Military spending rose 14% over President Biden’s four-year term to $841.4 billion in the fiscal 2024 appropriations bill signed into law last December.
The Orbital Test Vehicle will conduct a series of passes that use the drag of the Earth’s atmosphere to allow it to change orbit while limiting its fuel use.
The mission is intended to complete certification of the two-stage rocket by the U.S. Space Force for national security missions beginning by year’s end.
As satellite operators turn to smaller, proliferated spacecraft to protect space-based capabilities, industry sees ground stations as a new target for attacks.