on how factories can be designed and adapted to accommodate workers with disabilities. The coverage outlines practical approaches manufacturers can take to make production floors accessible, including layout, equipment and workflow adjustments, as employers face labor shortages and look to widen their hiring pools.

A planned aerospace merger around the project Bromo is meant to create a European satellite giant and secure the continent's independence in space. The plan now faces resistance: EU competition authorities in Brussels are examining the deal, and German rival OHB has raised objections. Critics question whether combining Europe's satellite manufacturers into one champion truly strengthens European autonomy or simply narrows competition. The dispute is drawing attention to how Europe balances industrial scale against a competitive supplier landscape in space.

Space startup Rendezvous Robotics has raised $20 million to develop spacecraft capable of self-assembly in orbit, according to an exclusive report by space industry outlet Payload. The funding will support the company's work on modular structures that can assemble themselves in space, an emerging concept aimed at building larger infrastructure than single launches allow.

Deeptech startup MuRay has raised €7.1m in new funding to develop technology that can see inside rocket engines. The round was reported exclusively by Sifted. The imaging capability targets quality inspection for aerospace manufacturers, a growing need as rocket launch activity and engine production scale up across Europe and beyond. The report gave no details on the investors leading the round.

Space manufacturing — producing materials, components and products in orbit rather than on Earth — is being framed as a new industrial paradigm. Discussions highlight how falling launch costs and growing commercial interest could shift heavy or delicate production, such as fibre optics, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, off the planet. Commenters are weighing the economic promise against questions of regulation, sustainability and space debris.

Satellite manufacturers are warning that stop-start government funding cycles are preventing the industry from achieving high-rate production. Executives argue that predictable, sustained procurement budgets are essential to build the factory capacity and supply chains needed to produce satellites at scale, and that repeated funding pauses force costly slowdowns and workforce disruptions.

The European Space Agency is funding a drone manufacturer backed by Ondas Holdings to develop navigation that works for 10 minutes without GPS. The project targets flight in environments where satellite signals are jammed or unavailable, a growing concern for both military and civilian drone operations. Interest is focused on what the funding signals for GPS-denied navigation technology in Europe's drone sector.

A startup backed by Toyota plans to launch spacecraft capable of assembling themselves in orbit. The self-building technology could reduce launch costs and enable larger structures in space without complex manual assembly. Details on the mission timeline and the company's identity remain limited, but the project has drawn attention as an example of automakers expanding into space technology ventures.

Formula 1 is set for a major technical shift in the 2030s, with new V8 engines planned to replace the current hybrid power units. Officials have teased the change with the phrase 'watch this space', suggesting further announcements are coming. The news is drawing attention from fans and motorsport analysts debating what the louder, simpler engines will mean for racing, manufacturers and the sport's sustainability commitments.

Private equity firm OceanSound Partners has made an investment in Iris Technology, a US manufacturer of radiation-hardened electronics used in satellites and spacecraft. The deal gives the specialist components maker new backing as demand grows for resilient hardware in defense and commercial space programs, and highlights continued investor interest in the space supply chain.

AI-focused startups are reportedly looking beyond San Francisco as competition for space suited to AI manufacturing intensifies. According to a report by CoStar, companies seeking facilities for AI-related production are exploring alternative locations, putting pressure on traditional tech hubs and drawing attention to other regions that could capture the growing demand for manufacturing space.

Italian glass machinery association GIMAV has unveiled Glass4Space, a new initiative aimed at extending the glass industry's expertise into the aerospace sector. The announcement was made ahead of glasstec 2026, the international trade fair for glass production and processing, signalling a push to position glass technology suppliers in space-related applications and markets.

A startup is working on building factories in space, an idea that would allow manufacturing in microgravity conditions not possible on Earth. The story was highlighted by UK Research and Innovation, drawing attention to the emerging field of orbital manufacturing and the companies trying to make space-based industry commercially viable.

xMEMS has begun mass production of its solid-state cooling chips, which are designed to manage heat in AI-powered devices such as smartphones and other compact electronics. The move moves the thin, silicon-based cooling technology from development into commercial manufacturing, positioning it as an alternative to traditional fan or liquid cooling in space-constrained hardware.