Ideas

AFA Conference Wire: Ukraine & China

The Air, Space, and Cyber conference kicks off outside Washington, D.C.

Science & Tech

US Military Satellites Need to Get Smarter, More Self-Reliant

Future satellites should understand their environment, act autonomously, and be less reliant on Earth for refuel, Space Command’s deputy commander says.

Science & Tech

Artemis Launch Is a Step Back to the Moon, But a Leap Into a New Tracking Domain

As the U.S. and others begin traveling more regularly to the moon, the Pentagon will need to ramp up its extraterrestrial capabilities, experts say.

Science & Tech

China Could Overtake US in Space Without ‘Urgent Action,’ Warns New Pentagon Report

America needs a long-term goal in space to be able to compete with Beijing, Pentagon industrial-base group writes.

Threats

New ‘Influence Triad’ Will Fuse SOF, Cyber, and Space Command Satellite Intelligence

Information warfare cells, where space units and SOCOM work side by side, will be dispersed throughout combatant commands.

Threats

If War Comes to Space, Who Will Control US Spy Satellites?

U.S. intelligence and military are speeding new sensors to space. They are still working on details of who’s ultimately in charge during a conflict.

Defense Systems

Hypersonic Missile-Tracking Satellites Greenlit For Development

The Space Development Agency awarded L3Harris and Northrop Grumman $1.3 billion in contracts to deliver prototypes that track quick-maneuvering hypersonic missiles in flight.

Science & Tech

Space Runs on Open Source Software. The US Air Force Is Fine With That

Commercial space players don’t have the same security concerns as the Pentagon, but that doesn’t mean they can’t share code.

Science & Tech

Five Space Lessons Russia’s Invasion Taught Ukraine

Kyiv now wants its own imagery and comms satellites—and a stealthy way to launch them, a former space agency head says.

Business

Air Force to Test 3D-Printed Rocket Motors

The maker, startup X-Bow Systems, recently accepted investment from Lockheed Martin.

Business

New Air Force Space Buyer Eyes Fixed-Price Contracts

Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration, said it's "not a bad approach for space things" and could help keep acquisitions on time.

Policy

Lack of Space National Guard Could Hurt Training, Recruiting

Guardsmen in space-related jobs have trouble getting into Space Force schools, leaders say.