Zenno Astronautics Debuts Fuel-Free Satellite Motor as Fusion and AI Trends Heat Up

Zenno Astronautics unveiled its Supertorquer, a solar-driven superconducting magnet that can adjust a satellite’s attitude by interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, eliminating the need for propellant. The device has been integrated into Portal Space Systems' Starburst-1, which is scheduled for an October launch and will carry a charged-particle counter to test magnetic radiation shielding. In parallel, Pacific Fusion announced a billion-dollar research campus in Albuquerque, aiming to achieve net-positive commercial fusion by 2030.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems secured an additional billion dollars, raising its total funding to $4 billion, while Kyoto Fusioneering and Shine Technologies disclosed new capital raises and IPO plans respectively. Investor Kristina Simmons of Overwater Ventures cautioned that AI pursued without solving concrete problems is being overhyped. The newsletter also noted a federal court decision overturning the Pentagon’s designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk and previewed SpaceX’s launch of NASA’s Roman Space Telescope.