Aerospace America — “AIAA’s inaugural ASCEND 2026 Classified Day, planned for Monday, 18 May at The Aerospace Corporation’s corporate headquarters in Chantilly, VA, comes at a time of intense transformation in the U.S. space community.”
What Viasat Taught the Pentagon
The Journal of Space Commerce – The Aerospace Corporation in Colorado Springs, CO, is hosting a tabletop exercise, “Campaigning with Commercial Partners,” in June 2026. Operators and prime contractors who participate will shape the government’s expectations for what a cybersecurity-ready commercial partner looks like.
Space Force Awards First Contracts for Satellite Threat Warning Radar Payloads
Breaking Defense – The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO) and the U.S. Space Force’s innovation arm, SpaceWERX, awarded three small companies contracts worth $3 million each, to develop new radar warning receivers for future highly maneuverable satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit.
Corrosion Problem Affects Gateway and Commercial Space Station Modules
SpaceNews — A manufacturing issue involving a European company, Thales Alenia Space, resulted in corrosion in modules produced for both the lunar Gateway and Axiom Space’s commercial space station.
Space Force Proposes Canceling Polar Missile Warning Program
Air and Space Forces — The U.S. Space Force’s attempt to cancel the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program, appears to be a show of confidence that LEO and MEO Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking satellites are a more viable alternative.
Space Power: Space Force “Budget is Like a Protein Shake”
Aerospace’s Sam Wilson, director for strategy and national security for the Center for Space Policy and Strategy, joined The Downlink Podcast to discuss the U.S. Space Force’s proposed budget.
NASA Reserves Science Payload Space For Mars Telecommunications Mission
SpaceNews — NASA is reserving a small amount of space on a Mars telecommunications spacecraft for science, which could include one or more cubesats.
Orbital Data Centers: Changing the Game for Space-Based AI and Operations
SpaceCom — Aerospace’s Lori Gordon, Systems Director for Space Enterprise Evolution Directorate, writes about the opportunities, challenges, and strategic next steps for Orbital Data Centers.
Space Force Faces Surge in Demand For Heavy-Lift Launches
SpaceNews — The U.S. Space Force is sharply increasing its demand for heavy-lift launches, with an additional 25 missions are being forecast for 2027-2029.
NASA Sets Early September Launch Date for Roman Space Telescope
SpaceNews — NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now scheduled for launch in early September, ahead of schedule.