Net News Today — September 16, 2026

The world of technology is moving at a breakneck pace, with innovations and disruptions emerging on multiple fronts. In the AI space, a new wave of networking startups is challenging Nvidia's dominance with NVLink, signaling a potential shift in the infrastructure underpinning artificial intelligence systems. This development is closely tied to the ongoing quest for more powerful and efficient computing architectures, which is also reflected in the ambitious projects underway in the space sector.

SpaceX, for instance, is gearing up to attempt a major milestone with Starship, aiming to put the vehicle into orbit for the first time on September 22. Meanwhile, the US military has taken a significant step by confirming the launch of space-based weapons into Earth's orbit, highlighting the growing importance of space as a domain for military operations. On a different note, the digital payments landscape is also evolving, with India ending the free ride for larger transactions on its widely-used digital payments network. Amidst these developments, tech enthusiasts are looking ahead to key events like TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, which is just four days away from opening its exhibition floor to attendees.

Today's signal:
• AI networking startups race to replace Nvidia's NVLink (theregister.com)
• “Filmmaker” suing PassThePopcorn may be banned user out for revenge (arstechnica.com)
• SpaceX will try to put Starship in orbit for the first time on September 22 (techcrunch.com)
• US military confirms it launched space weapons into Earth’s orbit (techcrunch.com)
• India ends free ride for larger transactions on its ubiquitous digital payments network (techcrunch.com)
• 4 days left to exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 (techcrunch.com)