Space Archives - Page 3 of 167

Contracts for Tranche 2 Tracking Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture awarded

Posted on January 18, 2024January 17, 2024 by alert5

The Space Development Agency (SDA), an arm of the U.S. Space Force, announced it has awarded contracts totaling approximately $2.5 billion to three companies for the construction and operation of 54 satellites designed to track hypersonic missiles in all phases of flight. These satellites will form the Tranche 2 Tracking Layer of the agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a layered network of hundreds of satellites intended to enhance missile warning and defense capabilities.

Photo By: Space Development Agency
Continue reading “Contracts for Tranche 2 Tracking Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture awarded”

U.S. naval detachment boosts French hypersonic research with successful rocket launch

Posted on December 11, 2023 by alert5

Boosting hypersonic research capabilities took center stage as the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) detachment, based in White Sands, New Mexico, successfully launched a new three-stage rocket configuration during a joint mission with the French military in Biscarrosse, France.

A Terrier-Oriole-Oriole sounding rocket points skyward on a launch rail in Biscarrosse, France, in June. The three-stage rocket was the third launch vehicle that Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division’s White Sands Detachment provided for the French military in a project that began in 2020. (Photo courtesy of the France General Directorate of Armaments/Released)

Continue reading “U.S. naval detachment boosts French hypersonic research with successful rocket launch”

China’s Shenlong spaceplane raises questions about co-orbital ASAT capabilities

Posted on September 27, 2023 by alert5

In an article for the Space Review, Carlos Alatorre delves into China’s recent advancements in space capabilities, particularly focusing on its deployment of a reusable autonomous spaceplane named Shenlong. The article raises critical questions about China’s potential to establish co-orbital antisatellite (ASAT) platforms and whether there is evidence of China’s intention to do so.

Continue reading “China’s Shenlong spaceplane raises questions about co-orbital ASAT capabilities”

Pentagon might be testing a hypersonic missile in Florida soon

Posted on September 6, 2023 by alert5

An air of intrigue envelops Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as safety warnings issued by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency have raised suspicions of a possible Department of Defense (DoD) weapons test, possibly a hypersonic missile, Florida Today reports.

DARPA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading “Pentagon might be testing a hypersonic missile in Florida soon”

A history of Soviet television reconnaissance satellites

Posted on September 6, 2023 by alert5

In an article for The Space Review, Bart Hendrickx has uncovered the remarkable story of the Soviet Union’s transition from film-return satellites to cutting-edge television-based systems. This shift, marked by technical ingenuity and geopolitical strategy, is unveiled in detail, shedding light on the intricacies of decision-making during a pivotal era.

Pulux11, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Continue reading “A history of Soviet television reconnaissance satellites”