May 2026 was dominated by large U.S. government awards. Space Systems Command gave SpaceX $4.16B for a space-based airborne moving target indicator constellation and $2.29B for a LEO data-transport backbone, while NASA launched its Moon Base program with lunar rover and lander awards to Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, Blue Origin, and Firefly. NASA also said it will compete the Jet Propulsion Laboratory management contract for the first time since 1958, a long-cycle change that will put proposal and capture teams to work.
Private capital stayed strong. Astranis raised a $300M Series E alongside up to $155M in debt, Cowboy Space closed a $275M Series B and is staffing a new Seattle hub, and Observable Space, Star Catcher, and Skyroot Aerospace each raised $60M or more. A wave of factory openings, from MDA Space in Montréal to Muon Space in San Jose and Quantum Space in Tulsa, points to steady demand for production, cleanroom, and test talent.
On the launch side, the FAA cleared New Glenn to return to flight on May 26, but the vehicle exploded during a static fire two days later, and Starship’s first V3 flight ended in a new FAA mishap investigation. No significant space-sector layoffs were publicly reported this month.
Top 7 Hiring Signals
SpaceX Wins $6.45B in Space Force Awards
Space Systems Command awarded SpaceX a $4.16B agreement for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator constellation (May 29), with fielding planned by 2028, and $2.29B for the Space Data Network Backbone, a LEO data-transport layer built on Starshield (May 26). Awards of this size sustain hiring in satellite production, RF and optical payloads, network engineering, and cleared program roles, and more vendors are expected to follow on both programs.
NASA Launches Moon Base With Rover and Lander Awards
On May 26, NASA unveiled Moon Base and awarded Astrolab ($219M) and Lunar Outpost ($220M) task orders to deliver lunar terrain vehicles by 2028, alongside rover-delivery work for Blue Origin and a south-pole lander mission for Firefly. Lunar Outpost also closed a $30M Series B in May to scale rover production. Expect demand in mobility and robotics engineering, thermal and power systems, integration and test, and lunar mission operations.
Astranis Raises $300M Series E Plus Up to $155M in Debt
Astranis’ Series E, co-led by Snowpoint Ventures and Franklin Templeton, comes with up to $155M in delayed-draw debt and is aimed at faster MicroGEO satellite production and scaling U.S. government programs of record. Production-focused capital at this scale typically drives hiring across manufacturing, RF and payload engineering, integration and test, and government program management.
Cowboy Space (formerly Aetherflux) closed a $275M Series B led by Index Ventures at a $2B valuation to build orbital AI data-center satellites and its own rocket. The company is staffing a new Seattle satellite and rocket hub with 40 to 60 people, a direct signal for spacecraft, propulsion, power, and software hiring in the Pacific Northwest.
MDA Space opened a 185,000 sq. ft. high-volume satellite factory in Montréal that can build up to 400 satellites a year. Other May expansions included a new Muon Space production ramp in San Jose, a Spire satellite plant in Munich, a doubled Firefly spacecraft campus in Cedar Park, Texas, and a Quantum Space facility in Tulsa with up to 50 initial jobs. Together they point to demand for cleanroom technicians, manufacturing engineers, quality, and test staff.
New Glenn Cleared to Fly, Then Lost in a Static-Fire Explosion
The FAA accepted Blue Origin’s NG-3 mishap report and cleared New Glenn to return to flight on May 26, but the vehicle exploded during a static fire at LC-36 on May 28, damaging its only launch pad and pausing Amazon Leo launches on the vehicle. Recovery work of this kind keeps demand high for launch-pad and ground-systems engineers, propulsion test, reliability, and mishap-investigation specialists.
On May 22, NASA said it will compete management of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the first time since 1958, ahead of the end of Caltech’s current contract on September 30, 2028. The change adds uncertainty for JPL’s workforce, while prospective bidders are likely to build up capture, proposal, and program-management teams.
Astranis (United States) – Series E, $300M plus up to $155M in debt (May 6). Faster MicroGEO satellite production and U.S. government programs. Source.
ICEYE (Finland / Europe) – Revolving credit facility, €300M (May 21). Supports contract guarantees and continued growth of its SAR constellation business. Source.
