SDA Awards $1.6 Billion in Tranche 3 Tracking Layer Contracts to Rocket Lab and Northrop Grumman
As previously reported on SatNews, the Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded $3.5 Billion in contracts for a Tranche 3 Missile Tracking Constellation. On December 19, 2025 two of those agreements totaling $1.6 Billion to build and operate 36 satellites for ...
MDA Taps Sidus, Ursa Space for $151 Billion ‘Golden Dome’ SHIELD Contract
WASHINGTON — The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) selected 1,086 additional companies, including Sidus Space and Ursa Space Systems, to compete for task orders under the $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) contract on Thursday, Dec. 18. The massive indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicle ...
The Operational Pivot: Why Silicon Valley 2026 is the War Room for the Next Cycle
As the industry prepares for the SmallSat Symposium 2026, held February 10–12 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, the sector is moving beyond experimental R&D into a period of industrial maturity. The immediate deadline for attendees is ...
Latest Stories
SpaceRISE Consortium Initiates Procurement for IRIS² Satellite and Launch Services
December 25, 2025, Operational signals from the SpaceRISE consortium—comprising SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat—indicated the multi-orbit IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) program has transitioned into the active procurement phase. The consortium has begun the preparation of Request ...
FCC Modernizes Space Policy with Higher Power Limits for Direct-to-Cell Services
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed on Tuesday, December 23, the adoption of new regulatory frameworks allowing satellite operators to use higher power levels for direct-to-cell (D2C) services. The policy adjustment, part of a 2025 year-end review, is ...
Nigerian Communications Commission Unveils Five-Year Spectrum Roadmap Prioritizing Direct-to-Device Connectivity
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) released its draft National Spectrum Roadmap for 2025–2030 on Friday, December 26, 2025, outlining a strategic shift toward satellite-integrated mobile services. The five-year plan prioritizes the commercialization of Direct-to-Device (D2D) technology and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) ...
DoD Report: China’s ISR Fleet Swells to 510+ Satellites, ‘Informatized’ Warfare Accelerates
The Department of Defense (DoD) released its mandated "2025 Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" report on Tuesday, confirming that Beijing’s operational satellite fleet has expanded to more than 1,189 spacecraft, with a specific emphasis on ...
The Pentagon’s Faustian Bargain: Buying Speed, Building a Monopoly
The integration of xAI serves as a proof-of-concept for the DoW’s aggressive push to modernize its regulatory framework. By treating a foundational large language model (LLM) as a modular insertion rather than a monolithic program of record, the DoW has ...
Second Reusable Rocket Failure in One Month Leaves China Chasing U.S. Lead
BEIJING — China’s ambition to operationalize reusable launch vehicles encountered another setback on Tuesday, Dec. 23, as the state-owned Long March 12A successfully delivered its payload to orbit but failed to recover its first-stage booster. The incident marks the nation's ...
AST SpaceMobile Deploys BlueBird 6, Largest Commercial Array in LEO
AST SpaceMobile successfully deployed BlueBird 6 into low Earth orbit on Tuesday, marking the first successful launch of its next-generation Block 2 satellites. The spacecraft lifted off at 10:25 p.m. EST (Dec. 23) aboard an ISRO LVM3 rocket from the ...
The “Delete” Agenda Hits Space
In Washington, modernization is usually a euphemism for forming a committee to study a problem. For FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, it appears to be a euphemism for a demolition crew. In a statement released Tuesday, Carr summarized his first year ...
HawkEye 360 Acquires Innovative Signal Analysis, Secures $150M Series E
HawkEye 360 completed the acquisition of Richardson, Texas-based defense technology firm Innovative Signal Analysis (ISA) and secured $150 million in new capital, the company announced Dec. 18 ...
CACI to Acquire ARKA Group for $2.6 Billion to Expand Space Sensing Capabilities
RESTON, Va. — CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced on Monday, Dec. 22, that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ARKA Group L.P. from Blackstone Tactical Opportunities in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.6 billion. The deal ...
Bruno’s Exit Leaves ULA at the Mercy of Math
The timing of Tory Bruno’s resignation, announced Monday and effective immediately, strikes a discordant note in an industry that prizes orchestrated stability ...
4iG Space and Defence to Invest $100 Million in Axiom Space
Budapest, 19 December 2025 — 4iG Space and Defence Technologies Zrt. (4iG SDT) signed a definitive investment agreement on December 20, 2025, to become an anchor investor in the U.S.-based commercial space company Axiom Space Inc.. The transaction, valued at ...
SDA Awards $3.5 Billion for Tranche 3 Missile Tracking Constellation
The Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded four contracts totaling $3.5 billion on Friday, Dec. 19, to build 72 satellites for the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. This latest acquisition represents the largest single award to date for the Proliferated Warfighter Space ...
White House Issues Executive Order Prioritizing American Space Superiority
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order titled "Ensuring American Space Superiority," establishing a revised framework for U.S. civil, commercial, and national security space operations. The directive formalizes a timeline for returning American astronauts ...
Hana Asset Management’s U.S. Aerospace Tech ETF Surpasses 50 Billion Won in Net Assets
On Monday, Dec. 22, Hana Asset Management announced that its "1Q U.S. Aerospace Tech" exchange-traded fund (ETF), the first investment vehicle of its kind in South Korea, has exceeded 50 billion Korean Won (KRW) in net assets. The milestone was ...
SES Responds to Moody’s Rating Action Following Intelsat Integration Update
LUXEMBOURG — On December 17, 2025, SES S.A. (SES) formally acknowledged a credit rating action announced by Moody’s Investor Service. The adjustment from the ratings agency follows the recent release of the third quarter 2025 financial results for SES and ...
ISA Schedules Triple Satellite Launch from Vostochny for December 28
Despite decades of multi-layered export controls and international sanctions, Iran’s space program continues to demonstrate a persistent capability to place satellites in orbit. While the country has iterated on launch vehicles and publicized progress toward indigenous manufacturing, the depth of ...
Zenno Awarded German Federal Contract for Next-Generation Satellite Autonomy
Zenno Astronautics has been awarded a contract by Germany’s Federal Agency for Breaktrhough Innovation (SPRIND) ...
Northrop Grumman Selected For Space Development Agency’s TRKT3 Mission
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – December 19, 2025 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) was competitively awarded a Tracking Layer of Tranche 3 (TRKT3) contract by the Space Development Agency (SDA) to deliver resilient, integrated missile warning and tracking satellites, a component ...
Low Orbit Can Be Such a Drag
Just a reminder that Mother Earth finds it hard to let go ...
