Houston space tech companies land $25 million from Texas commission

Out Of This World

Starlab Space and Intuitive Machines were among five companies to secure a total of $47.7 million from the Texas Space Commission. Photo via starlab-space.com

Two Houston aerospace companies have collectively received $25 million in grants from the Texas Space Commission.

Starlab Space picked up a $15 million grant, and Intuitive Machines gained a $10 million grant, according to a Space Commission news release.

Starlab Space says the money will help it develop the Systems Integration Lab in Webster, which will feature two components — the main lab and a software verification facility. The integration lab will aid creation of Starlab’s commercial space station.

“To ensure the success of our future space missions, we are starting with state-of-the-art testing facilities that will include the closest approximation to the flight environment as possible and allow us to verify requirements and validate the design of the Starlab space station,” Starlab CEO Tim Kopra said in a news release.

Starlab’s grant comes on top of a $217.5 million award from NASA to help eventually transition activity from the soon-to-be-retired International Space Station to new commercial destinations.

Intuitive Machines is a space exploration, infrastructure and services company. Among its projects are a lunar lander designed to land on the moon and a lunar rover designed for astronauts to travel on the moon’s surface.

The grants come from the Space Commission’s Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund, which recently awarded $47.7 million to Texas companies.

Other recipients were:

  • Cedar Park-based Firefly Aerospace, which received $8.2 million
  • Brownsville-based Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), which received $7.5 million
  • Van Horn-based Blue Origin, which received $7 million

Gwen Griffin, chair of the commission, says the grants “will support Texas companies as we grow commercial, military, and civil aerospace activity across the state.”

State lawmakers established the commission in 2023, along with the Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium, to bolster the state’s space industry.

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Intuitive Machines is among four companies awarded contracts for NASA’s Near Space Network. Photo via intuitivemachines.com

Houston tech company tapped by NASA for near space initiative

3, 2, 1...

Houston-based space exploration, infrastructure, and services company Intuitive Machines has nailed down a NASA deal to expand the agency’s communications network for spacecraft.

Additionally, NASA recently completed the first round of “human in the loop” testing for Intuitive Machines’ Moon RACER lunar terrain vehicle at the agency’s Johnson Space Center. RACER (Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover) is one of three commercially developed unpressurized lunar terrain vehicles being considered for NASA’s Artemis lunar initiative.

Intuitive Machines is among four companies awarded contracts for NASA’s Near Space Network, enabling transmission of data from space to the earth. The network supports NASA missions such as the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope. It also will play a role in NASA’s Artemis initiative, which aims to send astronauts to the moon.

Under the initial Near Space Network contracts, project timelines run from February 2205 to September 2029. A five-year option would extend the contracts through September 2034. Collectively, the contracts are worth $4.82 billion.

Intuitive Machines received two contracts for services that will ease communications demand on NASA’s Deep Space Network and “meet the mission requirements for unique, highly elliptical orbits,” says NASA.

“We are privileged to help NASA deliver essential data and transmission services that support missions navigating the critical pathways between [the earth and the moon], and beyond,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus says in a news release.

In September, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a contract for development of a constellation of lunar data satellites.

Meanwhile, conclusion of “human in the loop” testing puts Intuitive Machines one step closer to its Moon RACER vehicle being chosen for the Artemis lunar initiative. Vehicles from two other companies are in the running. The winning vehicle is scheduled to be announced in 2025.

“Human in the loop” testing enables NASA astronauts to provide feedback on the lunar vehicles’ functionality, safety, and design.

The Moon RACER, featuring a rechargeable electric battery and a robotic arm, is designed to accommodate two astronauts and 882 pounds of cargo. Furthermore, it is supposed to pull a trailer loaded with 1,764 pounds of cargo.

Axiom Space is accelerating its development of a commercial space station, revising plans with NASA to launch key modules by 2028 and transition to an independent Axiom Station before the ISS retires in 2030. Image via NASA

Houston space tech co. revises timeline for commercial space station development with NASA partnership

new game plan

Houston-based Axiom Space is accelerating its development of a commercial space station.