Cowboy Space (United States) – Series B, $275M (May 11). Orbital AI data-center satellites, an in-house rocket, and a new Seattle hub for 40 to 60 staff. Source.
EOS-X Space (Spain / Europe) – Series D, ~€120M (late May). Stratospheric balloon flights and a new technology division. Source.
Observable Space (United States) – Series A, $90M (May 28). Scales space optics and laser communications, alongside a Space Force IDIQ worth up to $94M. Source.
Yushi Space (China) – Series A, RMB 500M (~$69M) (May 18). Rocket assembly and testing, booster-catch tests, and team building ahead of a 2027 first flight. Source.
Star Catcher (United States) – Series A, $65M (May 12). Optical power beaming for an in-orbit power grid and the next demonstration missions. Source.
Skyroot Aerospace (India) – Equity round, $60M (May 7), making it India’s first space-tech unicorn. More Vikram-1 launches, manufacturing capacity, and Vikram-2 development. Source.
Lunar Outpost (United States) – Series B, $30M (May 7). Rover production, manufacturing capacity, and Artemis and national-security systems. Source.
Scout Space (United States) – Series A, up to $18M (May 6). Space domain awareness sensors and a new Northern Virginia production facility, with headcount planned to grow from about 30 to 50+. Source.
Chuanyuezhe (China) – Pre-Series A, ~RMB 100M (~$14M) (May 30). R&D and ground testing for the CYZ1 crewed spacecraft. Source.
MJOLNIR SPACEWORKS (Japan) – Series B, up to ¥1.7B (~$11M) including a credit line (May 29). Hybrid rocket engines and test facilities, with open roles in propulsion, avionics, and structures. Source.
Stellar Alpina (Switzerland / Europe) – Pre-seed, CHF 3.5M (~$4.5M) (May 28). A rotating-detonation engine test stand and more than a dozen new hires. Source.
Rocket Lab → Motiv Space Systems (United States) – Acquisition, $40M plus up to $20M earnout (May 7). About 50 engineers join as Rocket Lab Robotics. Source.
Intuitive Machines → Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT (United States / UK) – Acquisition, undisclosed (May 14). Adds 44 antennas for lunar and deep-space communications. Source.
York Space Systems → Solestial (United States) – Acquisition, undisclosed (May 19). Secures a U.S.-made supply of space solar cells. Source.
Contracts and Grants
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → SpaceX (Hawthorne, CA) – $4.16B (May 29). Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator satellites to track air threats, with fielding by 2028. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → SpaceX (Hawthorne, CA) – $2.29B (May 26). Space Data Network Backbone, a LEO data-transport layer, with an operational prototype due by the end of 2027. Read more.
NASA → Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, Blue Origin, and Firefly (U.S.) – $219M and $220M lunar terrain vehicle task orders, plus rover-delivery and lander awards (May 26). The first Moon Base contracts. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → Viasat and Intelsat General (U.S.) – up to $437.7M combined (May 22). The first two operational Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global anti-jam satellites. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → Northrop Grumman (Redondo Beach, CA) – $398M (May 15). An Enhanced Protected Tactical SATCOM prototype satellite, with work through 2030. Read more.
NASA → Caltech / JPL (Pasadena, CA) – Management contract to be competed (May 22). Caltech’s current contract, worth up to $30B with options, ends on September 30, 2028. Read more.
NASA Johnson Space Center → 7 firms (Houston, TX) – up to $300M IDIQ (May 29). Construction and infrastructure work across the JSC campus. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → Anduril (Costa Mesa, CA) – $100.3M modification (May 5). Mesh-network software linking Space Surveillance Network sensors. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → Rocket Lab (Long Beach, CA) – $90M (May 21). Two GEO satellites hosting space domain awareness sensors, Rocket Lab’s first GEO production program. Read more.
U.S. Space Force / Space Systems Command → Blue Origin (Kent, WA) – National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 task order, value undisclosed (May 28). One NRO launch planned for late 2027 to early 2028. Read more.
Expansions and Layoffs
MDA Space (Montréal, Canada) – Opened a 185,000 sq. ft. high-volume satellite factory that doubles its floor space and can build up to 400 satellites a year (May 8). Read more.
Muon Space (San Jose, CA) – Accelerated engineering and production hiring after moving to constellation-scale manufacturing in a 130,000 sq. ft. plant (May 9). Read more.
