SpaceTech Sector Newsletter - July 2026

Summary by AI BETAClose X

Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC's July 2026 newsletter highlights significant portfolio activity, including follow-on investments in Pixxel and Zeno Power from its C share issue proceeds, and updates on portfolio companies like ICEYE, which expanded its European presence and disaster monitoring capabilities. HawkEye 360 secured new defense contracts and demonstrated commercial RF intelligence, while D-Orbit was selected for Japanese government-backed satellite missions. Xona launched an ecosystem program for its LEO GPS technology, and Voyager Technologies secured a $250 million credit facility and a multi-million dollar AI contract. The broader SpaceTech market saw strong investment, with space startups raising approximately $7.5 billion in Q2 2026, and significant developments from companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX.

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Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC
05 August 2026
 

SERAPHIM SPACE INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
(the "Company" or "SSIT")

SpaceTech Sector Newsletter - July 2026

Science fiction to science fact

Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (LSE: SSIT), the world's first listed SpaceTech investment company, publishes its monthly RNS Reach newsletter to provide updates, based on publicly available information, on the Company's portfolio investments, its Manager (Seraphim Space Manager LLP (the "Manager" or "Seraphim Space")) and the wider SpaceTech market. The following newsletter covers July 2026. 

Portfolio Update

Unless otherwise indicated, investments are held in ordinary share portfolio.

Initial C share investments announced

SSIT announced a significant follow-on investment in existing ordinary share portfolio company Pixxel, alongside an investment in another existing ordinary share portfolio company Zeno Power, with both transactions commencing the deployment of proceeds from the C share issue completed in May 2026. Pixxel is developing a next-generation hyperspectral Earth observation constellation, while Zeno is developing long-duration radioisotope power systems for space and other remote, energy-constrained environments. SSIT continues to make good progress across several other attractive investment opportunities and remains on track to meet its objective of enabling a partial conversion of the C shares into ordinary shares by the end of the current quarter. [Read more]

ICEYE expands sovereign intelligence footprint across Europe while growing global disaster monitoring capabilities

ICEYE established ICEYE Portugal, opening a new centre of excellence in Lisbon focused on software development, artificial intelligence and systems integration. The operation will support Portugal's growing sovereign space capability and defence partnerships. [Read more]

In addition, the company formally launched ICEYE Germany, with offices in Berlin and Munich, appointing Philipp Herkelmann as CEO. The business will manufacture satellite components and develop software and artificial intelligence capabilities, while deepening cooperation with Rheinmetall through their joint venture, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions. [Read more]

Beyond Europe, ICEYE expanded its wildfire intelligence offering into Canada, extending near real-time wildfire monitoring and building-level damage assessment capabilities into one of the world's most wildfire-exposed countries. [Read more]

Finally, ICEYE partnered with KT SAT to deploy flood monitoring services in South Korea. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) uses radar rather than visible light, enabling satellites to capture imagery through cloud cover and at night. The agreement marks the first deployment of ICEYE Solutions in the country and will provide government agencies with near real-time flood intelligence derived from ICEYE's SAR satellite constellation. [Read more]

HawkEye 360 secures new defence contracts and demonstrates commercial radio frequency intelligence capabilities

HawkEye 360 (NYSE: HAWK) secured a multi-year contract to provide Radio Frequency (RF) intelligence and analytics to the Indian Navy and regional partners under a broader Indo-Pacific maritime domain awareness initiative. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) refers to the coordinated collection and analysis of information to support military or government decision-making. [Read more]

HawkEye 360 also demonstrated commercial RF intelligence capabilities during the Valiant Shield 2026 military exercise alongside Lockheed Martin, integrating satellite-collected RF data into tactical command-and-control systems to support target tracking and situational awareness. [Read more]

In addition, the company successfully geolocated an environmental data transmitter interfering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite weather satellite system, helping restore valuable spectrum capacity used by hundreds of environmental monitoring organisations worldwide. [Read more]

D-Orbit selected by ArkEdge Space for Japanese government-backed satellite demonstration missions

Japanese satellite developer ArkEdge Space selected D-Orbit to provide launch deployment and orbital transportation services for multiple demonstration satellites scheduled to launch from 2027 onwards. The programme will validate maritime communications, satellite Internet of Things and RF sensing technologies under a Japanese government-backed research initiative. D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier will provide orbital transportation and deployment services for the missions. [Read more]

Xona launches ecosystem programme to accelerate adoption of Low Earth Orbit GPS navigation technology

Xona launched Pulsar Verified, an ecosystem programme designed to accelerate adoption of its Low Earth Orbit GPS technology by enabling chipset manufacturers, device makers and testing partners to validate compatibility with its navigation signals ahead of commercial deployment. Founding partners include Trimble, Septentrio, STMicroelectronics, Safran, StarNav and Keysight. [Read more]

Voyager Technologies secures $250m credit facility while expanding defence, artificial intelligence and research activities

Voyager Technologies (NYSE: VOYG) closed an upsized $250m credit facility led by J.P. Morgan, providing additional liquidity to support its space, defence and national security activities. [Read more]

In addition, Voyager was awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to deliver an agentic artificial intelligence platform for spectrum operations. The company says the platform will support the full lifecycle of autonomous systems operations, from mission planning and execution to data management and exploitation. [Read more]

Voyager also expanded its Voyager Institute for Space, Technology and Advancement ecosystem through partnerships with Pennsylvania State University and healthcare provider Geisinger. The collaborations will support research spanning national security technologies, in-space manufacturing and microgravity-enabled life sciences. [Read more - Penn State | Read more - Geisinger]

