Military & Defense
The Golden Dome Grinds into Gear: SDA Acting Chief Sovereign over the Supply Chain
Dispatch from SmallSat Symposium. The age of PowerPoint architecture has passed. For five years, the Space Development Agency operated as the Pentagon’s rebellious startup, promising to deliver a Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture faster than the establishment could draft a requirements ...
From SmallSat Gold Rush to Fortress: The Militarization of Commercial Space
Dispatch from SmallSat Symposium: The era of the slide-deck billionaire is dead. Attendees entering the Small Satellites: Trends and Opportunities session expecting standard futurism about connecting the unconnected or democratizing the stars were likely disappointed. The mood at SmallSat Symposium ...
Vantor Secures $5.3 Million NGA Contract to Deliver AI-Driven Global Terrain Monitoring
On February 5, 2026, Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence) was awarded a $5.3 million contract by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) under the Luno B program. The initiative focuses on the automated detection of real-time changes to the Earth’s landscape, leveraging ...
Space Force may be done with R-GPS, but Congress isn’t
On January 19, 2026, the U.S. Space Force officially terminated the Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program, a $1 billion initiative designed to augment the existing GPS constellation with a "proliferated" layer of small, low-cost satellites. Despite this cancellation, Congress has pushed ...
Russia ‘intercepts Europe’s key satellites’ placing NATO satellite at risk
On February 4, 2026, reports from European intelligence and space agencies surfaced detailing a series of aggressive "satellite interceptions" by Russia that have placed NATO’s orbital infrastructure at unprecedented risk. European security officials believe that at least 17 key European ...
The Next Phase of Pentagon Reform: Achieving Strategic Dominance in Space
On February 2, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a major policy address at Blue Origin’s Rocket Factory in Merritt Island, Florida, marking a critical expansion of the Department’s ongoing acquisition reforms into the space domain. This speech, ...
Germany boosts military space program with satellites and lasers
On February 3, 2026, Major General Michael Traut, head of German Space Command, officially unveiled a massive €35 billion ($41 billion) investment plan to overhaul Germany's military space architecture by 2030. Announced on the sidelines of a space industry event ...
Space Development Agency Issues RFI for Space-to-Air Optical Communication Terminals
The Space Development Agency (SDA), the "constructive disruptor" of Department of Defense space acquisition, has published a high-priority Request for Information (RFI) seeking industry solutions for airborne optical communication terminals. The initiative aims to integrate military aircraft directly into the ...
U.S. Space Command to Integrate Commercial Firms into Classified Nuclear Threat Wargames
On January 28, 2026, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) announced a significant expansion of its defense planning, inviting commercial space partners to participate in a series of classified wargames focused on nuclear threats in orbit. The move reflects growing military concern ...
U.S. Space Command Urges Pentagon Pivot to Sustained On-Orbit Logistics and Maneuver
On January 28, 2026, Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM), delivered a keynote address at the Space Mobility Conference in Orlando, Florida, calling for a foundational shift in military space strategy. Whiting argued that the Department of ...
Northrop Grumman Projects Space Growth in 2026 Following 2025 Segment Softness
In its fourth-quarter earnings report released on January 27, 2026, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) outlined a strategic recovery for its Space Systems segment, projecting sales to reach approximately $11 billion in fiscal year 2026. While the company reported record ...
Space Force Accelerates Commercial Reserve Fleet Integration for 2026 Operations
In a move to formalize the military’s reliance on private-sector orbital assets, the U.S. Space Force has established a timeline to operationalize the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) by September 2026. This initiative, modeled after the Air Force’s Civil Reserve ...
Kratos Expands Hypersonic Infrastructure as VisionWave Unveils Space-Based Counter-UAS Architecture
The defense landscape is undergoing a structural pivot toward integrated Radio Frequency (RF) and autonomous sensing systems, moving away from isolated point-defense toward wide-area, theater-scale awareness. This shift was underscored on Monday, January 26, 2026, as VisionWave Holdings (Nasdaq: VWAV) ...
U.S. Space Force Field Commands Prepare Upcoming GPS III Launch to Enhance Warfighter Capabilities
In an announcement from El Segundo and Colorado Springs, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) and Combat Forces Command (CFC) confirmed the upcoming launch of the ninth Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite. Space Vehicle (SV)09, named in ...
Aalyria Selected by U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory for Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) Program
In an announcement released January 22, 2026, the advanced networking firm Aalyria confirmed it has been selected by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to support the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. The contract, awarded through the AFRL’s ...
France Commissions Loft Orbital to Develop First Sovereign SAR Satellite
The contract, announced on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, marks a significant shift in European defense procurement, prioritizing a sovereign-commercial hybrid model to ensure independent orbital reconnaissance capabilities ...
US Space Force Awards Starfish Space $52.5 Million for Proliferated LEO Deorbit Services
In a landmark move for orbital sustainability, the U.S. Space Force has awarded Starfish Space a $52.5 million contract to provide end-of-life disposal services for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). On Wednesday, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command ...
Auria Acquires RKF and Kythera to Unify Space Force C3 & Spectrum Ops
Auria, a provider of orbital warfare and C3 software backed by Enlightenment Capital, announced Tuesday the acquisition of RKF Engineering Solutions (RKF) and Kythera Space Solutions (Kythera). The dual acquisition consolidates spectrum engineering and autonomous satellite command capabilities under Auria’s ...
SDA Operationalizes Laser Mesh Network as Foundation for Proliferated LEO Warfare
By establishing rigorous interoperability standards for Optical Communication Terminals (OCT), the Space Development Agency (SDA) is effectively treating laser links as critical infrastructure ...
ICEYE Expands Space-Based Intelligence Cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence
The new agreement ensures that the Ministry will receive an increased volume of high-resolution satellite imagery from ICEYE’s SAR constellation to bolster tactical situational awareness and national security ...
