SpaceX, the aerospace company led by Elon Musk, raised $1.9 billion in new equity funding, per an SEC filing.
Why it matters: This reflects the immense costs of space travel, particularly when the ultimate destination is Mars. No new investors were disclosed. Bloomberg previously reported that the round, which could still grow, would value SpaceX at around $44 billion.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency Tuesday to address multiple wildfires that are scorching the state during an extreme heat wave.
Why it matters: At least 30 wildfires are currently ablaze across California. Nearly a dozen of the fires started over the past two days thanks to excessive heat and lightning from a tropical storm system in the Pacific Ocean, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Betelgeuse — the red supergiant star — spit out a huge mass of hot gas and plasma that made it look like it had dimmed significantly from Earth's perspective at the end of 2019 and earlier this year, according to new research.
The big picture: Betelgeuse is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and astronomers keep a close watch on it, with the expectation that it may one day explode as a supernova.
Increased activity on the Moon could make it harder for scientists to study lunar ices that may hold clues to the origins of water in the solar system.
What's happening: With NASA's Artemis program and other space agencies aiming for the Moon, the lunar surface could become a very crowded place in the coming years. Scientists are now working to parse out any unintended consequences of that exploration.
SpaceX is racking up wins this year, solidifying its role in the top tier of space companies operating in the U.S. today — and pressuring the rest of the industry into a new era of spaceflight.
Why it matters: Instead of remaining the young upstart breaking all the rules, SpaceX is now creating the rules for the other companies involved in the industry.