Skylo completes direct-to-device messaging tests in the UAE ahead of commercial rollout

Skylo Technologies and Space42 (ADX: SPACE42) successfully tested direct-to-device (D2D) Short Message Service (SMS) and SOS messaging between standard Android devices over the Thuraya-4 satellite network. The trial validated two-way communications without additional hardware using a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant non-terrestrial network. Commercial rollout is expected later this year, subject to regulatory approvals. [Read more]

AST SpaceMobile advances constellation deployment, raises $1bn and expands direct-to-device testing

AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) announced that BlueBird satellites 11, 12 and 13 are scheduled to launch on 5 August 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellites will expand the company's direct-to-device cellular broadband network and support future commercial and government services. [Read more]

The company also priced a $1bn offering of convertible senior notes due 2034. AST SpaceMobile said the proceeds will support growth initiatives, additional access to launch capacity and potential strategic transactions. [Read more]

Vodafone Ireland successfully completed a mission-critical communications test using AST SpaceMobile's satellite network through the Satellite Connect Europe joint venture. [Read more]

SpaceTech Sector News

Blue Origin reportedly seeks first external funding at $130bn valuation

Blue Origin is reportedly raising around $10bn in its first external funding round, valuing the company at approximately $130bn. The fundraising would mark a significant shift for the company, which has historically been funded by founder Jeff Bezos, and comes as Blue Origin looks to expand its position in launch, lunar exploration and satellite communications markets. [Read more]

SpaceX deploys latest Starlink V3 satellites as Starship Flight 13 advances development

SpaceX successfully completed Starship Flight 13 on 24 July 2026, deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites before conducting what the company described as its "softest splashdown" to date in the Indian Ocean. The mission also demonstrated improved re-entry and heat shield performance, marking another step in the transition of Starship from a development programme towards operational launch infrastructure capable of supporting the large-scale deployment of SpaceX's next-generation Starlink network. [Read more]

Space investment remains near record levels in Q2 2026

Space startups raised approximately $7.5bn across 141 venture deals during the second quarter of 2026, according to Seraphim Space research reported by Reuters. The report found that investment remained close to record levels, with SpaceX's IPO helping to broaden investor interest beyond specialist space funds and sustain strong funding activity across launch, satellite and defence technology companies. [Read more]

Media

Podcasts/interviews

Mark Boggett on Investors' Chronicle Podcast: Seraphim Space's CEO discussed the investment opportunity emerging across the SpaceTech sector. [Watch here]

Q2 Seraphim Space Index Webinar: Investment Associate Lucas Bishop and Head of Marketing Leah Martin discussed the key findings from the Q2 2026 Seraphim Space Index, including fundraising activity, investment trends and developments across the global SpaceTech sector. [Watch here]

Conferences

Economic Development Council Annual Conference: Alexander Holt, Seraphim Space Enterprise Managing Director, will be attending and speaking 16 August 2026 in Florida. [Learn more]

Curation Connect - explore SSIT: SSIT is featured on Curation Connect, a platform offering investors insights into SSIT's portfolio, growth strategy and position within the global SpaceTech market. The profile showcases SSIT's investment thesis, highlighting its solid foundations and role in the rapidly evolving space economy. [Learn more]

Find out where to meet and hear from Seraphim Space's team by following its social media, LinkedIn / Twitter.

Sign up to receive Seraphim Space's monthly newsletter directly to your inbox. [Sign up]

Neither the Company's website nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks in it or in this newsletter (or any other website) is (or is deemed to be) incorporated into, or forms (or is deemed to form) part of, this newsletter.

- Ends -

Media Enquiries

Seraphim Space Manager LLP (via SEC Newgate)


Mark Boggett, CEO / James Bruegger, CIO / Rob Desborough

 

SEC Newgate (Communications advisers)

seraphim@secnewgate.co.uk

Emma Kane / Clotilde Gros / George Esmond

+44 (0) 20 3757 6767

Deutsche Numis

 

Nathan Brown / Vicki Paine

+44 (0) 20 7545 8000

J.P. Morgan Cazenove

 

William Simmonds / Rupert Budge

+44 (0) 20 7742 4000

Ocorian Administration (UK) Limited

seraphimteam@ocorian.com

Lorna Zimny

+44 (0) 28 9078 5880

Notes to Editors

About Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc

Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (the "Company") is the world's first listed fund focused on SpaceTech. The Company seeks exposure predominantly to early and growth stage private financed SpaceTech businesses that have the potential to dominate globally and that are sector leaders with first mover advantages in areas such as climate, communications, mobility and cyber security.

The Company is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Further information is available at: https://investors.seraphim.vc.

About Seraphim Space Manager LLP

Seraphim Space Manager LLP ("Seraphim Space" or the "Manager") is based in the UK and manages Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc and Seraphim Space Ventures II LP.

Further information is available at www.seraphim.vc.

About Seraphim Space Accelerator Ltd

Seraphim Space Accelerator Ltd, an affiliate of Seraphim Space Manager LLP based in the UK, established the Seraphim Space Accelerator in 2018 and has developed it to become the world-leading VC-led accelerator with a focus on SpaceTech. The accelerator programme brings in-depth industry expertise to get Seed and Pre-Series A SpaceTech companies 'investment ready' while facilitating relationships with some of the world's leading Space corporates and agencies.

Further information is available at www.seraphim.vc.

About Generation Space LLC

Generation Space LLC is the US subsidiary of Seraphim Space Manager LLP and is responsible for its US activities. Generation Space LLC is an affiliate of Seraphim Space Camp Accelerator Ltd and is responsible for delivery of the US Generation Space Accelerator.

Further information is available at www.generation.space.

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