Space Force Partners on Rocketry Challenge
“It represents exactly the kind of talent and passion we want to foster,” Maj. Bryan Davis, the Space Force’s chief of marketing, told Payload in an email.
Military
Stories about military and national security missions in orbit.
SpaceX and Lockheed Team Up To Accelerate GPS Launch
“We’re trying to prove that we can quickly respond to an on-orbit failure of a vehicle.”
China Says Golden Dome Could Spark Space Arms Race
“The project will heighten the risk of turning the space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system.”
Trump Selects Plan, Leader for Golden Dome
President Donald Trump has selected the architecture for a space based missile defense shield that is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of his term.
Quantum Space Hunts Golden Dome With MDA Vet
“We’re going to be taking much greater advantage of the space domain.”
DIU Awards 14 Companies Hybrid Space Architecture Contracts
The Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA), which was established in 2022, aims to bridge military and commercial space assets and to speed up how quickly troops can access data—while also maintaining critical cybersecurity requirements.
ICEYE and Rheinmetall Form Sat Production Partnership
The new venture, called Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, will split ownership 60/40 between Rheinmetall and ICEYE, respectively, and expects to begin production of SAR sats in the second quarter of next year.
IonQ Buys Capella Space For Quantum Comms Gambit
The all-stock deal valued Capella at $311M, according to SEC filings and yesterday’s $IONQ closing price.
Ursa Major Had A Hot Week
The propulsion firm is carving out a niche in the fields of highest interest to the Pentagon.
Europe’s Space Defense Industry Sees Opportunity in Discord
European governments have unshackled budget rules and funded a five-year rearmament plan.
Op-ed: A Resilient Europe Means Learning from the US Model
Amid shifting global power balances and an ongoing war on European soil, it’s more important than ever for Europe to quickly address its fragmented, painfully slow, and overly cautious procurement process—or risk permanently lagging behind those who want to do it harm.
AeroVironment Acquires BlueHalo in $4.1B Deal
As warfare becomes increasingly dependent on space-based infrastructure and the link between space capabilities and terrestrial systems, AV aims to use its technologies to connect military tech in different domains.