Space technology, explained
Deep dives into the technologies behind the space economy, and the startups building them.
How much junk is in orbit, how it got there, who tracks it, and why nobody has yet removed a single piece of real debris.
The state of space startups in 2026We listed 106 space startups in 2019. In 2026 we checked each one against the public record to see which are active, bought, public or dead.
How do you start a space company? What 30 founders told usWe reread every founder interview on Space Bandits and pulled out what they said about starting: the idea, the first money, the team, and what took longer.
How many space companies are there?Nobody keeps a full count. Here are the counts that exist, what each one measures, and how many companies have reached orbit on a rocket they built.
What is a reusable rocket and how close are we to full reuse?Most rockets fly once. Here is why landing and reflying them matters, who has done it, why it is hard, and how far the companies working on it have got.
What is satellite refuelling and how close are we to solving it?Most satellites are retired when their fuel runs out. Here is why refuelling them in orbit is hard, what has been tried, and how far each company has got.
What are commercial space stations and can they replace the ISS?How space stations work, who has paid to visit one, and where the companies building the ISS's commercial successors stand before it retires around 2030.
What is inside a satellite and how is satellite manufacturing changing?What a satellite is made of, how long it lasts, why some are getting bigger again, and how K2 Space plans to mass-produce large satellites.
What is ISRU and how can it help humanity explore the solar system?What ISRU is, what the Moon and Mars could supply, what has been tested so far, and which companies are working on it.
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