U.S. Space Force

By Vivienne Machi
Last June, the service awarded the initial NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts worth $5.6 billion to United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and SpaceX.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Office released the BALISTA query in March 2024.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
NROL-167 lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 1:13 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Satellites

By Robert Wall, Joe Anselmo
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The Operational Control System program, known as OCX, was established in 2010.
Operations & Safety

By Vivienne Machi
The organization sits under the U.S. Space Force and is fielding hundreds of satellites under the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
Satellites

By Irene Klotz
Blue Origin's second New Shepard vehicle flew with a dozen payloads as part of a shakedown run ahead of passenger flights.
Space

By Vivienne Machi
The Enhanced Polar Satcom-Recapitalization (EPS-R) satellites were built by Northrop Grumman and launched Aug. 11.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Space Force in 2021 selected Millennium and Raytheon, an RTX company, for the Epoch 1 program.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
SpaceX is receiving $733.6 million for the two launches.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The two companies said the first of three launches is due to take place next year.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The club already includes, beyond the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
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.
Operations & Safety

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Space Force’s SSC wants Impulse Space to demonstrate its Mira spacecraft quickly conducting space domain awareness missions.
Satellites

By Mark Carreau
The Vulcan Centaur rocket's only post-launch issue was a "variant observation" in one of the first stage's two solid rocket boosters, ULA says.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi, Robert Wall
U.S. Space Command pushes for a faster pace to field maneuverable spacecraft to counter on-orbit threats.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
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.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
As satellite operators turn to smaller, proliferated spacecraft to protect space-based capabilities, industry sees ground stations as a new target for attacks.
Satellites

By Robert Wall, Thierry Dubois
Chinese and Russia anti-satellite capabilities are driving Western militaries to pursue better situational awareness and countermeasures.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve is a peacetime effort to develop capacity that the U.S. military can tap during times of conflict or crisis.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Vivienne Machi
The service’s Evolved Strategic Satcom (ESS) program office is completing source selection and expects to announce a contract award by early 2025.
AFA Air Space and Cyber Conference

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force plans to incorporate optical crosslinks into its next wave of missile warning satellites for use in medium Earth orbit.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The service launched the Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking (TacSRT) pilot program in early 2024.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Space Force’s Commercial Space Office wants commercial options for maneuverable satellites that can operate in geostationary orbit.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The Next-Gen OPIR program includes two satellites for use in geostationary orbit (GEO).
Satellites