The Monday brief Nov 9, 2026
In the week to November 9, 2026, six orbital launches flew, $37.6M across seven awards reached the federal record, seven new solicitations were posted, and seven launches are scheduled for the coming week.
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The opportunity
NASA Kennedy asks industry about launch services
NASA Kennedy Space Center posted a Sources Sought notice, Multi-Mission Commercial Launch Services (MCLS) Request for Information, closing November 17. Its description says NASA's Commercial Access to Space Program and Launch Services Program Office (LSP) are seeking statements of interest from industry demonstrating the interest, experience, and capability to provide launch.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center posted a Sources Sought notice for the Geostationary extReme UltraViolet Imager (GRUVI), closing December 3. A Special Notice, RFI: Industry Interest in Use of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Test Facilities and Capabilities, closes December 7.
The company move
CesiumAstro reports a $730M funding raise
A story dated November 6 reports that CesiumAstro Raises $730M, Reaches Valuation Above $4.5B. Our news desk also carries two other items from the week. A story dated November 5 reports that OHB Awarded €554 Million Contract for Next-Gen Sentinel-3 Satellite. From November 2, a story reports that Northwood Space Raises $375M Series C at $2B Valuation. Each of these is a separate entry, filed on its own date.
The money
Engine deal, satellite fix, Series D reported
A story dated November 7 reports that AST SpaceMobile unveils $1.3 billion engine deal with Firefly Aerospace to power new heavy-lift rocket. Sources are cited in a story dated November 6 reporting that Key Space Force satellites can’t talk to each other, likely requiring $1B solution. Another story dated November 6 reports that CesiumAstro Secures $730 Million in Janus Henderson-Led Series D at a Valuation Above $4.5 Billion.
Separately, $37.6M was committed across 7 awards that reached the federal record this week.
The launch record
Six launches flew and Starship moved earlier
Six orbital launches flew in the week. Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-432 flew on November 7 with status Launch Successful, and Electron | The Sea God Surveys (iQPS Launch 9) flew on November 2 with the same status. On schedule movement logged November 6, Starship | Starlink Group 31-2 (Starship Flight 15) moved 17 days earlier. Seven launches are scheduled in the coming week.
The week in numbers
Watch this week
- SpaceX is scheduled to fly Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-627 on November 10.Nov 10, 2026
- Hearings on November 10 are to examine the nominations of Leslie Becera, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Danielle Thumann Severs, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission, and Joshua Shoemaker, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, and Robert Steinau, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, both of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.Nov 10, 2026
- Mir | Demo Flight, from the Agency for Defense Development, is scheduled for November 11.Nov 11, 2026
- Long March 2D | Unknown Payload, from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, is scheduled for November 11.Nov 11, 2026
- The Sources Sought notice Spacecraft Electrical Power Systems (Pre-RFI Market Research) closes November 13.Nov 13, 2026
Evidence cutoff Nov 8, 14:33 UTC. Figures stay as published; the site's rolling totals move daily. Written each week from the site's own record of the previous seven days. Every number and name in it is machine-checked against that record before a person reads it, an outside model then tries to refute it, and a person approves it before it appears here. Every claim links to the page that holds its evidence.