Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI might merge into one company
Elon Musk's SpaceX and xAI might merge into one company SpaceX and xAI, which are both led by Elon Musk, are “in discussions to merge” ahead of SpaceX’s IPO that’s planned for later this year, Reuters reports. The merger would help with SpaceX’s plans to launch data centers into space, according to the publication. The […]
Blue Origin’s Starlink rival TeraWave promises 6 terabit satellite internet
Blue Origin's Starlink rival TeraWave promises 6 terabit satellite internet The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off at Launch Complex 36 in its second launch attempt at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on November 13, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. | Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images SpaceX has the most internet-beaming satellites in its […]
Billionaires want data centers everywhere, including space
Billionaires want data centers everywhere, including space Tech billionaires have been obsessed with space for a long time. Now, as the largest AI companies race to build more data centers in a frenzied pursuit of profitability, space is looking less like a pet project and more like a commercial opportunity. In 2025 alone, six proposals […]
Starlink made ‘work from home’ possible from anywhere — now, I’m ready for a change
Starlink made 'work from home' possible from anywhere — now, I'm ready for a change This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on how to work anywhere, follow Thomas Ricker. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The […]
Google has a ‘moonshot’ plan for AI data centers in space
Google has a 'moonshot' plan for AI data centers in space Google has dreamed up a potential new way to get around resource constraints for energy-hungry AI data centers on Earth — launching its AI chips into space on solar-powered satellites. It’s a ‘moonshot’ research project Google announced today called Project Suncatcher. If it can […]
SpaceX launches 10,000th Starlink internet satellite
SpaceX launches 10,000th Starlink internet satellite Starlink satellites awaiting deployment. | Image: SpaceX On Sunday, SpaceX launched 56 additional Starlink satellites on separate Falcon 9 rockets, surpassing 10,000 total satellites launched into low Earth orbit to date. The milestone was reached on board the 132nd Falcon 9 launch of 2025, tying the previous annual launch […]
EchoStar offloads satellite spectrum to SpaceX for $17 billion
EchoStar offloads satellite spectrum to SpaceX for $17 billion Dish parent company EchoStar is selling wireless spectrum licenses to SpaceX for around $17 billion, the companies announced on Monday. SpaceX says it will use the spectrum to create the “next generation” of Starlink’s cellular satellite service, which customers of the EchoStar-owned Boost Mobile will gain access […]
Starlink Mini users just lost their beloved pause feature
Starlink Mini users just lost their beloved pause feature The Starlink Mini in Denmark. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Starlink now charges $5 a month to pause its high-speed, low-latency internet service, a feature that used to be available for free. It affects Roam, Residential, and Priority subscribers in the US, most […]
Amazon is bringing its Starlink alternative to Australia next year
Amazon is bringing its Starlink alternative to Australia next year Amazon says it will offer several Project Kuiper terminal models, but pricing hasn’t yet been announced. Amazon’s unproven Project Kuiper satellites will be put to work next year, supplying internet access to rural Australians. The retail giant announced an agreement with Australia’s state-owned National Broadband […]
Starlink-powered ‘T-Satellite’ service is now live on T-Mobile
Starlink-powered 'T-Satellite' service is now live on T-Mobile Starlink-powered ‘T-Satellite’ service is now live on T-Mobile T-Mobile’s satellite service is now available to people across the US — and not just T-Mobile customers. On Wednesday, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert announced that the Starlink-powered service is officially out of beta, though it only supports text messaging […]