Tag: Space Domain Awareness
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Shijian-31 Sweeps GEO in an Orbit Never Seen Before
Is China’s Shijian-31 the First Satellite Designed to Surveil the Entire GEO Belt? A 50 meters-per-second retrograde burn at perigee is all that separates China’s Shijian-31 from passing directly through geostationary orbit (GEO) — the orbital band hosting the world’s most strategically valuable communications, missile warning, and intelligence satellites. Launched June 16, 2026 on a…
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Russia Extends ISS Commitment to 2030 in Isaacman Deal
Will Russia Stay on ISS Until 2030? Bakanov Says Yes After Baikonur Talks Russia has formally committed to International Space Station operations through 2030 — closing a two-year gap in partner alignment that had persisted since other ISS partners locked in that date years ago. Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Bakanov made the commitment directly to…
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Slingshot Aerospace Lands $70M Space Force AI Contract
Is Slingshot Aerospace Now the Pentagon’s Primary AI Mission Rehearsal Vendor? Nearly $70 million. That is the value of the U.S. Space Force contract Slingshot Aerospace announced on July 15, 2026 — a figure the company describes as the largest single award in its history. The contract expands Slingshot’s AI-driven mission rehearsal capabilities for Space…
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NRL Awards Parsons $245M Satellite Ground Systems Deal
Does the Navy’s $245M Parsons Contract Signal a Ground Segment Buildout? $245 million. That is the value of the contract the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory awarded to Space Ground System Solutions — a subsidiary of Parsons Corporation — to continue satellite ground systems software development and operations support at what the summary identifies as the…
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Falcon 9 Booster Hits 35 Flights, 12,472 Starlinks Launched
Is a 35-Flight Falcon 9 Booster the New Normal for Launch Economics? A single Falcon 9 first stage flew its 35th mission on July 10, 2026, deploying 29 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit and landing intact for future reuse. The flight is the highest confirmed reuse count in the Falcon 9 fleet to date,…
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Rocket Lab Launches U.S. Space Force Mission in Under 17 Hours After Call-Up
Rocket Lab has successfully launched a responsive space mission for the U.S. Space Force, deploying a spacecraft less than 17 hours after receiving a launch order as part of the Victus Haze mission. The mission, conducted under the U.S. Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program, lifted off aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from…
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True Anomaly Completes Mission X-3 Tests, Advances Jackal Orbital Vehicle Toward Space Force Missions
True Anomaly has successfully completed all objectives for its Mission X-3 flight test campaign, marking a major milestone for the company’s autonomous orbital vehicle, Jackal, and clearing the final steps toward full operational commissioning. Mission X-3 represents the third and most advanced self-funded demonstration mission conducted by the Colorado-based aerospace company. The campaign focused on…
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Katalyst Space Raises $12 Million to Advance GEO Satellite Servicing Vehicle
Katalyst Space has secured $12 million in new funding to support the development of its first geostationary orbit (GEO)-capable robotic servicing spacecraft, NEXUS, which is scheduled to launch aboard an Arianespace Ariane 6 rocket in 2027. The funding round was led by Geodesic Capital, with participation from Fortitude Ventures and several undisclosed investors. The capital…
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Optera Raises £3 Million to Expand Space Domain Awareness Technology in the UK
Optera has secured £3 million ($4 million) in fresh funding to support its relocation from Australia to the United Kingdom, strengthening its position in the growing market for space domain awareness (SDA) and dual-use sensing technologies. The funding round was led by the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), with participation from Blackfinch Ventures,…
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Russia Joins US-China GEO Inspector Satellite Arms Race
What does Russia’s entry into GEO inspector operations mean for orbital security? Russia has deployed its first known inspector satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), completing a three-way surveillance competition with the US and China at the critical 35,786 km altitude. The development marks a significant escalation in space domain awareness capabilities, with all three major…