Tag: Northrop Grumman
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SpaceX launches Cygnus XL to ISS on CRS NG-23 mission
Just days after the Progress MS-32 cargo ship launched to the International Space Station from Kazakhstan, SpaceX launched the first flight of a stretched Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo ship to the Station for an additional delivery of supplies. The Cygnus XL cargo ship, named S.S. William C. “Willie” McCool after the pilot of Columbia…
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Boeing Wins $2.8 Billion Space Force Contract for Next-Gen Strategic Communications Satellites
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Boeing a $2.8 billion contract to develop two secure communications satellites under the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) program, the Department of Defense announced Thursday. The decision positions Boeing as the lead contractor for the next generation of highly secure military satellites designed to operate in increasingly contested space…
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Firefly advances production of Eclipse and Blue Ghost, announces Ocula imaging service
Firefly Aerospace is continuing to make good progress toward the debut of the company’s next-generation launch vehicle, Eclipse, in partnership with Northrop Grumman. Formerly known as MLV, or Medium Launch Vehicle, Firefly and Northrop Grumman announced the rocket’s new name on May 29. Firefly also announced Ocula, a new commercial lunar imaging service that will…
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Northrop Grumman tests SLS Block 2 BOLE booster in Utah; nozzle issue seen
Northrop Grumman conducted the first test firing of its Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) five-segment solid rocket motor at its Promontory production and test site in Utah. The Development Motor 1 (DM-1) fired Thursday, June 26, at 12:25 PM MDT (18:25 UTC) and lasted for close to two minutes and 20 seconds, burning over…
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Northrop Grumman Invests $50 Million in Firefly Aerospace to Advance Medium-Lift Rocket Eclipse
Northrop Grumman announced on May 29 a $50 million investment in Firefly Aerospace, joining a $175 million Series D funding round for the company that values it at over $2 billion. The funding will support development of Firefly’s medium-lift launch vehicle, recently renamed Eclipse. Eclipse is designed to carry payloads up to 16,300 kilograms to…
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NASA Weighs Reducing ISS Crew and Research Amid Budget Constraints
NASA is considering scaling back the size of its International Space Station (ISS) crew and limiting research activities due to ongoing budget pressures, even before proposed cuts outlined in the U.S. government’s fiscal year 2026 request take effect. Speaking at a May 20 press briefing about the upcoming Ax-4 private astronaut mission, Dana Weigel, ISS…
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ESA to Seek Funding for Satellite Security System, Signaling Shift Toward Defense
The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to request funding from member states in November for a high-frequency Earth observation satellite system aimed at supporting security and resilience, marking a significant departure from the agency’s traditional civil mission. Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s director general, said in an interview aired by Friends of Europe that the request follows…
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Northrop Grumman launches first Minotaur 4 rocket from Vandenberg in 14 years
A Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 8 (SLC-8) on the NROL-174 mission on April 16, 2025. Image: NRO Update 8:04 p.m. EDT: Added comments following the announcement of a successful launch. Northrop Grumman launched its first flight of a Minotaur rocket from California in nearly 14 years. Onboard the…
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Launch Roundup: Alpha postponed, Falcon 9 launches cargo to ISS
This week has seen the worldwide launch cadence slow, with only four launches taking place. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 has launched just twice, with a mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and a Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. Moreover, a Minotaur rocket has launched another classified reconnaissance payload from Vandenberg, and…
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SpaceX launches mystery ‘Optus-X’ on Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center carrying the Optus-X communications satellite. Image: Spaceflight Now Update 3:56 p.m. EST: SpaceX updated the launch time of the mission. Update 4:08 p.m. EST: SpaceX pushed back the launch time of the mission. Update 6:04 p.m. ESt: SpaceX landed…