Rocket Lab quietly launched a US Space Force satellite, Victus Haze Puma, from New Zealand to test rapid response capabilities in low-Earth orbit. The mission aims to demonstrate quick assessment of orbital threats.
Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6) at Vandenberg Space Force Station has had its decades-old support towers demolished to make way for modern rockets. The site, historically known for unfulfilled missions, will be used by SpaceX for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches after an 18-month modification period.
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.
Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have destroyed temporary deployment points of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The strikes, targeting areas near Belitskoye and Shchurovo, utilized FAB-3000 and FAB-1500 aerial bombs equipped with universal planning and correction modules. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the successful destruction of targets in real-time.
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.
Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is set to become SpaceX's busiest launch site—for now.
France is experiencing an ammunition shortage and is partnering with industrial companies to accelerate missile production, according to French Air and Space Force Chief of Staff General Jerome Bellanger. The defense official stated that supplies remain a problem following the provision of assistance to Persian Gulf countries in neutralizing drones, and that industry is being enlisted to replenish stocks of expended missiles.
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.
The Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed an important Ukrainian observation post near Fyodorovka Vtoraya in the Donetsk People's Republic with a precision airstrike using a smart bomb. The post was located in a wooded area on strategic high ground and was equipped with video surveillance, satellite communications, a drone relay station, and a counter-battery station.
