National security insights for space professionals
National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays. |
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Welcome to this week's edition of SpaceNews Military, your concise source for the latest developments at the intersection of space and national security. In this issue, we cover:
- What's next for Vulcan after Cert-2 launch - Commercial space reentry vehicles catch military's attention
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ULA awaits certification after Vulcan's 2nd launch
Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, head of the U.S. military's national security space launch program, congratulated United Launch Alliance (ULA) on Friday for successfully completing its second launch of the Vulcan Centaur rocket. "This is a significant achievement for both ULA and an important milestone for the nation's strategic space lift capability," said Panzenhagen, who is program executive officer for assured access to space and commander of Space Launch Delta 45. The highly anticipated Cert-2 mission marks a key step for ULA's next-generation Vulcan Centaur, but its official certification is still pending. Cert-2 is the second of two required flights before the rocket can be cleared for launching national security payloads under the U.S. Space Force's certification process. Initially intended to carry Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane, the Cert-2 mission instead utilized an inert "mass simulator" due to delays in the Dream Chaser's readiness. The mission's primary goal remained unchanged: validate the rocket's performance and gather critical data for future national security missions. Cert-2 also included tests of essential technologies like the Centaur upper stage's ability to restart its engines in space — a crucial feature for deploying payloads into complex orbits for military missions.
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Solid booster anomaly Although ULA and the Space Force declared mission success, an anomaly was observed during the launch. One of the Vulcan's solid rocket boosters made by Northrop Grumman exhibited issues shortly after liftoff, with visible debris and an altered exhaust plume indicating possible damage to the booster nozzle. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said the booster anomaly will be subject to further investigation. The U.S. Space Force must now conduct a thorough review of the flight data as part of the certification process. Panzenhagen previously noted that a successful launch does not automatically ensure certification. Vulcan's future The Vulcan Centaur is designed to replace ULA's legacy Atlas and Delta rocket families, positioning the company as a critical player in national security space launch. To date, ULA has sold over 70 Vulcan launches, including 38 missions for Amazon's Project Kuiper and several national security space launches under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract. With two national security missions planned for later in 2024, Vulcan's certification is crucial to prevent any delays in these high-priority launches.
| | | Military eyes commercial reentry space vehicles for cargo delivery
The U.S. military is looking into the capabilities of commercial reentry space vehicles for cargo delivery. Both the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force are exploring these technologies as part of broader efforts to leverage commercial space tech for military logistics. The concept: utilize commercial spacecraft to deliver critical supplies from orbit to Earth in mere hours, enabling rapid responses in combat and humanitarian crises.
These reentry vehicles, still in development, offer a potentially expensive but fast solution to bypass traditional transport routes in conflict zones or during natural disasters where infrastructure might be compromised. By delivering essential supplies from space, military planners hope to reduce logistical vulnerabilities.
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Recent developments
Sierra Space's Ghost spacecraft got backing from the U.S. Air Force. This orbital warehouse concept aims to deliver critical supplies in under 90 minutes and can remain in orbit for up to five years. Inversion Space: Secured a $71 million contract from SpaceWERX to develop a precision reentry capsule. The goal: autonomous landings within a football field-sized area anywhere on Earth. Demonstration planned for 2026. Outpost Space: Awarded a $33.2 million SpaceWERX contract for reusable reentry vehicles, featuring a novel heat shield and paragliding system for precision landings. | | |
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Impulse Space won a $34.5 million contract to support two U.S. military space missions set for 2026. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 3 agreement is funded by the U.S. Space Force and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).
Under the contract, Impulse Space will deploy two orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) that will carry space surveillance payloads. One mission will be launched to low Earth orbit (LEO) while the other will go to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
These missions are part of the U.S. Space Force's Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program, which is designed to leverage commercial technologies for the rapid deployment of satellites and other assets in response to national security needs.
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Companies that operate radar satellites for imaging and intelligence collection are developing technologies aimed at military and defense agencies, responding to heightened global demand for detailed, precise surveillance of ground targets.
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, which can capture high-resolution imagery in all weather conditions and at any time of day, are seeing increased deployment as defense customers seek more accurate insights from space, industry executives said.
The Finnish company Iceye announced last week that its SAR satellites are being upgraded to identify specific types of military equipment, and even detect targets hidden beneath tree cover or dense foliage.
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In Orbit Aerospace won a $1.8 million AFWERX contract to employ artificial intelligence to detect and manage anomalies in hypersonic flight.
In Orbit is developing machine-learning tools to "enable more reliable flight operations over the entire range of flight envelopes," CEO and co-founder Ryan Elliott told SpaceNews.
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