DTN 129: The Space Race is Transforming SoCal's Economy (Again)
Plus: lunar soil bricks, wifi signals measure heart rate, robots walk on water, SpaceX cleared to double Florida launches, Pentagon considers AI-generated propaganda, Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through, and more.
The space race is transforming Southern California's economy again
“Some 128 aerospace, artificial intelligence and companies in other fields have been founded by former SpaceX employees…Nearly half, or 63, were founded in Southern California, including 20 in aerospace. No other region comes close, including Silicon Valley or the Pacific Northwest, where Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket company is based in Kent, Wash…Some of Silicon Valley’s leading investors have placed bets here, including Khosla Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz and Peter Thiel, whose Founders Fund was the lead investor in a June $2.5 billion funding round for Anduril, a Costa Mesa maker of drones and other autonomous defense systems now valued at $30 billion.”
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A prototype of Lunar Outpost’s Eagle lunar rover at the company’s test site in Colorado. Credit: SpaceNews/Jeff Foust.
In April 2024, NASA selected three companies, including Lunar Outpost, for initial design studies of Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTV), a program worth up to $4.6B over 10 years. Lunar Outpost’s rover features large wheels for obstacle handling, enhanced suspension, and a sensor suite with cameras and lidar offering a 360-degree view out to several hundred meters. Each company received funding to advance their designs and has now submitted proposals for the next phase, where NASA will select one to build and operate the rover for future missions. Unlike past contracts that included two providers, budget constraints have pushed NASA to choose only one. However, some lawmakers argue two providers are needed due to the technical and financial risks involved. The House’s version of a FY2026 spending bill calls for selecting at least two LTV contractors, citing the program’s strategic importance.(via Space News)
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