Trendwatch Space & Defense: June 18, 2020

MIT Technology Review: NASA Astronauts Just Flew SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Into Orbit for the First Time

NASA astronauts launched from US soil for the first time in nine years. And they did it on a private vehicle, for the first time in history.    

CNET: SpaceX Nearing 500 Starlink Satellites Now In Orbit

Less than a week after it first sent humans to space, Elon Musk's company completed its eighth launch of its broadband satellites.     

New York Times: Virgin Orbit Launch Attempt Ends Without Trip to Space

The company, founded by Richard Branson, had hoped to show that it can send small satellites to orbit from virtually anywhere.        

Fast Company: Space Junk Is a Problem. Economists Say We Can Fix it With a $235,000 Tax on Each Satellite 

All countries would need to participate, similar to current carbon tax and fishery models.     

Wall Street Journal: With SpaceX Poised for Takeoff, Small Rocket Startups Fall Behind [video]

As SpaceX dominates the headlines, a large number of small launch startups are poised to fail.