Mike Santos
Hardware & Infrastructure Reporter

Data centers, networking gear, and the physical layer of the internet. Previously covered telecom infrastructure at Light Reading.

Latest

Italian cable maker Prysmian agrees to a 10-year, $6.29 billion supply deal with Koch Industries-owned Molex for data-center cables.

Prysmian signs $6.29 billion Molex deal for data-center cables

**Key Takeaways:** - Prysmian signs a 10-year, $6.29 billion deal to supply data-center cables to Molex - The agreement locks in critical infrastructure supply for Koch Industries-owned Molex - AI-driven data-center buildout is driving long-term contracts across the physical supply chain

Meta and hyperscalers face AI data center bottlenecks from electrical equipment shortages, benefiting Caterpillar and Eaton as industrial infrastructure suppliers.

Hyperscalers face data center bottleneck as 2 industrial stocks gain

**The AI data center buildout is running into electrical equipment shortages that no amount of software can fix, pushing Caterpillar and Eaton to the front of the infrastructure supply chain.**

SpaceX scrubbed Starship Flight 13 after four Raptor engines failed to ignite, delaying the V3 rocket's test campaign and raising pressure on NASA's 2028 Artemis lunar deadline.

SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 scrubs as 4 engines fail to ignite

**SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 was aborted at T-zero after four Raptor engines failed to ignite, delaying the V3 rocket's test campaign and adding pressure to NASA's 2028 Artemis lunar deadline.**

ZTE Corp. launched the Xingzai humanoid robot at WAIC 2026, a 30kg full-size unit targeting commercial service applications.

ZTE unveils 30kg humanoid robot at WAIC 2026 as China robotics race heats up

**ZTE Corp. entered the humanoid robotics market at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, unveiling a 30-kilogram full-size robot that it claims is the lightest in its class.**

A July 17 MarketWatch report identified three AI-adjacent sectors benefiting from capital rotation out of semiconductor stocks, naming specific stock picks for investors.

Three AI-adjacent sectors gain as chip selloff fuels rotation

**Capital is rotating from semiconductor stocks into data-center infrastructure, power utilities, and networking hardware as investors seek alternative AI exposure, a July 17 MarketWatch report said.**

SpaceX aborted its Starship V3 launch on July 16, 2026 after multiple Raptor engines failed to ignite, sending shares 4% lower below the IPO price.

SpaceX aborts Starship launch as engine failure triggers 4% drop

**SpaceX's upgraded Starship rocket failed to launch Thursday after multiple engines did not ignite, triggering an automatic abort and sending shares below their IPO price.**

Super Micro Computer expands its liquid cooling portfolio with 10 new Rear Door Heat Exchanger models for AI data centers.

Super Micro expands liquid cooling lineup with 10 new RDHx models

**Key Takeaways:** - Super Micro launched 10 new Rear Door Heat Exchanger models for AI data center cooling - Cooling capacities range from 10kW to 120kW across the expanded portfolio - The expansion targets rising thermal demands from AI factories and high-density racks

AT&T and Verizon launched new lower-priced single-line mobile plans starting at $15 and $30 per month respectively, shifting away from multi-line family plans to attract cost-conscious consumers.

AT&T and Verizon launch single-line plans from $15 to challenge T-Mobile

**AT&T and Verizon are breaking from years of family-plan dominance with new single-line plans starting as low as $15 a month.**

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is capitalizing on AI infrastructure demand with a record $5.9 billion backlog and surging server and networking orders.

HPE rides AI infrastructure boom with $5.9B backlog and 81% gain

**Key Takeaways:** - HPE's Q2 FY2026 revenue hit $10.7 billion, driven by AI systems and server upgrades - The company holds a record $5.9 billion AI systems backlog as enterprise adoption accelerates - Networking revenue reached $2.7 billion, contributing over 40% of total operating income

Gorilla Technology Group prices $125 million in 7.50% convertible notes to fund its NeutraDC Batam data center project in Indonesia.

