The Space Force mission known as Victus Nox flew on a Firefly Alpha rocket. It lifted off Sept. 14, 2023, from Space Launch Complex 2 West at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: Firefly Aerospace

U.S. Space Force awards Firefly $21.8 million contract for rapid-response launch mission

The Space Force mission known as Victus Nox flew on a Firefly Alpha rocket. It lifted off Sept. 14, 2023, from Space Launch Complex 2 West at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: Firefly Aerospace By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 15 February 2025 WASHINGTON — Space transportation company

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U.S. military space tracking systems strain under new threats

Illustration of the growing crowd and debris problem in GEO, which may be addressed by fast-responding traffic coordination AI. Credit: ESA/ID&Sense/ONiRiXEL; CC BY-SA 3.0 By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 11 February 2025 The challenge is particularly acute in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) where many military communications and early warning

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Lockheed Martin, Boeing compete for military satellite contract amid commercial disruption

The Mobile User Objective System's four-satellite constellation official transferred to the Space Force this year. (Lockheed Martin) By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 8 February 2025 WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin and Boeing are advancing competing designs for next-generation military communications satellites, even as some experts question whether the Pentagon

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Top Pentagon contractors poised for gains as Trump pushes missile shield expansion

Northrop Grumman's low-Earth orbit constellation of satellites detecting missile launches by an unidentified adversary. Northrop Grumman illustration By Sandra Erwin, Published by Space News, 3 February 2025 The proposed “Iron Dome for America” system is heavily reliant on space-based sensors and potentially controversial space-based interceptors WASHINGTON — The nation’s top

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