U.S. Space Force

By Vivienne Machi
For years, mention of counterspace capabilities was taboo. but U.S. Space Force formation and on-orbit activity has led to more calls for investment and focus.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Mark Carreau
Strategic partners Ad Astra Rocket and Space Nuclear Power are seeking to advance high-power nuclear electric propulsion technologies for missions to Mars.
Space Exploration

By Vivienne Machi
As the Space Force approaches its fifth birthday, one of its most critical mission areas is undergoing a massive facelift.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
Lockheed Martin is preparing to launch its next technology demonstration spacecraft in 2025, with an eye toward U.S. programs and the international market.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi, Irene Klotz
Kim speaks with Aviation Week as Firefly prepares to enter the lunar and in-space services markets and expand its family of launch vehicles.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
SES has launched six out of 13 planned O3b mPOWER satellites.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Pentagon has historically kept the spaceplane’s capabilities and mission objectives under wraps.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
Military spending rose 14% over President Biden’s four-year term to $841.4 billion in the fiscal 2024 appropriations bill signed into law last December.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
The service is preparing for a major overhaul of its military-grade satellite communications architecture over the next decade.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The service is pursuing an “allied by design” approach that includes a new push for space-related military sales.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Vivienne Machi
The Space RCO is one of three acquisition agencies under the U.S. Space Force and headquartered at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
Last June, the service awarded the initial NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts worth $5.6 billion to United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and SpaceX.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Office released the BALISTA query in March 2024.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
NROL-167 lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 1:13 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Satellites

By Robert Wall, Joe Anselmo
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The Operational Control System program, known as OCX, was established in 2010.
Operations & Safety

By Vivienne Machi
The organization sits under the U.S. Space Force and is fielding hundreds of satellites under the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
Satellites

By Irene Klotz
Blue Origin's second New Shepard vehicle flew with a dozen payloads as part of a shakedown run ahead of passenger flights.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The Enhanced Polar Satcom-Recapitalization (EPS-R) satellites were built by Northrop Grumman and launched Aug. 11.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Space Force in 2021 selected Millennium and Raytheon, an RTX company, for the Epoch 1 program.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
SpaceX is receiving $733.6 million for the two launches.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The two companies said the first of three launches is due to take place next year.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The club already includes, beyond the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
The Orbital Test Vehicle will conduct a series of passes that use the drag of the Earth’s atmosphere to allow it to change orbit while limiting its fuel use.
Operations & Safety

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Space Force’s SSC wants Impulse Space to demonstrate its Mira spacecraft quickly conducting space domain awareness missions.
Satellites