Top Stories

Space Force Raises Andromeda Contract Ceiling to $6.2B for Next-Gen SSA Satellites

The U.S. Space Force has increased the ceiling on the Andromeda IDIQ contract vehicle to $6.2 billion. The contract covers replacements for two programs: GSSAP, the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program that conducts close-proximity inspection of objects in GEO, and SILENTBARKER, a classified space surveillance constellation operated jointly with the NRO.

Both programs are central to U.S. space domain awareness at high orbits. GSSAP satellites operate near GEO and are routinely tracked by amateur observers — you can follow the known objects in KeepTrack directly. The contract bump signals a full recapitalization effort, not an incremental upgrade.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Overview Energy Wins Air Force Contract to Study Space-Based Solar Power for Military Bases

Overview Energy has a new Air Force contract to study beaming solar power from orbit to military installations on the ground. The concept involves collecting solar energy in space and transmitting it via microwave or laser to terrestrial receivers — a technology the Air Force Research Laboratory studied in the early 2000s before defunding it.

No contract value was disclosed. The study phase will assess feasibility for forward-deployed bases where fuel logistics are a vulnerability. If it advances to hardware, the satellites involved would be trackable assets with persistent high-power RF emissions — a profile worth watching from a space situational awareness standpoint.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Turkey Unveils Intercontinental Missile With Claimed 6,000km Range

Turkey publicly rolled out a new ballistic missile with a stated range of 6,000 kilometers. If the range claim holds, the system would be capable of reaching targets well beyond Turkey’s immediate region. Turkish defense officials framed it as a deterrence asset.

Independent verification of the range and propulsion specifications hasn’t been confirmed. For space watchers, a domestic ICBM program is relevant context — long-range ballistic missile programs are technically adjacent to space launch capability, and Turkey has been expanding both.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Leonardo Posts 31% Order Surge in Q1, €57B Backlog as CEO Exits

Italian defense and aerospace firm Leonardo reported a 31% increase in new orders in Q1 2026 and revenues of €4.5 billion — up 7% year-over-year. Total backlog now sits at €57 billion. The results came alongside the departure of the company’s CEO.

Leonardo makes satellite components, radar systems, and space infrastructure hardware used across European defense and commercial programs. The backlog size reflects multi-year contracted demand, not just current-quarter activity.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Malaysia Seeks Answers From Norway After Naval Strike Missile Deal Stalls

Malaysia is requesting clarifications from Norway after its Naval Strike Missile procurement from Kongsberg ran into trouble. The original deal, signed in 2018, was to equip six Littoral Combat Ships with an undisclosed quantity of NSMs. The number of missiles ordered and the reasons for the current delay have not been made public.

The stall is notable given Malaysia’s ongoing effort to modernize its naval surface fleet. NSM is an over-the-horizon anti-ship missile that several NATO and partner nations operate — delivery delays affect operational readiness timelines for a navy that has limited existing anti-ship capability.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Satellite of the Day

CINEMA-3 (KHUSAT-2)

CINEMA-3, also known as KHUSAT-2, is a 3U CubeSat developed by Korea Hanyang University in collaboration with UC Berkeley and launched on November 21, 2013, aboard a Dnepr rocket from Ukraine. Despite its diminutive 4-kilogram mass, this compact satellite packs sophisticated magnetospheric research instruments including MAGIC and STEIN payloads, making it a capable contributor to space physics research. The satellite’s sun-synchronous polar orbit provides excellent coverage for studying Earth’s magnetosphere and the interaction between solar wind and planetary magnetic fields.

What makes CINEMA-3 particularly noteworthy is its role as part of the broader CINEMA (Cubesat for Ionospheric, Magnetospheric, and Atmospheric science) constellation, which advanced the use of standardized, cost-effective CubeSat platforms for serious scientific investigation. Operating from a sun-synchronous orbit at nearly 98° inclination, the satellite remains functional more than a decade after launch, a testament to solid engineering. For satellite tracking enthusiasts, CINEMA-3 offers an excellent example of how emerging space nations leverage international partnerships and miniaturized technology to conduct meaningful orbital science.

Track this satellite in real-time: Track CINEMA-3

Upcoming Space Launches

May 9

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 7 | Tianzhou-10:
  • Tianzhou-10 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (22:00 UTC) The ninth cargo delivery mission to China’s space station, carrying supplies and equipment for the crew aboard the Chinese Space Station. Launch Preview

May 10

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-37:
  • Starlink Group 17-37 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (14:00–18:00 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites launching to low Earth orbit. Booster B1097, on its ninth flight, will land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. Watch Live Launch Preview

May 12

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 6A | Unknown Payload:

  • Unknown Payload from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China (11:49–12:09 UTC) Payload details are not yet available for this mission.

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34:

  • Dragon CRS-34 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (23:16 UTC) A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch NASA’s 34th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. The Dragon spacecraft (tail number C209, flying for a sixth time) will deliver thousands of pounds of science experiments and supplies, arriving at the station after an approximately 38-hour transit. Watch Live

May 13–14

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-172:
  • NROL-172 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (22:01 UTC May 13 – 02:01 UTC May 14) A classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, representing the 12th flight supporting the agency’s proliferated architecture — a constellation believed to consist of Starshield satellites. Watch Live

May 15–16

• SpaceX Starship | Flight 12:
  • Starship Flight 12 from SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA (22:30 UTC May 15 – 00:43 UTC May 16) The 12th integrated flight test of the Starship and Super Heavy system, and the first launch of a version 3 rocket. SpaceX will fly Ship 39 atop Booster 19 on a suborbital trajectory. This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing development of the world’s most powerful launch vehicle, capable of lifting up to 100,000 kg to low Earth orbit.

May 17

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-42:
  • Starlink Group 17-42 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (02:11–06:11 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites launching to low Earth orbit. Booster B1097 will land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. Watch Live

May 19

• Avio S.p.A Vega-C | Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE):
  • SMILE from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana (03:52 UTC) A joint European Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences mission launching on a Vega-C rocket to a highly elliptical Earth orbit. SMILE will use four science instruments to study how Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere respond to the solar wind, advancing our understanding of geomagnetic storms and space weather. The spacecraft separates 57 minutes after liftoff and has a planned mission life of three years. The Vega-C rocket stands nearly 35 meters tall, weighs 210 tonnes at liftoff, and features the powerful P120C first-stage solid motor — shared with Ariane 6 as a strap-on booster. Watch Live

May 22

• United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 | Amazon Leo (LA-07):

  • Amazon Leo LA-07 from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (TBD UTC) A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket will deploy 29 Amazon Kuiper broadband satellites to low Earth orbit as part of the company’s growing internet constellation. This is the penultimate Amazon Kuiper mission contracted to fly on an Atlas V.

• Rocket Lab Electron | Viva La StriX (StriX Launch 9):

  • Viva La StriX from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (09:30 UTC) The ninth dedicated Electron mission for Japan-based Earth observation company Synspective, carrying a StriX synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite to a 572 km circular orbit at 44.8° inclination.

May 31

• Rocket Lab Electron | The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7):
  • The Grain Goddess Provides from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (TBD UTC) A synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS, continuing Rocket Lab’s series of dedicated launches for the growing iQPS SAR constellation.

Schedule Changes

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-172: Launch status upgraded from To Be Confirmed to Go for Launch, indicating the mission has received final authorization and is proceeding toward its window on May 13–14.

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