U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

Technology company Varda Space Industries wants the U.S. military to use its reentry capsule for Golden Dome-related reps and sets.

Intuitive Machines Inc. will acquire Lanteris Space Systems, previously known as Maxar Space Systems, from Advent International LLC.

iRocket reports a successful flight test of the company’s 2.75-in. IRX-100 version of the Hydra 70 rocket system.

U.S. Air Force researchers revealed plans to fire an affordable hypersonic missile in early December under the newly unveiled Angry Tortoise project.

Propulsion startup Beehive Industries is preparing to ship its first additively manufactured Frenzy engine for altitude tests at the AFRL.

Colorado-based rocket engine developer Ursa Major is entering a new growth phase.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is interested in getting a closer look at ships from satellites in very low Earth orbit (VLEO).

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has issued two study contracts this month related to its Rocket Cargo vision to speedily transport equipment around the globe using commercial launch vehicles.

U.S. Air Force researchers want proposals for new automation technologies that would allow boom-equipped uncrewed aircraft to refuel crewed aircraft.

As the U.S. Marine Corps aviation branch shuffles its tactical aviation force structure, the XQ-58 suddenly looms large in force structure plans.

The BAE Systems PHASA-35 high-altitude, solar-electric, uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) will carry an Aloft Sensing X-band synthetic aperture radar.

A pair of Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed aircraft flew a combat training mission controlled by pilots flying a single-seat F-16C and a two-seat Boeing F-15E.

NASA’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget would cancel technology development related to nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion.

GE Aerospace believes the fielding of the first adaptive cycle engine for fighter aircraft could be accelerated.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. will develop a stealthy uncrewed aircraft system powered by a novel hybrid-electric propulsion system.

Portal Space Systems promises the rapid maneuverability of nuclear propulsion, but using thermal energy collected from the Sun.

A Pentagon-funded demonstration is on track next month to launch a series of experimental cargo delivery flights in North Dakota.

The second U.S. Air Force prototype of a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) has moved into the ground testing phase.

Recent Chinese demonstrations of “dogfighting in space” have added extra urgency to calls for dynamic U.S. space operations capability sooner rather than later.

A capsule built by Varda Space Industries touched down successfully after reentering Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding Mach 25.

The U.S. Space Force says it has completed a critical propulsion test of the Oracle-M space situational awareness system.

Dzyne Technologies says it has delivered multiple Grasshopper autonomous air-launched expendable cargo gliders to the U.S. Air Force.

Startup Beehive Industries is on track to start ground tests of its additively manufactured Frenzy engine next month, ahead of planned altitude tests with AFRL.