China's PLA Daily warns of an accelerating arms race in low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, citing US developments like SpaceX contracts. The newspaper highlights the growing strategic and militarized value of space, particularly for satellite networks and orbital competition.
SpaceX has been awarded two contracts totaling $6.45 billion by the US Space Force to develop satellite constellations. One contract, worth $4.16 billion, is for the "Space-Based Aerial Mobile Target Indication" (SB-AMTI) system, designed to detect and track aerial targets from space. The other, valued at $2.29 billion, is for the "Space Data Network" backbone.
Hackers used Meta's AI-powered support chatbot to gain unauthorized access to high-profile Instagram accounts, including those of Barack Obama's White House and the US Space Force. Meta has since resolved the issue and is securing affected accounts.
A US Space Force account was hacked and used to post pro-Iran propaganda, including messages targeting US soldiers. The incident highlights concerns about enemy exploitation of service members' social media and personal information.
The US Space Force awarded $3.2 billion in Other Transaction Authority agreements to 12 companies for developing Space-Based Interceptors for the Golden Dome missile defense initiative. The contractors include SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Anduril Industries, and others. The program aims to demonstrate initial capability in 2028, though analysts question the $185 billion price tag and aggressive timeline.