NASA awarded Axiom a contract in January 2020 to develop a space station for commercial use. Initially, the station was supposed to be attached to the International Space Station. Later, it was supposed to become a free-flying space station in low-earth orbit before retirement of the current space station in 2030.

In coordination with NASA, Axiom Space has modified the plan.

Initially, Axiom planned to attach its first module, Habitat 1, to the space station, followed by three additional modules. Under the new scenario, the payload, power, and thermal modules will be launched first. This will enable the modules to join the current space station as early as 2028, becoming a free-flying station called Axiom Station.

“The International Space Station has provided a one-of-a-kind scientific platform for nearly 25 years,” says Dana Weigel, manager of the International Space Station program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

“As we approach the end of [the] space station’s operational life," she continues, "it’s critically important that we look to the future of [low-earth orbit] and support these follow-on destinations to ensure we continue NASA’s presence in microgravity, which began through the International Space Station.”

In free flight, Axiom will continue assembling the commercial destination, adding the Habitat 1 module, an airlock, the Habitat 2 module, and a research and manufacturing lab.

“We were ready to answer the call when NASA asked us to relook at our space station development plan,” Mark Greeley, Axiom Space COO and Axiom Station program manager, says in a statement from Axiom. “Our ongoing assessment of the assembly sequence revealed opportunities for flexibility and enhancements. With the International Space Station needing to protect for the ability to accommodate a deorbit vehicle on station, we were able to accelerate this work to support the program’s requirements.

“NASA has been extremely collaborative and supportive of the new plan as it addresses its deorbit operational concerns and preserves critical capabilities currently utilized on the International Space Station,” he adds. “This revised approach not only aligns with U.S. objectives but also delivers immediate value for our customers and investors.”

The Axiom's Payload Power Thermal Module primary structure is being constructed by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, and then moved to Houston by fall 2025, where the rest of the internal structure and systems will be integrated at Axiom Space facilities.

“Working with leading experts like Thales Alenia, who have a proven record in module development and a strong relationship with NASA, is integral to our operations and vision," Tejpaul Bhatia, Axiom Space chief revenue officer, says.

“By engaging and integrating with a network of partners from around the world, we access cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions that enhance our capabilities and supply chain,” Bhatia adds. “Our customer base is truly global, including governments, private entities, and research institutions. This diversity enables us to meet a wide range of needs and reinforces our belief that space exploration is a collective endeavor for the benefit of all of humanity.”

Axiom has revised its plan for its commercial space station. Image via Axiom

Houston-based health tech organization had experiments on Blue Origin's last mission. Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

Houston space health nonprofit launches first experiments onboard Blue Origin mission

all aboard

Houston's Translational Research Institute for Space Health, or TRISH, conducted cutting-edge research onboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket that launched Friday, November 22.

The NS-28 mission sent private astronauts on an 11-minute suborbital journey past the recognized boundary of space known as the Kármán line, according to Blue Origin's website. While on board, astronauts wore a medical-grade BioButton device, known as a BioIntelliSense, that monitored vital signs and biometric readings.

The findings will add to TRISH's Enhancing eXploration Platforms and ANalog Definition, or EXPAND, program and were the first data sets captured from a suborbital flight.

“This initiative enables TRISH to further our research in space medicine by collecting valuable human health data,” Jimmy Wu, TRISH deputy director and chief engineer and assistant professor at Baylor, said in a statement. “New data from suborbital flights builds our understanding of how the human body responds to spaceflight. This holistic view is key in keeping humans healthy and safe in space.”

The experiments were also TRISH's first on a Blue Origin mission.

TRISH, which is part of BCM’s Center for Space Medicine with partners Caltech and MIT, has launched experiments on numerous space missions to date, with each contributing to its EXPAND platform, which compiles research on human health while in space.

