Interlune secures $5M SAFE to accelerate lunar helium-3 prospecting and tech milestones
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Summit Explore raises $8M to accelerate Western lithium brine pipeline
Summit Explore closed an $8 million seed round to fast-track brine projects in Chile, Argentina and the U.S., pairing Summit Nanotech’s denaLi DLE and a BOOM execution model to shorten development timelines. Independent pilot results from other DLE pilots—reported in the mid‑80s recovery range—underscore a key technical risk: scaling headline recovery rates to continuous commercial throughput and resolving integrated chemistry and permitting needs will determine whether Summit’s playbook re‑rates brine assets or merely compresses early-stage timelines.
U.S. Accelerates a Nuclear Push to Power Sustained Lunar Presence
Federal agencies are racing to field compact fission reactors for lunar surface operations, targeting a demonstration of roughly 40 kilowatts before 2030 while congressional funding accelerates development. Parallel Department of Energy proposals to create domestic Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses — co-locating enrichment, fuel fabrication and recycling — could shorten supply chains for space reactors but would concentrate radiological materials and regulatory burdens that must be managed.
Lunar Energy secures $230 million to scale battery capacity and avert U.S. blackouts
Lunar Energy closed a $230 million financing round to accelerate deployment of grid-scale batteries aimed at reducing blackout risk in the U.S. The capital will expand manufacturing and project rollouts while interacting with shifting global supply-chain dynamics and overseas policy moves that are reshaping demand for stationary storage.
Vast secures $500M to accelerate Haven private space stations
Vast raised $500M — $300M equity and $200M debt—to fund a multi-module rollout of Haven-2 beginning in 2028 and nearer-term testing with Haven-1 on a Falcon 9 . The round shifts private-station finance, tightens launch demand, and widens commercial options as the ISS approaches retirement; Vast also won a NASA private-crew award for a mission no earlier than summer 2027 , and its prior demo flight validated roughly 500 kg of hardware.
Helion hits 150 million °C and runs first private tritium test as it accelerates toward commercial fusion
Helion reported its Polaris device reached about 150 million °C and completed the first private-sector tritium–deuterium experiment, giving both a physics benchmark and operational data on radioactive fuel handling. The milestone comes as private fusion funding and shared test infrastructure — exemplified by a recent $29M round for Avalanche Energy and the planned FusionWERX campus in Richland — are expanding testing capacity and supply-chain options for developers, but repeatable, energy-positive cycles and peer-reviewed validation remain necessary before commercial power is realistic.
Sierra Space Secures $550M to Accelerate U.S. Defense Ambitions
Sierra Space closed a $550M financing that values the firm near $8B , directing capital into production scale-up and defense program readiness. The deal is emblematic of a broader 2025–26 funding wave that is channeling private capital into vertically integrated space and defense-capable firms — reshaping procurement leverage even as certification, supply‑chain and program-timing constraints temper how quickly cash converts to awarded work.
Avanti Helium Pushes U.S. to Declare Helium a Critical Mineral
Avanti Helium urges the U.S. to label helium a critical mineral to reduce growing import reliance and shore up supplies for semiconductors, defense, and medical sectors. The company cites falling U.S. output and rising demand and frames designation as a catalyst for domestic investment and supply-chain resilience.
Eagle Energy Metals clears SEC hurdle as U.S. nuclear spending and uranium capacity commitments accelerate
The SEC declared Eagle Energy Metals’ registration statement effective, advancing its planned Nasdaq listing and a Feb. 23, 2026 shareholder vote as U.S. policy and large corporate commitments tighten the uranium and HALEU supply narrative. Broader market signals — uranium futures above $100/lb and sharp producer rallies — plus analyst interest in processors and mill permitting underscore both opportunity and heightened execution expectations for miners and midstream players.