Gorilla Technology prices $125M bond to fund NeutraDC Batam project

**Gorilla Technology raised $125 million in 7.50% convertible notes to fund its NeutraDC Batam data center project in Indonesia, marking its second major bond offering in six weeks.**

Supermicro expands its Rear Door Heat Exchanger portfolio with ten models supporting cooling capacities from 10kW to 120kW for high-density AI and HPC data centers.

Supermicro adds 10 liquid cooling models up to 120kW for AI data centers

**Data center operators racing to cool high-density AI racks now have a simpler path to liquid cooling without ripping out existing infrastructure.**

Nokia launched the industry's first commercial AI-native RAN platform built with Nvidia, targeting more than 100% spectral efficiency gains by 2028.

Nokia launches first AI-RAN platform, targets 100% spectral gain by 2028

**Key Takeaways:** - Nokia launched the industry's first commercial AI-native RAN platform on July 15, 2026 - The platform promises more than 100% spectral efficiency gains by 2028, doubling existing spectrum capacity - Nokia shares have surged 140% over the past year as the market re-rates the company as an AI infrastructure play

CleanSpark signed a 20-year, $6.6 billion data center lease in Georgia, marking its first major infrastructure deal since pivoting from Bitcoin mining to AI computing.

CleanSpark signs $6.6B data center lease in pivot from mining

**Key Takeaways:** - CleanSpark signed a 20-year, $6.6 billion data center lease in Georgia - The tenant is an unnamed high investment-grade global technology company - The deal marks CleanSpark's first infrastructure contract since pivoting from Bitcoin mining

AIRO Group Holdings' RQ-35 Heidrun drone received Blue UAS certification from the Defense Contract Management Agency, clearing it for US Department of War acquisition.

AIRO's RQ-35 Heidrun drone with 2.5-hour flight wins Blue UAS status

**Key Takeaways:** - AIRO Group's RQ-35 Heidrun drone received Blue UAS certification from the DCMA - The hand-launched drone offers 2.5-hour flight time and single-operator deployment - Certification opens US Department of War and federal procurement channels for AIRO

US data-center developers are selling majority equity stakes worth tens of billions of dollars this summer, driven by AI demand and rising construction costs.

Data-center developers seek $25 billion in stake sales this summer

**US data-center developers are racing to sell majority equity stakes worth tens of billions of dollars, capitalizing on insatiable AI demand.**

AST SpaceMobile's three BlueBird satellite launches in August will determine whether the company can prove its direct-to-device technology works at scale.

AST SpaceMobile's 3 satellite launches could decide its 59% rally

**AST SpaceMobile's August launch of three BlueBird satellites will test whether the company can translate its technology into revenue — or remain a pre-profit story with a $12 billion market cap.**

SpaceX targets July 16 for Starship's 13th test flight, aiming to deploy 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites for the first time.

SpaceX Starship to launch 13th test flight with 20 Starlink V3 satellites

**SpaceX's next Starship test flight will attempt to deploy functioning Starlink V3 satellites for the first time, a milestone that moves the world's largest rocket closer to operational service.**

AST SpaceMobile receives FCC approval and launches satellites to commercialize direct satellite-to-cellphone service with AT&T and Verizon partnerships.

AST SpaceMobile targets 45 satellites in 2026 as FCC greenlight opens commercial era

**AST SpaceMobile has cleared its biggest regulatory hurdle and is racing to deploy enough satellites to turn a decade-old concept into a revenue-generating business by year-end.

Gas turbine prices have surged 300% in three years as AI data center demand for electricity outpaces grid capacity, with GE Vernova sold out through 2030.

Gas turbine prices surge 300% as AI data centers strain power supply

**The race to power AI data centers is pushing gas turbine prices up 300% in three years, with GE Vernova's supply sold out through 2030.**

Rocket Lab unveiled its Hungry Hippo fairing, a reusable nose cone that stays attached to the Neutron rocket booster after separation.

Rocket Lab's Hungry Hippo fairing targets 13,000-kg reusable launches

**Rocket Lab's hinged fairing design keeps the nose cone attached to the booster, eliminating the cost of recovering or replacing the hardware after each launch.**

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