In January, TRISH launched six experiments onboard Houston-based Axiom Space's third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, known as Ax-3. Prior to that, it also sent experiments on board the Ax-2 in May 2023. The research considered topics ranging from changes in astronauts memory before and after space travel to sleep and motor skills.

TRISH also launched experiments onboard SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission this fall and on the Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to orbit in 2021.

TRISH published its findings from the Inspiration4 mission in the journal Nature this summer. The study showed that "short-duration missions do not pose a significant health risk" to humans onboard. Read more about the team's findings here.

Kristen Magas, Anderson Wilder, Obaid Alsuwaidi, and Tiffany Snyder (from left to right) will live in a Mars simulation for 45 days. Photos courtesy of NASA

NASA taps 4 participants for Mars habitat simulation mission in Houston

suiting up

Four individuals have been selected to go to Mars. Well, sort of.

Obaid Alsuwaidi, Kristen Magas, Tiffany Snyder, and Anderson Wilder were picked by NASA to live for 45 days in a 650-square-foot Mars simulation located at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The participants will enter the Human Exploration Research Analog, or HERA, on Friday, November 1, and will live and work like astronauts until Monday, December 16.

Jordan Hundley and Robert Wilson also were named as alternate crew members.

"Scientists use HERA studies to examine how crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions before NASA sends astronauts on deep space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond," reads NASA's announcement. "The studies provide data about human health and performance in an enclosed environment over time with crews facing different challenges and tasks."

In the experiment, the participants will complete research and operational duties, including raising shrimp, farming, and completing virtual reality-simulated walks on Mars. In addition to these tasks, the crew will experience communication delays similar to ones astronauts will face on future missions to Mars and beyond, which could be as long as 20 minutes each way.

Through NASA’s Human Research Program, the crew members will participate in 18 human health studies focused on physiological, behavioral, and psychological health during the mission.

Here's a little more about each of the crew members:

  • As captain engineer for the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense, Obaid Alsuwaidi, provides guidance in civil and marine engineering and addresses challenges facing the organization.
  • Kristen Magas, an educator and engineer currently teaching at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin, Massachusetts, mentors students involved in a NASA design and prototyping program.
  • With more than 20 years of information technology and cybersecurity experience, Tiffany Snyder is a supervisor for the Cybersecurity Mission Integration Office at NASA, helping to ensure agency missions are shielded against cybersecurity threats.
  • Currently researching team resiliency and human-machine interactions, Anderson Wilder is a Florida Institute of Technology graduate student working on his doctorate in Psychology and previously served as an executive officer and engineer for an analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.
  • Jordan Hundley (alternate) is a senior consultant at a professional services firm, offering federal agencies technical and programmatic support.
  • Robert Wilson (alternate) is a senior researcher and project manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.
SpaceX's Dragon capsule docked onto the ISS and will return to Earth in February. Photo via SpaceX

Stuck NASA astronauts welcome SpaceX capsule that'll bring them home next year

rescue mission

The two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station since June welcomed their new ride home with Sunday’s arrival of a SpaceX capsule.

SpaceX launched the rescue mission on Saturday with a downsized crew of two astronauts and two empty seats reserved for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who will return next year. The Dragon capsule docked in darkness as the two craft soared 265 miles (426 kilometers) above Botswana.

NASA switched Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX following concerns over the safety of their Boeing Starliner capsule. It was the first Starliner test flight with a crew, and NASA decided the thruster failures and helium leaks that cropped up after liftoff were too serious and poorly understood to risk the test pilots’ return. So Starliner returned to Earth empty earlier this month.

The Dragon carrying NASA’s Nick Hague and the Russian Space Agency’s Alexander Gorbunov will remain at the space station until February, turning what should have been a weeklong trip for Wilmore and Williams into a mission lasting more than eight months.

Two NASA astronauts were pulled from the mission to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return leg.

