U.S. Space Force

By Vivienne Machi
The White House issued a new executive order framing its near-term plans and policy ambitions for the space domain on Dec. 18.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
SpaceX said one of its Starlink satellites failed on orbit, causing some space debris and now tumbling.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force has set domain awareness as its initial—and for now, sole—mission area of focus for its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve program.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
Northrop is supplying an extra, classified payload to be integrated onto the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation overhead persistent infrared polar-based sats.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
Service leaders say the U.S. is at a critical moment to keep ahead of adversaries in space tech development.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force will lead the acquisition and development of a new surveillance satellite constellation.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
Two space startups recently conducted a self-funded mission to showcase autonomous maneuvering in low Earth orbit.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
New Combat Forces Command Commander Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon plans to focus his time in command on training for orbital warfare.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force recently took delivery of the first production unit for the Meadowlands Counter Communications System.
Satellites

By Garrett Reim
DARPA has granted BAE Systems a contract for its Oversight program to make software that allows new military sats to track up to 1,000 targets on the ground.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force’s first self-described space control platform has been approved for potential export to select allies and partners.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force is taking proposals from new launch providers with rockets ready to fly by early 2027 to join the National Security Space Launch program.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force and SpaceX launched the National Reconnaissance Office’s 10th and final mission of 2025 on Dec. 9.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
Muon Space will harness its multispectral imaging payload for the Space Development Agency’s missile warning/missile tracking constellation.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force will not award a second contract to build a future missile warning and tracking constellation in medium Earth orbit until fiscal 2027.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force is seeking prototype proposals for space-based interceptors.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
Gen. Michael Guetlein, Golden Dome program director, said the first batch of contracts for space-based interceptor technology were awarded in November.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
After two successful launches in back-to-back months, the third Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 1 mission won’t launch until 2026.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force expects to release a solicitation for the next batch of new launch providers under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program this month
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force says its ability to outpace threats in orbit hinges on whether it can revamp how it organizes, buys and fields capabilities.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force has awarded the first batch of prototype contracts for the space-based interceptors (SBI) element of the Golden Dome, but details are scarce.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Space Force expects to award contracts for space-based midcourse interceptors in February.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Irene Klotz, Vivienne Machi
The Eastern Range marked its 100th launch of year on Nov. 20, an unprecedented milestone.
Operations & Safety

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Space Force is finalizing an outline of its ideal force structure to serve as a basis for budgets and planning.
Space