News: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News / Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Redwire Wins $20M DARPA Contract for Second VLEO Demo Payload · 5 Nov 2026 A group of otters is called a bevy, and DARPA just ordered another round.
- Space Nuclear Power Corporation Awarded DARPA Agreement for Ground Test of Autonomous Nuclear Reactor Controller SpaceNews · 21 Oct 2026 LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — October 21, 2026 — Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes) announced today that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded the company an Other Transaction […]
- SpaceX launches Northrop mission to extend the life of aging satellites SpaceNews · 21 Jul 2026 DARPA-backed vehicle will install propulsion pods on three commercial satellites in geostationary orbit
- Live coverage: SpaceX to launch novel geosynchronous robotic servicing satellite on decade-long mission Spaceflight Now · 21 Jul 2026 Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle features the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and DARPA. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force S...
- DARPA to explore ways to rapidly rebuild satellite networks if attacked SpaceNews · 15 Jun 2026 The agency is seeking novel concepts to restore critical satellite services within hours or weeks
- Voyager wins DARPA contract for solid rocket propellant technology SpaceNews · 26 May 2026 The $16.5 million award is for ‘thrust-control technology’ designed to make solid propulsion systems more adaptable across different missions and weapons programs
- DARPA taps Raytheon for new maritime defense system SpaceDaily · 4 Feb 2026 Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 03, 2026 Raytheon, an RTX business, has been selected by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop an advanced sensing and targeting system to protect commercial shipping and na...
- Quantum camera startup plans satellite and telescope constellations SpaceDaily · 14 Jan 2026 Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026 Diffraqtion, a space startup spun out of MIT and the University of Maryland, has closed a pre-seed funding round to advance satellite constellations and telescope systems powered by a no...
- Autonomous DARPA project to expand satellite surveillance network by BAE Systems SpaceDaily · 16 Dec 2025 Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 11, 2025 The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems' FAST Labs research, development, and production organization a $16 million Phase 2 contract under the...
- BAE Systems wins $16 million DARPA award to advance autonomous satellite tasking SpaceNews · 11 Dec 2025 The award is for Phase 2 of DARPA’s Oversight program.
- Redwire to Deliver Spacecraft for DARPA Otter VLEO Demonstration SpaceDaily · 21 Nov 2025 Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 20, 2025 Redwire Corporation has secured a 44 million dollar phase 2 contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to advance the Otter Very Low Earth Orbit mission. The contract su...
- Redwire lands $44 million DARPA award to build air-breathing satellite SpaceNews · 19 Nov 2025 Program aims to prove a new class of spacecraft that can survive and maneuver in the drag-heavy regime of very low Earth orbit
- NASA and DARPA Kill DRACO Nuclear Rocket, Shift Focus to Electric Propulsion Future The Launch Pad · 13 Jul 2025 NASA and DARPA Kill DRACO Nuclear Rocket, Shift Focus to Electric Propulsion Future
- DARPA says decreasing launch costs, new analysis led it to cancel DRACO nuclear propulsion project SpaceNews · 2 Jul 2025 A DARPA official said the agency canceled a space nuclear propulsion project it was jointly developing with NASA in part because the effort was overtaken by lower launch costs.
- DARPA Seeks Proposals for Lunar Orbiter to Prospect Water Ice and Test Low Orbit Operations The Launch Pad · 24 Apr 2025 DARPA Seeks Proposals for Lunar Orbiter to Prospect Water Ice and Test Low Orbit Operations
- DARPA requests proposals for water-prospecting lunar orbiter SpaceNews · 21 Apr 2025 DARPA is seeking proposals for a small lunar orbiter that could be used to test operations in very low orbits while prospecting for water ice.
- DARPA’s in-space manufacturing program advances with two teams selected for orbital demos SpaceNews · 10 Feb 2025 The demonstrations will test novel tech for building large structures in space
- NASA to Support DARPA Robotic Satellite Servicing Program NASA · 5 Sep 2024 NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have signed an interagency agreement to collaborate on a satellite servicing demonstration in geosynchronous Earth orbit, where hundreds of satellites provid...
- Scout Space selected for DARPA’s commercial tech initiative SpaceNews · 8 Jul 2024 Under the BRIDGES (Bringing Classified Innovation to Defense and Government Systems) program, DARPA will sponsor Scout for a facility clearance, providing access to classified work areas and networks
- Redwire Wins DARPA Contract for VLEO Satellite with Novel Propulsion The Launch Pad · 18 Jun 2024 Redwire Wins DARPA Contract for VLEO Satellite with Novel Propulsion
- Redwire wins contract for VLEO demonstration SpaceNews · 17 Jun 2024 Redwire announced a contract June 17 to serve as prime mission integrator for a DARPA satellite with a novel propulsion system for very low Earth orbit.
