The global space economy holds firm on its way to the trillion-dollar mark: with the market already above USD 620 billion, this week combined signals from every front the industry cares about. There was satellite progress in Argentina, new investment rounds in the sector, another milestone for Starship and the arrival of artificial intelligence in orbit as the next great technological battleground. Here are the most relevant stories of the past seven days.
1. Argentina moves forward with SABIA-Mar, its next ocean observation satellite
The SABIA-Mar satellite, developed by CONAE under the National Secretariat for Innovation, Science and Technology, completed its manufacturing stage and began final testing ahead of shipment to the launch site, scheduled for the first half of 2027. Originally conceived to study the sea and coastal areas, it incorporated a payload upgrade that widens its capabilities: it will carry optical sensors to detect phytoplankton (key for fisheries), coastal water quality data and surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone in the South Atlantic. INVAP is the prime contractor and VENG contributes technological and industrial capabilities. Secretary Darío Genua stressed that the satellite will now also provide «strategic services» for security and productive development.
Source: Canal 26
2. From space to Vaca Muerta: VENG diversifies into energy and mining
VENG S.A., the Argentine aerospace company that took part in NASA's Artemis II mission with the ATENEA microsatellite, is advancing its diversification into the energy sector. It developed an intelligent electronic system for selective detonation in hydraulic fracturing, with real-time control and telemetry, already used by pioneering operators in Vaca Muerta. In parallel, it is working on satellite data processing tools for monitoring energy infrastructure and asset traceability in Oil & Gas and mining. The company has around 380 employees, 70% of them engineers and technicians, and is part of the Argentine Group of Oil Suppliers (GAPP).
Source: EconoJournal
3. Myriota launches a 5G satellite network in Argentina for industrial IoT in agriculture, energy and logistics
Australian company Myriota announced the local launch of a hybrid network based on the 5G NTN standard (non-terrestrial networks), with technical availability expected for late August or early September 2026. Unlike Starlink-style satellite broadband, it targets low-power sensors that transmit light messages (location, temperature, fuel level, valve status) combining terrestrial LTE-M/NB-IoT with satellite backup. Plans start at USD 0.99 per device per month. The sectors showing most interest are oil and gas (especially Vaca Muerta), agriculture and logistics. Myriota has already raised some USD 100 million from its shareholders globally. Context: satellite internet connections in Argentina went from 2,992 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 217,812 in the second quarter of 2025, according to ENACOM.
Source: iProfesional
4. FLEXELL Space closes a USD 20 million Series A for space solar power
FLEXELL Space, a developer of next-generation solar power solutions for space applications, announced the close of a USD 20 million Series A round. The investment adds to an active week in sector financing: according to industry surveys, spacecraft manufacturers took 40.6% of the capital invested in space tech during the last period, with 15 deals and USD 2.77 billion raised, followed by launch providers with USD 2.09 billion. In Europe, private investment in the space sector reached EUR 1.4 billion, the second-highest annual figure on record despite an 8% drop from 2024.
Source: SpaceNews
5. Starship prepares for its 13th test flight with the first Starlink V3 satellites
SpaceX is targeting July 16 for the launch of Starship Flight 13 from Starbase, Texas, after the FAA closed the investigation into the loss of the Super Heavy booster on the previous flight (attributed to thermal effects on propulsion components and to engine alarm configuration). This mission will carry 20 Starlink V3 satellites, which will deploy solar panels and antennas and connect to the constellation through high-capacity lasers; six of them will carry cameras to observe the vehicle's heat shield, with white-painted patches simulating missing tiles. It is a key step in SpaceX's race to scale the next generation of its satellite internet constellation.
Source: Space.com
6. Artificial intelligence moves into orbit: autonomous satellites and space data centres
AI is turning Earth observation satellites into autonomous systems able to analyse and prioritise information directly in orbit, detecting fires or floods in real time and sending down only the relevant data. The race already has concrete players: SpaceX presented AI1, an orbital satellite designed to run AI workloads off the terrestrial power grid (70 metres of deployed span and 150 kW of peak computing power), while China approved a Space Computing Industry Innovation Center and ADA Space has already deployed Alibaba's Qwen3 model running entirely in orbit. In parallel, the startup Orbital Compute (just five months old) filed a project with the US FCC to launch up to 100,000 satellites dedicated to AI data processing in low orbit, in what is starting to look like a new frontier of competition with terrestrial data centres.
Source: Infobae
7. The global space economy, on its way to a trillion dollars
Different industry surveys agree that the global space market is already around USD 620-626 billion and project that it could exceed one trillion dollars before 2035, driven by growth in satellite services, increased public funding (including NASA's Artemis program) and higher defence spending, particularly by the US Space Force. Global investment in the sector grew 60% year on year, pulled by a 177% jump in United States activity. For the region, sectors such as telecommunications, Earth observation, agribusiness, mining, energy and logistics appear increasingly integrated with space-technology-based solutions.
Source: Orbital Radar
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Join Argentina Space 2026 on November 11, 12 and 13 at the Salta Convention Center, and be part of the founding core of New Space in Argentina. More information: https://argentinaspace.com
