News: Department of Defense
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News / Department of Defense
- Inside SDA, IRIS², and More: Novaspace Unveils Major Space Programs Tracker SpaceNews · 5 May 2025 Novaspace, the leading space consulting and market intelligence firm, has unveiled a new offering: the Major Space Programs Tracker. This report debuts with a spotlight on a defining trend across […]
- If European leaders want to beef up defense in space, they should look to the Space Development Agency SpaceNews · 30 Apr 2025 At the risk of understating the case, Europe has been shaken by recent geopolitical events. ‘Great power politics’ is back, and Europe faces the very real risk of becoming a […]
- Data architecture is paramount for Golden Dome success — and the Department of Defense is not ready SpaceNews · 28 Apr 2025 President Trump recognizes the grave threats posed by adversary ballistic and hypersonic missiles and has issued mandates for the Department of Defense to deploy a “Golden Dome” defense shield for […]
- L3Harris gains edge in race to build Golden Dome missile sensors SpaceNews · 25 Apr 2025 The Missile Defense Agency confirmed that L3Harris' Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) satellite prototype met performance targets in tests.
- 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
- SAIC wins $55 million Space Development Agency contract for satellite network integration SpaceNews · 22 Apr 2025 By introducing a program integrator role, SDA aims to ensure better compatibility among satellites and cohesion across the network
- 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.
- Derek Tournear Reinstated as Director of Space Development Agency Following Investigation The Launch Pad · 15 Apr 2025 Derek Tournear Reinstated as Director of Space Development Agency Following Investigation
- Derek Tournear to return as Space Development Agency director after investigation SpaceNews · 14 Apr 2025 Tournear will return to the Space Development Agency on April 17 after a three-month administrative leave
- Missile Defense Agency opens door to commercial firms for “Golden Dome” project SpaceNews · 6 Apr 2025 A conference later this month will explore space-interception concepts, with particular interest in boost-phase capabilities.
- NASA Trains for Orion Water Recovery Ahead of Artemis II Launch NASA · 31 Mar 2025 Preparations for NASA’s next Artemis flight recently took to the seas as a joint NASA and Department of Defense team, led by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, spent a week aboard the USS Somerset off the coast o...
- NASA Invites Media to Learn About Artemis Moon Mission Recovery NASA · 25 Mar 2025 NASA and the Department of Defense will host a media event on the recovery operations that will bring the Artemis II astronauts and the agency’s Orion spacecraft home at the conclusion of next year’s mission around the M...
- Cognitive Space claims two SDA awards SpaceNews · 12 Mar 2025 Cognitive Space will work with the Space Development Agency to optimize missile tracking and network routing.
- Space Development Agency adjusts satellite procurement strategy SpaceNews · 12 Mar 2025 The agency has found that building a constellation of networked spacecraft is more complex than initially anticipated
- Space Development Agency’s satellite program pushes launch timeline SpaceNews · 7 Mar 2025 The PWSA Tranche 1 launch campaign is now anticipated to begin in late summer 2025
- 35 Years Ago: STS-36 Flies a Dedicated Department of Defense Mission NASA · 3 Mar 2025 On Feb. 28, 1990, space shuttle Atlantis took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on STS-36, the sixth shuttle mission dedicated to the Department of Defense. As such, many of the details of the flight remain...
- Space Development Agency pushes back on GAO’s criticism SpaceNews · 27 Feb 2025 The congressional watchdog raised concerns about the agency's rush to deploy hundreds of military satellites before fully proving that they can establish laser communications in orbit
- Congressional watchdog flags risks in Space Development Agency’s satellite program SpaceNews · 26 Feb 2025 The Government Accountability Office specifically raises concerns about the technical maturity of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s laser communications technology.
- NASA Invites Media to Observe FireSense Prescribed Burn at Kennedy NASA · 24 Feb 2025 NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida invites media to attend a prescribed fire campaign event hosted by the NASA FireSense Project, the Department of Defense (DOD), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Campaign acti...
- Space Development Agency satellite procurements moving forward amid heightened scrutiny SpaceNews · 24 Feb 2025 SDA is advancing the first major satellite acquisition since the removal of its former director Derek Tournear.
