Space News for Friday, June 19, 2026

In this episode, we aggregate and summarize today's top space news stories. Enjoy!(00:10) Podcast Introduction(00:21) Austrian propulsion startup joins sovereign space funding surge(00:59) EQT to acquire Exolaunch(01:44) Chinese startup Spark Space tests engine, raises funds for electric-pump rocket(02:27) A legacy to help solve the space workforce pipeline(03:06) The Satnews offices Will Be Closed Friday, June 19 for the Juneteenth Holiday.(03:30) Rideshare Reinforcements: Private Equity Giant EQT Enters Space Sector with Exolaunch Acquisition(04:09) Tropical Storm Arthur(04:52) Curiosity Blog, Sols 4920-4926: Surveying the Bands(05:06) NASA Awards Contract for Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition(05:27) From Suriname to Space: Rohit Goeptar Shares His Journey to NASA(05:40) Canadarm2 repairs planned as CRS-34 departs ISS(05:58) Boeing Completes Quantum Lab Test Ahead of 2027 Flight(06:46) True Anomaly Declares Mission X-3 Success(07:26) Scientists trace high-energy ghost particle to the 'Shadow Blaster' galaxy(08:05) James Webb Space Telescope finds a salty surprise on famous 'Pink Planet'(08:54) Watch SpaceX launch new batch of US spy satellites from California early on June 19(09:32) Sun-like star may have swallowed an exoplanet with help from a mysterious companion: 'You are what you eat, right?'(10:13) These Mars valleys are hiding 30 dust devils | Space photo of the day for June 18, 2026(10:55) A bold satellite rescue mission came together in record time, but will it work?