- Slingshot unveils AI that spots satellite anomalies and potential bad actors SpaceNews · 5 Jun 2024 The AI tool named ‘Agatha’ was developed under a DARPA contract
- DARPA picks 14 companies for lunar architecture study SpaceNews · 7 Dec 2023 DARPA has selected 14 companies, ranging from small startups to established aerospace corporations, to participate in a study on developing commercial lunar infrastructure.
- DARPA to study integrated lunar infrastructure SpaceNews · 16 Aug 2023 DARPA is kicking off a study to develop an “analytical framework” to guide development of integrated lunar infrastructure over the next decade.
- ExoTerra gains flight heritage for Halo thrusters SpaceNews · 8 Aug 2023 ExoTerra Resources has demonstrated its first Halo Hall-effect thrusters in orbit on DARPA Blackjack satellites.
- NASA and DARPA award contract for Nuclear Rocket Engine Teslarati · 27 Jul 2023 NASA and DARPA announced they awarded Lockheed Martin and BWX Technologies to build and develop a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine. Lockheed...
- NASA and DARPA Pick Lockheed Martin and BWXT for DRACO SpacePolicyOnline.com · 27 Jul 2023 NASA and DARPA announced today that Lockheed Martin and BWXT will build a nuclear thermal propulsion demonstration vehicle called DRACO. NASA and DARPA joined forces earlier this year to develop
- NASA and DARPA select Lockheed Martin to develop DRACO nuclear propulsion demo SpaceNews · 26 Jul 2023 NASA and DARPA have selected Lockheed Martin to develop a spacecraft to demonstrate nuclear propulsion technologies in Earth orbit later this decade.
- NASA & DARAP Select Lockheed Martin To Develop Nuclear Rocket The Launch Pad · 26 Jul 2023 NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have partnered together for the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program. Today they have revealed Lockheed Martin, based in Little...
- NASA, DARPA Experts to Discuss Nuclear Rocket Program Developments NASA · 26 Jul 2023 Experts from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will hold a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, July 26, to discuss the latest developments in the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cisl...
- Launch Roundup: Virgin Galactic performs crewed suborbital mission; SpaceX launches Euclid NASASpaceflight · 26 Jun 2023 Four launches are planned for the week of June 24 to July 1. The Russians opened the launches, with a Meteor weather satellite riding a Soyuz rocket on Tuesday, June 27, while Virgin Galactic flew its Galactic 01 crewed...
- DARPA downsizes Blackjack space experiment SpaceNews · 14 Jun 2023 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on June 12 launched four satellites for a technology demonstration in low Earth orbit.
- DARPA launches initiative to help tech companies work on classified programs SpaceNews · 30 May 2023 DARPA's Strategic Technology Office launched an initiative called Bridges to help companies get security clearances to work on classified programs.
- DARPA seeks AI tools to automate tracking of satellite sensor data SpaceNews · 26 May 2023 BAE Systems won a $7 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop AI tools to automate the tracking of data collected by military satellites.
- DARPA selects Umbra to demonstrate radar imaging techniques SpaceNews · 22 May 2023 Umbra won a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to demonstrate novel collection techniques using synthetic aperture radar satellites, the company announced May 22.
- NASA and DARPA to partner on nuclear thermal propulsion demonstration SpaceNews · 24 Jan 2023 NASA and DARPA will cooperate on the development and flight demonstration of a nuclear propulsion system with applications for both national security and space exploration.
- NASA, DARPA Will Test Nuclear Engine for Future Mars Missions NASA · 23 Jan 2023 NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced Tuesday a collaboration to demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space, an enabling capability for NASA crewed missions to Mars.
- Mynaric, Redwire, BigBear.ai partner for DARPA’s laser communications program SpaceNews · 6 Dec 2022 Mynaric selected a cybersecurity tool from Redwire and BigBear.ai for an inter-satellite laser communications terminal being developed for DARPA
- DARPA’s robot could start servicing satellites in 2025 SpaceNews · 8 Nov 2022 DARPA's RSGS satellite-servicing payload has completed key tests and is on track to be integrated with a Northrop Grumman spacecraft next year and launch to orbit in 2024
- Spire selected to design satellite for DARPA experiment in very low orbit SpaceNews · 1 Nov 2022 DARPA selected Spire Global to design a small satellite for an experiment to study high-frequency radio signals in the upper layers of the atmosphere.