With about $40 million in hand and an agreement to use a new launch site, British small launch vehicle startup Orbex argues that it’s joined the small group of companies in this sector of the industry that should be taken seriously. SpaceNews.com

Earth observation startup Planet laid off dozens of employees July 13. The move affected less than ten percent of the firm's workforce, a company spokesperson said. SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin conducted a successful test flight of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle July 18 that demonstrated its crew capsule escape system. SpaceNews.com

Maxar announced a $1.3 million deal with the UK Space Agency to develop space robotics technology in the United Kingdom. SpaceNews.com

Trump administration officials are at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom this week on a mission to sell American aerospace and weapons. SpaceNews.com

As Astrobotic prepares to compete for NASA lunar payload delivery contracts, the company has signed an agreement with Dynetics for the last major component of its lunar lander. SpaceNews.com

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said July 17 that he’s had good discussions with European officials about potential cooperation on NASA’s plans to return to the moon. SpaceNews.com

Lockheed VP: “As the UK develops its space industry further, I think you’ll see bigger economics from the mini-satellites and the value they create from data." SpaceNews.com

While Lockheed Martin continues to suggest it will use Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket at a Scottish launch site announced at the beginning of this week, company officials said July 17 they have yet to formally select a vehicle to fly at the site. SpaceNews.com

Maxar Technologies on July 16 purchased Neptec, a Canadian company with robotic expertise deemed useful for in-space activities like satellite servicing and building space stations. SpaceNews.com

A solid rocket booster designed for both the Ariane 6 and Vega C next-generation launchers completed a successful test firing Monday, clearing a hurdle for the maiden flights of both vehicles. SpaceNews.com

Ken Gabriel, CEO of Draper Labs: The idea of small satellites making up large constellations is a “powerful shift." SpaceNews.com

Virgin Orbit says an agreement that could lead to LauncherOne missions from an English airport is part of an effort to both better meet the needs of its customers as well as support the U.K. space industry. SpaceNews.com

With the announcement that Scotland will be home to Britain's first spaceport, the U.K. is on the road to offering a one-stop-shop for building, operating and now launching satellites. SpaceNews.com

The British government announced July 16 that it will provide funding to two companies, including an American aerospace giant, who plan to use a newly announced launch site in Scotland. SpaceNews.com

After years of study and consideration, the British government announced July 15 that it will start development of a new spaceport in northern Scotland, while an English airport signed a deal that could also lead to launches from its facility. SpaceNews.com

The space market worldwide has averaged $269 billion over the past five years, growing more than 5 percent each year. SpaceNews.com

The military wants to apply quantum computing to secure communications and inertial navigation in GPS denied environments. SpaceNews.com

On his first foreign trip since taking office nearly three months ago, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine traveled to Israel this week to meet with the country’s prime minister and other officials. SpaceNews.com

Gogo, an inflight connectivity provider leasing capacity on dozens of satellites, bulldozed its old business plan July 13 amid looming concerns over unprofitability, encroaching debt deadlines, and a potential buyout. SpaceNews.com