Quantum Space (Tulsa, OK) – New Ranger spacecraft manufacturing facility at Tulsa International Airport with up to 50 initial jobs (May 13). Read more.
Firefly Aerospace (Cedar Park and Briggs, TX) – Doubled its Cedar Park spacecraft campus to 144,000 sq. ft. with a larger cleanroom, plus 30,000 sq. ft. at Briggs (May 19). Read more.
Spire Global (Munich, Germany) – Opened a satellite manufacturing facility able to produce up to 100 satellites a year (May 7). Read more.
Scout Space (Northern Virginia) – New sensor production facility funded by its Series A, with headcount planned to grow from about 30 to 50+ (May 6). Read more.
Launch and Regulation
SpaceX / Starship Flight 12 (United States) – First Starship V3 flight and first launch from Starbase Pad 2 (May 22). The ship reached its splashdown target, but the booster was lost after an engine startup problem on its return burn. Read more.
FAA / SpaceX (United States) – Mishap investigation required for the Super Heavy booster loss on Flight 12 (May 27). Read more.
FAA / Blue Origin (United States) – NG-3 mishap investigation closed and New Glenn cleared to return to flight (May 26), after nine corrective actions for the April upper-stage failure. Read more.
Blue Origin / New Glenn (United States) – Vehicle lost in a static-fire explosion at LC-36 ahead of NG-4 (May 28), damaging its only launch pad. Read more.
ULA / Amazon Leo (United States) – Atlas V launched 29 more Amazon Leo satellites (May 29), bringing the constellation to about 331 satellites ahead of commercial service. Read more.
ESA / CAS / Avio (Europe) – Vega-C launched the joint ESA–Chinese Academy of Sciences SMILE mission (May 19), the first Vega-C flight with Avio as launch operator. Read more.
Council of the EU (Europe) – Progress report on the draft EU Space Act (May 8), ahead of the May 29 Competitiveness Council, with scope, governance, and treatment of non-EU operators still open. Read more.
NTIA and FCC (United States) – Joint goal of making 800 MHz of federal spectrum available for commercial use by 2034 (May 6), including bands studied for satellite direct-to-device service. Read more.
Roles in Demand, May 2026
Engineering
Spacecraft systems engineering
RF & optical communications
Propulsion engineering
Power systems engineering
Robotics & mobility engineering
Integration & test engineering
Manufacturing & Operations
Satellite production
Cleanroom technicians
Manufacturing engineering
Launch pad & ground systems
Mission operations
Software & Analysis
Space domain awareness software
Network & data-transport engineering
Flight software
Orbital compute infrastructure
Compliance & Assurance
Mishap investigation & reliability
Launch safety
Quality engineering
Capture & proposal management
Security / cleared program support
Key Regions
California (U.S.)
Washington (U.S.)
Texas (U.S.)
Colorado (U.S.)
Oklahoma (U.S.)
Virginia (U.S.)
Canada
Germany
Spain
India
China
Japan
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This bar chart visualizes orbital launch activity for May 2026, with a total of 22 attempts, all
successful. The United States led with 13 launches: 11 Falcon 9 flights (8 Starlink batches, a
rideshare carrying South Korea's CAS500-2, the NROL-172 Starshield mission, and Cargo Dragon
CRS-34), a Rocket Lab Electron with Synspective's StriX-7, and an Atlas V carrying 29 Amazon Leo
satellites. Starship Flight 12 flew a suborbital profile and is not counted. China contributed
8 launches, including Tianzhou-10 and the crewed Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong, two Qianfan batches,
and LandSpace's Zhuque-2E return to flight. Europe recorded 1 launch, a Vega-C carrying the
ESA–CAS SMILE mission. Russia, India, Japan, and the Middle East had no orbital launches this month.
Methodology and Sources
This report compiles May 2026 announcements from
Payload,
European Spaceflight,
SpaceNews,
FCC,
FAA, and
ESA STAR.
Events are scored on a five-point scale for expected hiring impact within 3 to 12 months.
Rankings weigh funding size, contract value, immediacy, and regional scope.
If you notice any discrepancies or missing information, please contact us at
team@spacejobsearch.com.
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
