Tag: national security
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Japan Defence Ministry Awards Astroscale Contract to Develop Satellite Gripping Technology
Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has awarded Astroscale Japan a contract valued at 1 billion yen ($6.4 million) to develop a gripping mechanism designed for use with national satellites, the company said. Under the contract, Astroscale Japan will design the mechanism and conduct ground-based demonstrations to test its ability to grip national security satellites under…
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Blue Origin hires United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno to head its national security group
United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno, shown here at the Space Symposium in 2016, is joining Blue Origin. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle) Eleven years after United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno partnered with Blue Origin to create a new rocket engine, he’s joining Jeff Bezos’ space venture as the president of Blue Origin’s newly…
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Germany Unveils First National Security Space Strategy, Plans New Military Space Capabilities
Germany has released its first national security space strategy, outlining major investments in military space capabilities — including “highly agile low-signal surveillance and bodyguard satellites” and reusable spaceplanes to counter adversary threats. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called the plan “an important part of Germany’s efforts to safeguard its interests and…
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Blue Origin Unveils Larger New Glenn Variant to Enter Super-Heavy Lift Market
Blue Origin has announced plans for a significantly enlarged version of its New Glenn launcher, signalling a push into the super-heavy lift segment as global competition intensifies. The new configuration, known as New Glenn 9×4, adds engines to both stages and marks the most substantial design shift since development of the rocket began more than…
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DARPA Awards Space Kinetic Multi-Million Dollar Contract to Advance Space-Based Missile Defense Architecture
U.S. aerospace startup Space Kinetic has secured a multi-million dollar contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to accelerate development of its asymmetric, space-based missile defense architecture, the company said. The award marks a significant step for the venture-backed firm as it works to mature a “one-to-many” defensive constellation designed to counter advanced…
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ULA set to ramp up Vulcan launches and national security missions with USSF-106
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is starting launch processing for its long-awaited national security launch debut after investigating an issue that affected Vulcan’s second mission — a mission required for certification to fly national security missions. ULA will also start flying other Vulcan configurations than the VC2S, which includes two solid rocket boosters (SRBs) and a…
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Weapons of war are launching from Cape Canaveral for the first time since 1988
The US military launched a long-range hypersonic missile Friday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a test flight that, if successful, could pave the way for the weapon’s operational deployment later this year. The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon fired out of a canister on a road-mobile trailer shortly after sunrise on…
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Weapons of war are launching from Cape Canaveral for the first time since 1988
The US military launched a long-range hypersonic missile Friday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a test flight that, if successful, could pave the way for the weapon’s operational deployment later this year. The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon fired out of a canister on a road-mobile trailer shortly after sunrise on…
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Space Force allocates $2.4B in national security launch contracts to Blue Origin
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifts off from its Florida launch pad in January. (Blue Origin via YouTube) Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has been awarded $2.4 billion in the U.S. Space Force’s latest round of procurement for future national security launches. “It’s an honor and huge responsibility to team with the U.S. government…
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Stoke Space and Rocket Lab join Space Force’s national security launch program
An artist’s conception shows Stoke Space’s Nova rocket in flight. (Stoke Space Illustration) The U.S. Space Force has added Kent, Wash.-based Stoke Space and California-based Rocket Lab USA to the list of providers for its $5.6 billion round of national security launches. Each company will receive a $5 million task order to assess its specific…