CURRENT

The Dispatches

The weekly record of the Southern California commercial space economy — companies, people, capital, and facilities, kept as it happens. Every dispatch takes its place in the permanent record.

ISSUE 028

Rocket Lab expands Long Beach production

A new manufacturing facility on the waterfront signals continued investment in scale and vertical integration.

LONG BEACHMANUFACTURINGROCKET LAB
12 MAY 2026
ISSUE 027

Firefly opens engine facility in Brea

Inside the new Lightning engine production line and what it means for the regional supply chain.

SUPPLY CHAINPROPULSIONFIREFLY
5 MAY 2026
ISSUE 026

Relativity Space completes Terran R production run

A look at the company's South Bay operations and the path toward next-generation launch vehicles.

SOUTH BAYLAUNCHRELATIVITY
29 APR 2026
ISSUE 025

Talent moves: propulsion leads change addresses

Three senior engine engineers changed companies this month. Where they went, and what it signals.

PEOPLETALENTPROPULSION
22 APR 2026
ISSUE 024

Series B round lands on the industrial coast

The quarter's largest regional raise, the investors behind it, and the facilities it will fund.

FUNDINGCAPITALSOUTH BAY
15 APR 2026
ISSUE 023

San Diego's mesa corridor adds test capacity

New facilities on the research edge, and the institutions feeding them talent.

SAN DIEGOFACILITIESTESTING
8 APR 2026

Get the weekly dispatch.