Defense and Space

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket kicked off the planned 14-day Axiom-3 (Ax-3) mission with launch at 4:49 p.m. EST from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.

The exchange came four days after a Russian air force A-50 airborne warning and control system was reportedly downed near the Sea of Azov.

Impulse Space has unveiled additional details about its Helios kick stage, which is scheduled for a demonstration launch mission in early 2026.

U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets carried out air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Jan. 18.

Mercury Systems (MRCY), a tech provider to the aerospace and defense industry, said it would consolidate its Mission Systems and Microelectronics divisions.

Test personnel at Stennis Space Center have successfully conducted the fourth in a second round of 12 ground test firings of the upgraded RS-25 rocket engine.

Pakistani combat aircraft and UAS have struck targets in Eastern Iran a day after Tehran conducted a missile and drone strike in Western Pakistan.

Tanzania has joined the growing number of African nations to operate Leonardo’s C-27J Spartan airlifter.

The passive, long-range sensor is being added to the Brazilian Air Force inventory through the Gripen acquisition program.

Leonardo has packed more capability into its BriteCloud expendable active decoy, giving it the ability to swap data from the aircraft’s self-protection suite.

Australia has committed to joining the development program for PrSM Increments 3 and 4, which will see the missile reach a range of around 1,000 km (620 mi.).

Regardless of who shot down the A-50 AEW, its loss is a major embarrassment for Russian Air Force commanders.

Kyiv is interested in taking on Australia's retired NH90s, but Canberra says the helicopters are not in flying condition and that disassembly has already begun.

Astrobotic is projecting its troubled Peregrine lunar lander will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean two days earlier than previous estimates.

The second acknowledged test of the B-21 came 68 days after the first flight from the public airport in Palmdale, California.

Astroscale U.S. has unveiled details of the concept of operations for its in-space refueler spacecraft being developed for the U.S. Space Force.

The latest delays in NASA’s Artemis lunar program signal deep-seated cost and technical issues as well as a lack of sufficient oversight that must be addressed.

Long-awaited strategies outlining how the Pentagon and the U.S. Space Force want to work with industry are finally set to be released.

The Pentagon recently outlined a new focus on reducing the classification of space programs.

France will provide additional Scalp air-launched cruise missiles to Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron has declared.

Engineers from BAE Systems and Leonardo have installed the prototype Radar 2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar onto a Eurofighter Typhoon.

Emirati defense contractor Edge Group has secured agreements with Turkish UAS manufacturer Baykar to integrate Edge-developed munitions onto Baykar’s UAS.

The service is embedding testers in the program office and company teams to develop a swift test timeline.

The self-governed island expects local companies will contribute 75% to the program to replace the Beechcraft T-34C.

Space tech companies largely shrugged off 2023’s broad slowdown in VC investment given their strategic importance, according to the latest Seraphim Space Index.