OpenAI, A Material Catalyst for SoftBank; Rivian Launches R2s; Volvo to Remove AUR's Safety Driver; Plus a NASA Mission Update: Cantor's Mobility

Research evidence excerpt

OpenAI, A Material Catalyst for SoftBank; Rivian Launches R2s; Volvo to Remove AUR's Safety Driver; Plus a NASA Mission Update: Cantor's Mobility

June 15, 2026

expected to launch this year and that its Mark 2 lander (will be used during

Artemis III) is still on track for launch in 2027.

Rocket Lab (RKLB, OW) to be Included in Nasdaq-100 Index. Rocket Lab

will be added to the Nasdaq-100 Index prior to market open on 6/22. We

view this inclusion as material, as it may increase the company's visibility

with institutional investors, plus incremental demand from passive funds

and ETFs that track the index. Overall, we continue to view Rocket Lab's

track record of successful space launches (heritage is a key differentiator),

the portfolio of three different rocket types (Electron, Haste and Neutron),

the customer diversification (Commercial and Government / domestic and

international), and the dedicated launchpads in New Zealand and the U.S.,

as material moats. RKLB's shares were down ~11% on 6/12.

Satellogic (SATL, OW) Announces CFO Transition. Last week, SATL disclosed

that Rick Dunn will step down from his position as CFO, following a mutually

agreed transition period. Dunn will continue in his current capacity while

the company searches for a successor. Recall that in Q1, management

reaffirmed the first launch of its upcoming Merlin Constellation in October

2026, followed by initial operational capacity in 1H27. As of Q1, SATL

has a total order backlog of $64.8M, which includes $29.2M to be

recognized in <1 year, and overall we continue to believe SATL benefits

from: a material cost advantage (driven largely by vertical integration),

underutilized satellite capacity with the ability to increase, and a favorable

macro. SATL shares were down ~11% on 6/12