# satellite internet
Latest news and articles about satellite internet
Total: 8 articles found
Musk’s SpaceX–xAI Tie-Up Pushes His Net Worth Past the $800bn Mark — and Raises Strategic Stakes
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI have merged in a deal that Forbes estimates added roughly $84 billion to his net worth, pushing him past the $800 billion threshold to a record level around $852 billion. The combined company is being valued privately at about $1.25 trillion, with Musk holding an estimated 43% stake, and is preparing for an eventual IPO and index inclusion that could unlock significant liquidity.
SpaceX to Absorb xAI — Musk Bets on Marrying Artificial Intelligence with Orbital Infrastructure
SpaceX has announced the acquisition of Elon Musk’s AI company xAI, signaling an intention to integrate advanced AI capabilities with the Starlink satellite network. The deal could reshape competition between cloud and AI incumbents while raising regulatory and security questions about data, export controls and dual-use applications.
China’s Commercial Space Race Eyes 2026 as the Year of Reusable Rockets
At a Beijing forum, chief engineers from three leading Chinese commercial space firms unveiled competing plans to prove reusable rocket technology in 2026. Their strategies differ—batch production and engine upgrades, large kerolox modular rockets, and a dual small/large vehicle path—yet all target lower costs and higher cadence to serve satellite‑internet constellations.
LandSpace Plans 2026 Push to Validate Zhuque-3 First‑Stage Reuse Across Flight Data, Recovery Tests and Routine Operations
LandSpace will pursue a three‑pronged 2026 programme to validate first‑stage recovery and reuse for its Zhuque‑3 rocket: flight‑data analysis on re‑entry aerothermal and structural issues, another recovery flight test tied to constellation launches, and work to normalise post‑recovery maintenance and reliability. Success would advance China’s private space sector toward higher cadence, lower‑cost launches, but scaling reuse into routine operations remains the critical challenge.
China’s Low‑Orbit Internet Accelerates: From Drone Firefighting to Phone‑to‑Satellite Ambitions
Chinese commercial space firms are moving fast from tests to scaled deployments of low‑Earth‑orbit internet constellations. Trials combining satellites with drones, cars and experimental phone‑direct links demonstrate practical applications for disaster response, logistics and ubiquitous connectivity, while mass manufacture and falling component costs point to broader commercialisation by 2030.
Loss‑making Satellite Internet Firm Bets 2.8bn RMB on Rocket Factory and Radar Constellation to Scale Launch Capacity to 20 Rockets a Year
Hangtian Hongtu has signed a 2.8 billion yuan aerospace project in Suzhou, Anhui, to build a LOX‑methane rocket manufacturing base and a compute‑enabled radar satellite constellation, aiming for an eventual annual output of 20 rockets. The expansion comes as the company endures multi‑year losses and seeks international contracts, highlighting both the industrialisation of China's commercial space sector and the financial risks of rapid scaling.
Chinese Researchers Solve Long-Standing GaN Chip Cooling Problem, Boost RF Power by Up to 40%
Researchers at Xi'an Electronic and Technology University report an AlN thin‑film technique that converts islanded interfacial contacts into atomically flat layers, boosting GaN RF device power density to record levels. The improvement — claimed at 30–40 percent over peers — could extend radar and communications range and reduce energy use, though commercial scaling and independent validation remain pending.
Musk and Ryanair’s O'Leary Trade Insults Over Starlink Fit — A Fight That Reveals Bigger Stakes in In‑Flight Connectivity
A public row between Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary over installing Starlink terminals highlights a deeper commercial debate about the fuel, certification and cost implications of outfitting aircraft with LEO satellite antennas. The argument exposes the bargaining tensions between a tech provider eager to scale aviation customers and a cost‑focused low‑cost carrier wary of any operational penalties.