Space Tech Roundup: Inversion Space Raises $44M, Blue Origin's New Glenn Flies Again, and SpaceX Achieves Critical Milestone

Jordan Vega

Jordan Vega

November 26, 2024 · 3 min read
Space Tech Roundup: Inversion Space Raises $44M, Blue Origin's New Glenn Flies Again, and SpaceX Achieves Critical Milestone

In the latest developments in the space technology sector, several companies have made significant strides, securing funding, achieving critical milestones, and pushing the boundaries of innovation. In this roundup, we'll cover Inversion Space's $44 million Series A, Blue Origin's New Glenn suborbital vehicle, and SpaceX's Starship rocket milestone.

Inversion Space, a company focused on developing an ultra-precise orbit-to-Earth cargo delivery service, has raised $44 million in its Series A funding round. The company's technology has garnered attention from the Department of Defense (DOD) for its potential military applications, making this funding injection a significant step forward for the startup.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin has successfully flown its New Glenn suborbital vehicle twice in a span of just one month. The most recent flight, which took place on Friday, featured engineer, science TV host, and former TechCrunch contributing writer Emily Calandrelli on board. This achievement demonstrates Blue Origin's progress in developing its suborbital launch capabilities.

SpaceX, on the other hand, has achieved a critical milestone with its Starship rocket. During its sixth flight test, the upper stage of the rocket briefly reignited one of its six Raptor engines while traveling halfway around the world. This capability is crucial for SpaceX's plans to test flying the upper stage on a full loop around the world and returning it to the launch site, where it can eventually be rapidly refurbished and reused.

In an exclusive interview, Raven Space Systems co-founder and CEO Blake Herren discussed the startup's innovative 3D printing process for commercial, off-the-shelf thermoset composite components. These components are widely used in aerospace and defense applications, including reentry vehicles and hypersonics. Herren emphasized that Raven's technology is "unlocking an entire field of 3D printing to production scale" by automating the near net shape production of these components.

As the space industry continues to evolve, these developments highlight the rapid progress being made in various areas, from cargo delivery to suborbital launches and reusable rockets. With startups like Inversion Space and Raven Space Systems pushing the boundaries of innovation, the future of space technology looks brighter than ever.

In a historical note, this week marks the 49th anniversary of the first astronauts celebrating Thanksgiving in space, which took place in 1973. Since then, there have been several dozen Thanksgiving meals shared on the International Space Station, featuring familiar dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese, albeit in a freeze-dried form.

Stay tuned for more updates from the world of space technology, and don't hesitate to reach out with tips or insights to aria.techcrunch@gmail.com or tips@techcrunch.com.

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