Top Stories

Space Force Awards Viasat and SES $437 Million for Protected Tactical Satcom-Global

The U.S. Space Force has contracted Viasat and SES to build four small geostationary satellites for the Protected Tactical Satcom-Global (PTS-G) program. The $437 million award covers design, production, and deployment of a military communications network intended to provide protected connectivity for warfighters worldwide.

PTS-G is part of the Space Force’s push to move away from large, single-point-of-failure GEO satellites toward distributed architectures. Four satellites spread across geostationary orbit offer better geographic coverage and reduce vulnerability compared to legacy single-satellite systems.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Rocket Lab Wins $90M Space Force Contract for Two GEO Optical Satellites

Rocket Lab has secured its first geostationary satellite production contract from the U.S. Space Force — $90 million to build and operate two satellites carrying optical payloads. This is the first time Space Force has contracted Rocket Lab for GEO production work, a significant expansion beyond the company’s existing launch and low-Earth-orbit satellite business.

Details on the optical payload mission and orbital slots have not been disclosed. Once on orbit, the satellites will be trackable through KeepTrack’s geostationary belt view.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Blue Origin Clears New Glenn to Resume Launches After Flight 3 Failure

Blue Origin has closed its investigation into the failure during New Glenn’s third flight and received clearance to resume launches. The company has not publicly detailed the root cause or what hardware changes, if any, were required before return to flight.

New Glenn’s third mission in early 2026 ended in a vehicle failure that cut the mission short. With the investigation now complete, Blue Origin can move forward with its manifest, which includes both commercial and government payloads.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

General Atomics CCA Drone Returns to Flight After April 6 Crash

General Atomics has resumed flight testing of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone following a crash on April 6. Air Force Col. Timothy Helfrich stated the program’s response “validates our approach to accept acquisition/test risk instead of operational risk,” framing the crash and recovery as evidence the accelerated test schedule is working.

The CCA program is developing autonomous wingman drones intended to fly alongside crewed fighters. Returning to flight this quickly after a crash indicates the Air Force is prioritizing schedule over conventional test caution.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

RIAT 2026 Canceled Due to Middle East Situation

The Royal International Air Tattoo — one of the world’s largest military air shows — has been canceled for 2026. Organizers made the decision following “extensive discussions” with the RAF and U.S. Air Force, citing the current Middle East situation as the driving factor.

RIAT typically draws over 150,000 attendees and features aircraft from dozens of nations. Cancellation reflects how current operational tempo and force posture decisions are affecting even routine international military engagement events.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

F-35B Completes First Flight Test with British SPEAR Mini-Cruise Missile

An F-35B has conducted its first flight carrying the UK’s SPEAR mini-cruise missile, clearing an early integration milestone. The test comes four years behind the original schedule, with earlier delays attributed to technical problems on the SPEAR program.

SPEAR is a small, network-enabled standoff weapon designed for internal carriage on the F-35. Getting it airborne on the B-variant is a prerequisite for eventual UK carrier strike integration.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Lockheed Breaks Ground on New THAAD Interceptor Production Plant

Lockheed Martin has broken ground on a new manufacturing facility for THAAD interceptors as the Pentagon pushes to increase missile defense production capacity. CEO Jim Taiclet described the expansion as a firm commitment: “We know it’s going to be good, and we know it’s going to happen.”

THAAD batteries are deployed across multiple U.S. combatant commands and with allied nations. Expanding domestic interceptor production directly affects how quickly depleted inventories can be replenished following operational use.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Satellite of the Day

UPMSAT-2

UPMSAT-2 was a technology demonstration satellite developed and operated by UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), Spain’s premier technical university. Launched on September 3, 2020, aboard a Vega rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, this 45-kilogram CubeSat-class spacecraft was designed to validate new technologies and conduct experiments in the space environment. Its compact 0.6-meter box design made it an efficient platform for a two-year mission focused on advancing Spanish and European space capabilities.

The satellite operated from a nearly polar sun-synchronous orbit, ideal for consistent lighting conditions and Earth observation applications. As a university-led mission, UPMSAT-2 represented an important stepping stone in developing homegrown expertise in satellite operations and space systems engineering—critical skills for Europe’s growing independent space sector. Though the satellite has now decayed from orbit, it successfully completed its technology demonstration objectives and contributed valuable data to the scientific community.

Learn more about this satellite: View UPMSAT-2

Upcoming Space Launches

May 24

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou 23:
  • Shenzhou 23 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China (14:58 UTC) Shenzhou 23 will be the 23rd crewed mission of China’s Shenzhou program, launching aboard the Long March 2F/G — a human-rated rocket derived from the Long March 2E. The vehicle is capable of delivering up to 8,399 kg to low Earth orbit and is operated by the China National Space Administration. The Shenzhou program has been the backbone of China’s human spaceflight efforts since placing its first taikonaut in orbit in 2003.

May 25

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-47:
  • Starlink Group 10-47 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (11:41 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live Launch Preview

May 26

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-37:

  • Starlink Group 17-37 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (14:00 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live Launch Preview

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 7A | Unknown Payload:

  • Unknown Payload from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (16:08 UTC) Payload and mission details are not yet available.

May 29

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-53:

  • Starlink Group 10-53 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (11:52 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live

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

  • Amazon Leo (LA-07) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (23:33 UTC) United Launch Alliance will launch 29 Amazon Kuiper broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit aboard an Atlas V 551 — one of the most powerful configurations of the Atlas V, capable of lifting up to 18,850 kg to low Earth orbit. The Atlas V uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine on its first stage and an RL10-powered Centaur upper stage. This is the penultimate Amazon Kuiper mission contracted on the Atlas V, part of Amazon’s initiative to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband to underserved regions globally. Watch Live

May 30

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-41:
  • Starlink Group 17-41 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (14:00 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live

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 (Time TBD) Rocket Lab’s Electron small-lift launch vehicle will deploy a synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for iQPS, a Japanese Earth imaging company. Electron is capable of carrying up to 300 kg to low Earth orbit and uses electric-pump-fed Rutherford engines — the first orbital-class rocket to do so.

June 1

• Agency for Defense Development South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV | Demo Flight:
  • Demo Flight from Sea Launch (05:00 UTC) A demonstration test flight of South Korea’s solid-fuel space launch vehicle, developed by the Agency for Defense Development. The vehicle is capable of delivering approximately 500 kg to low Earth orbit. Launch Preview

Schedule Changes

• Starship | Flight 12: Status updated from Go for Launch to Launch Successful — removed from the upcoming launch calendar.
• Electron | Viva La StriX (StriX Launch 9): Status updated from Go for Launch to Launch Successful — removed from the upcoming launch calendar.
• Long March 7A | Unknown Payload: Status updated from To Be Confirmed to Go for Launch — now included in the launch calendar for May 26.

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