U.S. Space Force

By Vivienne Machi
Northrop Grumman has delivered the two-satellite constellation to the Space Force, targeting mid-July for liftoff onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The agency needs more than the Defense Department’s space collision avoidance services to keep its satellites out of harm’s way.
Space

By Vivienne Machi, Irene Klotz
The newcomer joins incumbents ULA and SpaceX on the Space Force’s launch vendor list.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The service is exploring the future of narrowband satellite communications as its legacy Mobile User Objective System approaches the end of its life span.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The Space Force has awarded contracts to Blue Origin, CACI International, General Atomics and Viasat to develop space laser-communication terminal prototypes.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
Senators want a U.S. Space Force program executive office to manage the acquisition of satellites that can track both air and ground moving targets from orbit.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
RTX is no longer building satellites in the first phase of the U.S. Space Force’s missile-tracking satellite constellation.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force has selected Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and SpaceX as the three service providers for Phase 3 of the NSSL program.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
“What we really need to focus on right now with the [Space Development Agency] is that [missile]-tracking layer,” a senior Space Force official says.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The House Appropriations Committee plans to allocate billions of dollars to fund missile-warning-and-tracking initiatives in its fiscal 2025 bill.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Vivienne Machi
DIU is interested in partnerships with companies building radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened microelectronics.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The Space Force says Boeing and Northrop Grumman are the only bidders qualified to build the next-generation jam-resistant satcom payloads.
Space

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Starfish Space a contract to launch and operate a new space tug as part of its broader push for in-orbit servicing.
Space

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX’s plan to launch its Starship-Super Heavy reusable Mars-class space transport from KSC will require a full environmental impact statement, the FAA said.
Space

By Matthew Fulco
The main surprise in the defense microelectronics manufacturer Mercury Systems' third-quarter fiscal 2024 earnings report was a net loss of $44.6 million.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Garrett Reim
Each linkage features special adhesive similar to the feet of a gecko that allows the arms to grip objects.
Commercial Space

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
When the Air Force rolled out its 2025 budget request, Secretary Kendall warned due to spending constraints, the service is not moving as quickly as needed.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Garrett Reim
The company plans to start launching the spacecraft for customers in 2026, with a prototype of the satellite to launch in 2025.
Space Symposium

By Irene Klotz
Rocket Lab and its partner, True Anomaly, will conduct rendezvous and proximity operations as part of the demonstration.
Space Symposium

By Brian Everstine
There are individual hybrid satcom terminal programs underway across each of the services.
Space Symposium

By Brian Everstine
The Space Force is moving more into the mission, which it is calling tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking.
Space Symposium

By Brian Everstine
The document identifies the specific missions it wants to focus on for increasing commercial capabilities.
Space Symposium

By Brian Everstine
Rocket Lab USA will launch a group of experimental payloads to very low earth orbit (VLEO) in April 2026.
Space Symposium

By Garrett Reim
The company to show how technology onboard spacecraft could be used for Joint All-Domain Command-and-Control applications.
Space Symposium