Space Force awards $3.2B for orbital kill vehicles by 2028
The U.S. Space Force distributed 20 contracts worth up to $3.2 billion across 12 companies to build space-based missile interceptors in low-Earth orbit, aiming for operational capability within two years.
Echodyne radar locked into $490M Air Force counter-drone program
Echodyne's EchoShield radar becomes primary sensor across Trust Automation's SUADS platform under $490M Air Force IDIQ, marking first SOSA-compliant counter-UAS architecture with no prime contractor.
SpaceX Launches ViaSat-3 F3, Completing Terabit Constellation
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy delivered ViaSat-3 F3 to geosynchronous transfer orbit on April 29, finishing a three-satellite terabit-class constellation redesigned after a 2023 antenna failure. The launch proves GEO broadband can still compete against Starlink.
Lockheed Martin doubles venture fund to $1B, signaling pipeline war
Lockheed Martin expanded its venture capital arm from $400M to $1B on April 14, 2026 — the largest increase in the fund's 19-year history — directly competing with pure-play defense VCs and the Pentagon for control of the commercial startup pipeline to programs of record.
ESA's Celeste IOD-1 Transmits Europe's First LEO Navigation Signal
ESA confirmed the first navigation signal from Celeste IOD-1 on April 8, a dual-frequency L- and S-band transmission from a 12U CubeSat that secures European spectrum rights before the May 2026 ITU deadline.
Artemis II breaks Apollo 13 record as four astronauts reach lunar flyby
NASA's Artemis II crew will surpass Apollo 13's distance record tomorrow at 1:56 p.m. EDT, reaching 252,757 miles from Earth. The mission is the first crewed translunar injection since 1972 and the highest-stakes systems test before lunar landing attempts.
Shield AI Raises $2B at $12.7B Valuation After Air Force CCA Win
Shield AI's $2 billion raise at a $12.7 billion valuation — anchored by its U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft selection — marks the maturation of autonomous AI pilot software as a standalone, platform-agnostic defense asset.