This SpaceX veteran says the next big thing in space is satellites that return to Earth

Lux Aeterna, a startup founded by SpaceX veteran Brian Taylor, has raised $10 million in seed funding to develop reusable satellites with built-in heat shields that can return to Earth with payloads intact. The company's Delphi spacecraft has a confirmed launch slot on a SpaceX rocket in Q1 2027, with a planned landing at Australia's Koonibba Test Range. Beyond reentry capsules for experiments, Lux's broader vision is enabling satellite reusability — allowing operators to retrieve, upgrade, and relaunch satellites rather than discarding them after 5–10 years. Key challenges include the economics of reusable satellite operations and a complex FAA reentry licensing process that has pushed early missions to Australia.