SpaceX hits 11,000 satellites; Pentagon funds 5 firms to rival Starlink's space network.

SpaceX completed its 100th launch of 2026, pushing its Starlink constellation past 11,000 satellites in orbit. In response, the U.S. Space Force awarded five contracts worth $12 million each to companies including L3Harris, AST SpaceMobile, Rocket Lab, Viasat, and Iridium Communications to develop alternative satellite networks interoperable with SpaceX's system. This move aims to reduce reliance on a single vendor in space communications. These firms are seeing increased revenues and contracts, with Rocket Lab planning a major launch in late 2026 and Iridium set for acquisition by Rocket Lab in 2027, signaling growing competition and diversification in satellite services.