Stories about military and national security missions in orbit.
The NROL-145 launch is the first under the Space Force’s Phase 3 Lane 1 rubric—a launch contracting mechanism that will spend $5.6B on relatively simple launches with fewer requirements, which might suit new entrants to the national security launch game.
President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for a new, satellite-based missile defense architecture around the continental US has defense contractors salivating, but questions about the cost, capabilities, and requirement for such a system remain unanswered.
Space is the ultimate high ground, and like a modern-day Sun Tzu, Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman has issued his Art of Space War.
“It’s not supposed to be even touched until 2027. Now they’re saying that’s probably too long. So let’s talk about—is now the time, based on what’s happening in the world,” Col. Jonathan Whitaker told Payload on the sidelines of Space Symposium.
Dust off that nameplate: Derek Tournear is taking his corner office back. The former leader of the Space Development Agency (SDA) will return to his old job on April 17, following three months of administrative leave.
They focus on tech ranging from high-res imaging, mission planning, non-Earth imaging, and carrying and dispensing small sats in orbit (not unlike how an aircraft carrier operates at sea).
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the smaller, less resourced Ukrainian military was able to fight back in part thanks to innovative commercial tech, according to top execs.
Leaders from L3Harris argued that the company has already demonstrated many technologies that will be central to the Golden Dome architecture.
The first US military satellite launched in 1958. The first one that will be able to fly longer than a single tank of fuel will launch next year.
Firefly will conduct a responsive space mission for DoD as early as 2027, which will include capabilities such as conducting space domain operations in LEO.
There is a widespread acknowledgement that future conflicts will take place, at least partially, in space.
Using photometric sensors, Slingshot can spot an orbital object’s unique light-based “fingerprint” to help the DoD understand the technology that America’s adversaries are deploying in space.