- Space Development Agency seeks industry input on integrating satellite network into ‘Iron Dome’ SpaceNews · 12 Feb 2025 The agency plans to award one or more contracts for 60-day studies focused on several areas.
- 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
- DIU studying applications of SpaceX Starship in-space refueling SpaceNews · 6 Feb 2025 A Defense Department unit is examining how SpaceX’s Starship vehicle could be used to support a broader architecture of in-space refueling.
- Geost sues Sierra Space over breach of contract in military satellite program SpaceNews · 6 Feb 2025 The sensor manufacturer alleges the satellite maker broke an agreement and misused Geost's status as a new market entrant to win a Space Development Agency contract before switching to a different supplier.
- Air Force acquisition veteran takes helm of Space Development Agency SpaceNews · 5 Feb 2025 William Blauser will serve as acting director of SDA. He is currently deputy director of the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office
- 40 Years Ago: STS-51C, the First Dedicated Department of Defense Shuttle Mission NASA · 24 Jan 2025 On Jan. 24, 1985, space shuttle Discovery took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on STS-51C, the first space shuttle mission entirely dedicated to the Department of Defense (DOD). As such, many of the...
- Space Force procurement official removed amid investigation SpaceNews · 16 Jan 2025 The Department of the Air Force confirmed that Derek Tournear, director of the Space Development Agency, has been placed on investigative administrative leave
- NASA Wallops to Support January Sounding Rocket Launch NASA · 10 Jan 2025 A suborbital rocket is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during a window extending from Monday, Jan. 13, through Thursday, Jan. 16. This launch supports the Missile Defense Agency, Naval...
- U.S. military satellites achieve first cross-vendor laser communications link SpaceNews · 9 Jan 2025 The Space Development Agency that oversees the program has emphasized the adoption of open standards for interoperability
- “GenAI, Operators, and Nerds”: The Triad Behind Groundbreaking Space Domain Awareness SpaceNews · 9 Dec 2024 While generative AI accelerates space domain awareness (SDA), going further to link GenAI via multiple large language models (LLMs) delivers revolutionary advantages—allowing space operators to rapidly manage assets, pre...
- Supply chain woes in the defense industry: ‘Let’s not fool ourselves’ SpaceNews · 9 Dec 2024 Derek Tournear, director of the Space Development Agency: ‘We need the flight software for our satellites to be written in the U.S.’
- Kratos to develop ground system for U.S. missile defense satellites SpaceNews · 13 Nov 2024 The Space Development Agency awarded Kratos a $116.7 million contract to build ground system for missile defense operations
- Sierra Space clears design review in military satellite program SpaceNews · 12 Nov 2024 The Space Development Agency awarded Sierra Space a $740 million contract earlier this year to design and deliver 18 missile warning and tracking satellites
- Antaris™ and SEAKR Engineering LLC Collaborate to Drive Speed and Efficiency in Satellite Development SpaceNews · 4 Nov 2024 SEAKR hardware components to integrate into the Antaris Cloud Platform to support the need for end-to-end Full Mission Virtualization™ across multiple Department of Defense contracts. Los Altos, CA – November
- Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development SpaceNews · 25 Oct 2024 Astra has won a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit worth up to $44 million to support development of its Rocket 4 launch vehicle.
- Space Development Agency selects 19 companies for low-Earth orbit demonstration program SpaceNews · 23 Oct 2024 Companies will compete for space missions under an indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract model
- ULA begins stacking Vulcan rocket in anticipation of first national security mission Spaceflight Now · 23 Oct 2024 The USSF-106 mission will be the first launch of the Vulcan rocket once it receives certification to support missions on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense. A launch date has not yet been announced for the third Vu...
- Space Development Agency taps Umbra for satellite integration study SpaceNews · 22 Oct 2024 Umbra operates a constellation of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites
- NASA Wallops to Support October Sounding Rocket Launch NASA · 22 Oct 2024 NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is scheduled to support the launch of a suborbital sounding rocket for the U.S. Department of Defense during a launch window that runs 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. EDT each day from Wednes...
- Space Development Agency unveils plans for next 200-satellite procurement SpaceNews · 8 Oct 2024 SDA is preparing a solicitation for Tranche 3 of the U.S. military’s proliferated space architecture