Space Force’s first next-gen missile warning launch pushed to 2026
GAO has long warned the program’s first launch would be delayed at least a year. Those projections could prove true, but perhaps for more nuanced reasons.
Space
Sierra Space launches defense-focused business
Over the last two years, Sierra Space has been awarded $1.5 billion in defense contracts for satellites and components.
Two House lawmakers launch Golden Dome caucus
Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., announced the initiative Tuesday, noting that the group will partner closely with the Senate's Golden Dome Caucus.
Space Force shifts upfront range upgrade costs to commercial firms
Under a new $4 billion contract, commercial launch firms will place task orders and pay directly for various services required to support.
Space Force awards BAE $1.2B deal for missile-tracking satellites
The service announced the award Monday, making the company the first to be on contract for the program’s second installment, dubbed Epoch 2.
Space Force demos rapid turnaround on latest GPS III launch
The launch was the second in a series the Space Force is running to test its ability to launch high-value satellites in response to operational needs.
Behemoth Golden Dome may face lackluster scrutiny in Trump’s Pentagon
Hegseth's decision to shutter DOT&E was at least partially triggered by the office's plans to oversee Golden Dome's test plans, sources told Defense News.
Space Force eyes commercial tech to fill low Earth orbit sensing gaps
In a May 16 notice, the service calls for feedback from firms that can provide space domain awareness in the “increasingly congested orbital environment."
Space Force sees ‘outsized impact’ from civilian workforce cuts
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said Tuesday the Space Force has lost almost 14% of its civilian workforce in recent months.
Trump estimates Golden Dome will cost $175B over 3 years
President Trump also announced he has appointed Gen. Michael Guetlein, the Space Force’s second in command, to oversee the effort.
Amid demand for satellite support, Space Force leans on commercial
The service awarded contracts to two firms — Auria, formerly Boecore, and Sphinx Defense — to establish the cloud-based antenna marketplace prototype.
Defense officials advocate for diverse target-tracking architecture
Defense officials say a moving target indicator capability that includes both air and space assets is needed until the department defines its architecture.
Varda lands third space capsule, carrying key hypersonic flight data
Funded by AFRL, Varda’s W-3 capsule landed May 13 at Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.
Pentagon taps 12 more companies for space data transport network demos
The program, led by the Defense Innovation Unit, plans to start demonstrating the hybrid network this summer and launch a pilot next year.
Northrop tests tech to help hypersonic vehicles maneuver without GPS
The successful demonstration of inertial measurement unit technology on a hypersonic aircraft is an industry first.
Space Force weighs options for boosting launch resiliency, capacity
The service is exploring a range of leads for increasing launch access — including international partnerships and newer modalities like sea-based launch.
Golden Dome costs driven by interceptors, not launch, analysts say
A constellation of interceptors meant to counter low- and high-end threats would require a much more robust architecture than past estimates have assumed.
