{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Space Stakes: The Business of the New Space Race","title":"August 18, 2026 — The Launch Crunch Reaches the Balance Sheet","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/56956ce5\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":999,"description":"Launch scarcity stops being a talking point and starts showing up in corporate strategy: AST SpaceMobile tells investors it may need to buy or partner its way into launch capacity after New Glenn's May explosion and Vulcan's continued grounding collide with its BlueBird deployment plans. Plus: Rocket Lab's second national-security GEO satellite deal this year, ULA finally names a permanent CEO, the Pentagon funds deorbit-as-a-service designs, and the NRO makes HawkEye 360 an operational data supplier.\nLinked sources: Satellite operators are in panic mode due to a worsening launch crisis — Ars Technica\nSatellite operators emphasize launch deals in a constrained market — SpaceNews\nViasat Selects Rocket Lab to Build GEO Satellite — Rocket Lab\nUnited Launch Alliance Appoints Mark Peller as President and CEO — SpaceWatch.GLOBAL\nDIU, SDA Select Winners for Deorbit-as-a-Service Designs — Payload\nNRO to expand use of HawkEye 360's satellite intelligence — SpaceNews\nLaunch market economics debate — @MinuteMoola on X\nSpace Stakes is an AI-voiced podcast, built and run by a real person. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/nyaLFXa2ttfx9M9mPzUM3GElEJH7pfmkmAcNiSR-ELQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mZGY1/NTM1MDE3MTIwNjMx/ZDJhOGJmOGM4OGZl/ODFhOC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}