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SpaceNews.com • Debra Werner

EraDrive and Northrop Grumman test AI-enabled autonomy for mid-flight control handoffs on modular Talon testbeds

Silicon Valley startup EraDrive is collaborating with Northrop Grumman to enhance spacecraft autonomy using artificial intelligence. In parallel, Northrop Grumman has run Talon trials demonstrating multi-AI aircraft control and seamless mid-flight handoffs on a modular, low-risk autonomy testbed.

2026-04-28T10:06:02.426053-07:00

Vertical Mag

Crewed–uncrewed integration: industry moves toward interoperable operations

2026-04-28T09:51:24.562327-07:00

Bloomberg

True Anomaly raises $650M Series D, reaching a $2.2B valuation as it scales autonomous orbital-defense satellites

2026-04-28T03:23:11.839230-07:00

SpaceWatch Global

Spaceflux raises £39 million seed to scale global space intelligence services

2026-04-28T02:24:31.556078-07:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

EraDrive and Northrop Grumman test AI-enabled autonomy for mid-flight control handoffs on modular Talon testbeds Silicon Valley startup EraDrive is collaborating with Northrop Grumman to enhance spacecraft autonomy using artificial intelligence. In parallel, Northrop Grumman has run Talon trials demonstrating multi-AI aircraft control and seamless mid-flight handoffs on a modular, low-risk autonomy testbed.

2026-04-28T10:06:02.426053-07:00

EraDrive and Northrop Grumman test AI-enabled autonomy for mid-flight control handoffs on modular Talon testbeds

Vertical Mag

SkyfireAI raises $11M seed to scale dual-use AI-native autonomous multi-drone coordination for first responders and defense SkyfireAI has raised an $11 million seed round to accelerate development of its AI-native platform for autonomous, coordinated multi-ship drone operations. The company says the system is designed to support scalable public-safety response while remaining applicable to defense missions, emphasizing multi-drone coordination as a core capability.

2026-04-28T09:51:26.450020-07:00

SkyfireAI raises $11M seed to scale dual-use AI-native autonomous multi-drone coordination for first responders and defense

Vertical Mag

Crewed–uncrewed integration: industry moves toward interoperable operations Industry reporting highlights the growing focus on making crewed and uncrewed aircraft operate together—moving beyond prototypes to practical integration requirements. The cluster underscores how detect-and-avoid, autonomy, and systems integration are converging to enable safe, coordinated mixed operations in real airspace.

2026-04-28T09:51:24.562327-07:00

Crewed–uncrewed integration: industry moves toward interoperable operations

Bloomberg

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True Anomaly raises $650M Series D, reaching a $2.2B valuation as it scales autonomous orbital-defense satellites True Anomaly, the Colorado-based defense space startup focused exclusively on orbital defense, has raised $650 million in a Series D and reached a $2.2 billion valuation. The company says it is scaling hiring, manufacturing, and spacecraft deployment after being selected for Golden Dome’s space-interceptor program.

2026-04-28T03:23:11.839230-07:00

True Anomaly raises $650M Series D, reaching a $2.2B valuation as it scales autonomous orbital-defense satellites

SpaceWatch Global

Spaceflux raises £39 million seed to scale global space intelligence services Spaceflux has raised €39 million in its seed round, increasing total proceeds to €35.5 million plus an additional €3.5 million, to accelerate its global expansion of space intelligence services. The financing adds to a broader wave of early-stage capital flowing into newspace data and analytics capability builders.

2026-04-28T02:24:31.556078-07:00

Spaceflux raises £39 million seed to scale global space intelligence services

DefenseNews.com

Dynetics joins DARPA’s unmanned dogfighting push to scale AI-enabled air combat with unmanned platforms Dynetics has joined DARPA’s effort to use artificial intelligence and unmanned platforms to “revolutionize” aerial combat. The programme’s focus on autonomy-enabled air-to-air engagements signals a push toward scalable AI decision-making and tactics for uncrewed combat operations.

2026-04-27T15:20:15.341335-07:00

Dynetics joins DARPA’s unmanned dogfighting push to scale AI-enabled air combat with unmanned platforms

Lockheed Martin

US Marine Corps awards Sikorsky–Robinson Unmanned $15.5M for MARV-EL Increment 2 autonomous R66 cargo helicopter flight demonstr The U.S. Marine Corps selected Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) and Robinson Helicopter’s Robinson Unmanned for the second increment of the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle–Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) program, awarding $15.5 million to advance an autonomous aerial logistics platform based on the R66 TurbineTruck into flight testing.

2026-04-27T13:05:14.237181-07:00

US Marine Corps awards Sikorsky–Robinson Unmanned $15.5M for MARV-EL Increment 2 autonomous R66 cargo helicopter flight demonstr

Space.com

AI boosts James Webb data reduction—turning years of analysis into days for faint ground-to-space astronomy AI algorithms are improving naturally blurry images from ground-based telescopes, extracting details that previously required space-borne observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble. The approach can accelerate JWST data analysis from years to days, and extend high-resolution insights beyond orbit.

2026-04-27T05:09:27.482896-07:00

AI boosts James Webb data reduction—turning years of analysis into days for faint ground-to-space astronomy

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EraDrive and Northrop Grumman test AI-enabled autonomy for mid-flight control handoffs on modular Talon testbeds

Crewed–uncrewed integration: industry moves toward interoperable operations

True Anomaly raises $650M Series D, reaching a $2.2B valuation as it scales autonomous orbital-defense satellites

Spaceflux raises £39 million seed to scale global space intelligence services

News Timeline