“I just want to say welcome to our new compadres,” Williams, the space station commander, said once Hague and Gorbunov floated inside and were embraced by the nine astronauts awaiting them.

Hague said it was a smooth flight up. “Coming through the hatch and seeing all the smiles, and as much as I've laughed and cried in the last 10 minutes, I know it's going to be an amazing expedition," he said.

NASA likes to replace its station crews every six months or so. SpaceX has provided the taxi service since the company’s first astronaut flight in 2020. NASA also hired Boeing for ferry flights after the space shuttles were retired, but flawed software and other Starliner issues led to years of delays and more than $1 billion in repairs.

Starliner inspections are underway at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, with post-flight reviews of data set to begin this week.

“We’re a long way from saying, ‘Hey, we’re writing off Boeing,’” NASA’s associate administrator Jim Free said at a pre-launch briefing.

The arrival of two fresh astronauts means the four who have been up there since March can now return to Earth in their own SpaceX capsule in just over a week, bringing the station's crew size back down to the normal seven. Their stay was extended a month because of the Starliner turmoil.

Although Saturday’s liftoff went well, SpaceX said the rocket’s spent upper stage ended up outside its targeted impact zone in the Pacific because of a bad engine firing. The company has halted all Falcon launches until it figures out what went wrong.was extended a month because of the Starliner turmoil.

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World's largest student startup competition names teams for 2025 Houston event

ready, set, pitch

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has announced the 42 student-led teams worldwide that will compete in the 25th annual Rice Business Plan Competition this spring.

The highly competitive event, known as one of the world’s largest and richest intercollegiate student startup challenges, will take place April 10–12 at Houston's The Ion. Teams in this year's competition represent 34 universities from four countries, including one team from Rice.

Graduate student-led teams from colleges or universities around the world will present their plans before more than 300 angel, venture capital, and corporate investors to compete for more than $1 million in prizes. Last year, top teams were awarded $1.5 million in investment and cash prizes.

The 2025 invitees include:

  • 3rd-i, University of Miami
  • AG3 Labs, Michigan State University
  • Arcticedge Technologies, University of Waterloo
  • Ark Health, University of Chicago
  • Automatic AI, University of Mississippi and University of New Orleans
  • Bobica Bars, Rowan University
  • Carbon Salary, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Carmine Minerals, California State University, San Bernardino
  • Celal-Mex, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education
  • CELLECT Laboratories, University of Waterloo
  • ECHO Solutions, University of Houston
  • EDUrain, University of Missouri-St. Louis
  • Eutrobac, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • FarmSmart.ai, Louisiana State University
  • Fetal Therapy Technologies, Johns Hopkins University
  • GreenLIB Materials, University of Ottawa
  • Humimic Biosystems, University of Arkansas
  • HydroHaul, Harvard University
  • Intero Biosystems, University of Michigan
  • Interplay, University of Missouri-Kansas City
  • MabLab, Harvard University
  • Microvitality, Tufts University
  • Mito Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Motmot, Michigan State University
  • Mud Rat, University of Connecticut
  • Nanoborne, University of Texas at Austin
  • NerView Surgical, McMaster University
  • NeuroFore, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Novus, Stanford University
  • OAQ, University of Toronto
  • Parthian Baattery Solutions, Columbia University
  • Pattern Materials, Rice University
  • Photon Queue, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • re.solution, RWTH Aachen University
  • Rise Media, Yale University
  • Rivulet, University of Cambridge and Dartmouth College
  • Sabana, Carnegie Mellon University
  • SearchOwl, Case Western Reserve University
  • Six Carbons, Indiana University
  • Songscription, Stanford University
  • Watermarked.ai, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Xatoms, University of Toronto

This year's group joins more than 868 RBPC alums that have raised more than $6.1 billion in capital with 59 successful exits, according to the Rice Alliance.

Last year, Harvard's MesaQuantum, which was developing accurate and precise chip-scale clocks, took home the biggest sum of $335,000. While not named as a finalist, the team secured the most funding across a few prizes.

