📰Top Stories

Major Contracts for Missile-Tracking Satellites Awarded

In a significant boost for space defense capabilities, the Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded $3.5 billion in contracts to L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab, and Northrop Grumman for the construction of 72 missile-tracking satellites. These satellites will become part of the Tracking Layer of the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) constellation in low Earth orbit, with each company responsible for 18 spacecraft. This contract expands the capabilities of the United States to monitor potential missile threats from space more effectively.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Advancements in Optical Nuclear Clock Research

A collaborative effort between the University of California Los Angeles, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has achieved a significant milestone in optical nuclear clock research. The team successfully excited the atomic nucleus of thorium 229 using laser light while embedded in a non-transparent solid host. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential for precise timekeeping beyond current atomic clock capabilities.

Read the full story: SpaceDaily

Air Force Selects Vendors for Next Batch of Drone Wingmen

The U.S. Air Force has selected nine vendors for the second round of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft initiative, which seeks to integrate drones as wingmen alongside piloted aircraft. This selection spans a wide range of technological approaches and marks a continuing commitment to experimenting with autonomous and semi-autonomous systems in military aviation.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Insights on Key Defense Op-eds from 2025

Reflecting on a year filled with significant defense activities, Breaking Defense has published a compilation of ten influential op-ed pieces that have shaped discussions in the defense sector throughout 2025. These articles highlight key debates and future directions in military strategy and technology.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

🛰️Satellite Spotlight

• Satellite Name: COSMOS 2390
• NORAD ID: 27464
• Launch Date: July 8, 2002
• Mission: Military Communication
• Orbit: LEO (Low Earth Orbit)
• Operator: KVR
• Fun Fact: COSMOS 2390 is part of the Strela-3 series, which is known for its role in secure military communications utilizing advanced technology for its time.

Track this satellite in real-time on our web app: Track COSMOS 2390

🌌Space Weather

Next 24 Hours

• Radio Blackouts Probability

  • Minor: 5
  • Major: 1
  • Risk: None

• Solar Radiation

  • Probability: 1
  • Risk: None

• Geomagnetic Storming

  • Scale: 0
  • Impact: none
  • Activity: Low

• Impact Summary

  • Next 24 hours: No risk of radio blackouts or solar radiation storms.
  • Geomagnetic outlook indicates that G1 (Minor) or greater geomagnetic storms are expected on December 22, due to anticipated +CH/HSS influences.
  • No S1 (Minor) or greater solar radiation storms are expected as there is no significant active region activity forecasted.
  • No R1 (Minor) or greater radio blackouts are expected, with no significant active region flare activity anticipated.

Long Term Forecast

• Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity from December 15 to January 10, 2026, indicates that M-class flares (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) are likely, with chances for X-class (R3/Strong) flares increasing if new active regions develop.
• The greater than 10 MeV proton flux is expected to remain below S1 (Minor) levels throughout the outlook period.
• High levels of greater than 2 MeV electron flux are expected on December 16-19, December 25-29, and January 01-06, with normal to moderate levels on other specified dates.
• Geomagnetic activity likely to reach G1 (Minor) storm levels several times in December and January, influenced by negative and positive polarity CH HSS.
• Mostly quiet conditions are anticipated on certain days, with unsettled to active levels on various other days under specific influences.

Upcoming Space Launches

December 20

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 5:

  • Unknown Payload from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (12:22 UTC)
  • Details TBD.

• Blue Origin New Shepard:

  • NS-37 from Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA (14:00 UTC)
  • NS-37 is the 16th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 37th in the New Shepard program’s history.

December 21

• Rocket Lab Electron:
  • The Wisdom God Guides (iQPS Launch 6) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (06:38 UTC)
  • Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.

December 22

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H3-22:
  • Michibiki 5 (QZS-5) from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan (01:51 UTC)
  • QZSS is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve optimal high-elevation visibility in urban canyons and mountainous areas.

December 24

• Indian Space Research Organization LVM-3:

  • BlueBird Block 2 #1 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India (02:50 UTC)
  • The Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites.

• Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz 2.1a:

  • Obzor-R No.1 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation (14:00 UTC)
  • The Obzor-R satellite features the BRLK X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar for Earth observation.

December 25

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 8A:
  • Unknown Payload from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (23:18 UTC)
  • Details TBD.

December 26

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 3B/E:
  • Fengyun-4C from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China (16:00 UTC)
  • Feng Yun 4 is the second generation of Chinese geostationary meteorological satellites.

December 28

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • CSG-3 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA (02:08 UTC)
  • CSG-3 is an Earth observation satellite using synthetic aperture radars operating in the X-band for the Italian Space Agency.

• Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M:

  • AIST-2T 01 & 02 from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Siberia, Russian Federation (13:18 UTC)
  • A pair of Russian optical Earth observation satellites, with 20 small satellites as ride-share payloads.

Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations.