Asteroids contain mind-boggling amounts of valuable metals – like 16 Psyche, seen here, which holds massive reserves of iron. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 5 February 2026 A niche corner of the commercial space sector is attracting attention from United States national security planners, not because of
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks about the Golden Dome initiative in the Oval Office on May 20, 2025. | Alex Brandon/AP By Chris Gordon, Published by Air & Space Forces, 3 February 2026 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.—Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exhorted the U.S. space industry to step up its efforts
Rendering of L3Harris' Tracking Layer Tranche 2 missile-tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency. Credit: L3Harris By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 28 January 2026 Congressional watchdog says SDA is overestimating technology readiness ORLANDO, Fla. — A congressional watchdog is warning that the Pentagon’s ambitious effort to overhaul missile
Rendering of Orbit Fab’s refueling service architecture consists of propellant depots in various orbits, and shuttles that will deliver fuel from those depots to client spacecraft. Credit: Orbit Fab By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 28 January 2026 Gen. Stephen Whiting: As space becomes a contested military domain, the
GSSAP space domain awareness satellite (Air Force Space Command archive) By Courtney Albon, Published by Air and Space Forces, 26 January 2026 The Space Force plans to award initial contracts as soon as next month for a fleet of small, maneuverable satellites designed to monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit that
Image credit: U.S. Space Force By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 22 January 2026 Gen. Shawn Bratton, vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, says greater reliance on satellites is forcing faster integration with the joint force and long-term planning beyond Earth orbit WASHINGTON — The
Published by the Washington Times, 22 January 2026 Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman on the 'threats in orbit' facing America Still from Washington Times video (click above to watch) The race for national security dominance in space has become a central aspect of 21st-century great power competition,
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches the USSF-124 mission for the U.S. Space Force on Feb. 14, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT). (Image credit: SpaceX via X) By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 10 January 2026 SpaceX sweeps nine national security missions for SDA and NRO under NSSL