Protein Pints, a high-protein, low-sugar ice cream product from Michigan State University, won first place and the $150,000 GOOSE Capital Investment Grand Prize, as well as other prizes, bringing its total to $251,000.

Tesla recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to power steering issue

Tesla Talk

Tesla is recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to a power steering issue.

The recall is for certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may become overstressed, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again, the agency said.

The loss of power could required more effort to control the car by drivers, particularly at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Tesla isn't aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the condition.

The electric vehicle maker headed by Elon Musk has released a free software update to address the issue.

Letters are expected to be sent to vehicle owners on March 25. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.

Houston experts: Can AI bridge the gap between tech ambitions and market realities?

guest column

Despite successful IPOs from the likes of Ibotta, Reddit and OneStream, 2024 hasn’t provided the influx of capital-raising opportunities that many late-stage tech startups and venture capitalists (VCs) have been waiting for. Since highs last seen in 2021—when 90 tech companies went public—the IPO market has been effectively frozen, with just five tech IPOs between January and September 2024.

As a result, limited partners have not been able to replenish investments and redeploy capital. This shifting investment landscape has VCs and tech leaders feeling stuck in a holding pattern. Tech leaders are hesitant to enter the public markets because valuations are down 30 percent to 40 percent from 2021, which is also making late-stage fundraising more challenging. After all, longer IPO timelines mean fewer exit opportunities for VCs and reduced capital from institutional investors who are turning toward shorter-term investments with more liquid exit options.

Of course, there’s always an exception. And in the case of a slowed IPO market, a select slice of tech companies—AI-related companies—are far outperforming others. While not every tech startup has AI software or infrastructure as their core offering, most can benefit from using AI to revise their playbook and become more attractive to investors.

Unlocking Growth Potential with AI

While overall tech startup investment has slowed, the AI sector burns bright. This presents an opportunity for companies that strategically leverage AI, not just as a buzzword but as a tool for genuine growth and differentiation. Imagine a future where AI-powered insights unlock unprecedented efficiency, customer engagement and a paradigm shift in value creation. This isn’t just about weathering the current storm of reduced access to capital; it’s about emerging stronger, ready to lead the next wave of tech innovation.

Here's how to navigate the AI frontier and unlock its potential:

  1. Understand that data is the foundation of AI success. AI is powerful, but it’s not magic. It thrives on high-quality, interconnected data. Before diving into AI initiatives, companies must assess their data health. Is it structured in a way that AI can understand? Does it go beyond raw numbers to capture context and meaning—like customer sentiment alongside sales figures? Rethinking data infrastructure is often the crucial first step.
  1. Focus on amplifying strengths, not reinventing the wheel. The allure of AI can tempt companies into pursuing radical reinvention. However, a more effective strategy is to leverage AI to enhance existing strengths and address core customer needs. Why do customers choose your company? How can AI supercharge your value proposition? Consider Reddit’s strategic approach: They didn’t overhaul their platform before their 2024 IPO. Instead, they showcased the value of their vast online communities as fertile ground for AI development, leading to a remarkable first-day stock surge of 48 percent.

  2. Use AI as a customer-centric force multiplier. Companies with a deep understanding of their customer base are primed for AI success. By integrating AI into the very core of their product or service—the reason customers choose them—they can create a decisive competitive advantage based on delivering tangible customer value.

From Incremental Gains to Transformative Growth

This practical, customer-centric approach has the potential to help companies generate immediate growth while laying the foundation for future reinvention. By leveraging AI to optimize operations, deepen customer relationships, and redefine industry paradigms, late-state tech startups can not only survive but thrive in a dynamic market. The future belongs to those who embrace AI not as a destination but as a continuous journey of innovation and growth.

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Hong Ogle is the president of Bank of America Houston. Rodrigo Ortiz Gomez is a market executive in Bank of America’s Transformative Technology Banking Group as well as the national software banking lead for the Global Commercial Bank.

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