Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

SDA awards $3.5B to four firms for 72 Tranche 3 missile-tracking LEO satellites

The Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, awarded about $3.5 billion to four suppliers — including a nearly $1 billion award to L3Harris — to build 72 Tranche 3 low‑Earth‑orbit tracking satellites to expand missile‑warning and tracking capabilities as part of the Golden Dome architecture.

2025-12-19T09:09:49.185349-08:00

NASA

Jared Isaacman sworn in as NASA's 15th administrator; vows to accelerate lunar missions and expand public–private partnerships

2025-12-18T10:11:06.248552-08:00

nasawatch.com

Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator after renomination

2025-12-17T12:30:15.363024-08:00

Bloomberg

Trump signs sweeping space order: 2028 Moon landing, 2030 lunar base and lunar/orbital nuclear reactors

2025-12-18T13:18:46.282079-08:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

European Spaceflight

Redwire wins eight‑figure contract to supply docking mechanisms for The Exploration Company’s Nyx Earth capsule Redwire has been awarded an eight-figure contract to supply docking mechanisms for The Exploration Company’s Nyx Earth capsule. The deal makes Redwire responsible for the capsule’s docking interface hardware and integration as Nyx advances toward operational missions in low Earth orbit.

2025-12-19T21:03:55.167236-08:00

Redwire wins eight‑figure contract to supply docking mechanisms for The Exploration Company’s Nyx Earth capsule

USA Today

2025 spaceflight in photos: Blue Origin, SpaceX, two lunar landings and the Starliner return A year of milestones — from two uncrewed lunar landings and the high‑profile return of Boeing's 'stuck' Starliner crew to major operational pushes by SpaceX and Blue Origin — 2025 saw a rapid increase in launch cadence, lunar activity and commercial space capability demonstrations.

2025-12-19T10:40:35.838105-08:00

2025 spaceflight in photos: Blue Origin, SpaceX, two lunar landings and the Starliner return

Breaking Defense

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SDA awards $3.5B to four firms for 72 Tranche 3 missile-tracking LEO satellites The Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, awarded about $3.5 billion to four suppliers — including a nearly $1 billion award to L3Harris — to build 72 Tranche 3 low‑Earth‑orbit tracking satellites to expand missile‑warning and tracking capabilities as part of the Golden Dome architecture.

2025-12-19T09:09:49.185349-08:00

SDA awards $3.5B to four firms for 72 Tranche 3 missile-tracking LEO satellites

Space Intel Report

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ESA to decide in February how to plug 20% exploration funding shortfall; 13.3% staff rise set for 2026 The European Space Agency will review options in February to address a roughly 20% shortfall in its exploration programme budget. Its December Council meeting also approved a 13.3% staff increase for 2026, highlighting pressure on resources amid tight launch and programme schedules.

2025-12-19T08:38:04.030042-08:00

ESA to decide in February how to plug 20% exploration funding shortfall; 13.3% staff rise set for 2026

Space.com

Innospace's SPACEWARD: HANBIT‑Nano maiden orbital launch set for 1:45 p.m. ET Dec. 19 Innospace will attempt the maiden orbital flight of its HANBIT‑Nano rocket — the SPACEWARD mission — with liftoff targeted at 1:45 p.m. ET on Dec. 19. The flight marks the company’s first commercial orbital launch after receiving regulatory clearance and lining up telemetry and range support.

2025-12-19T05:10:36.262330-08:00

Innospace's SPACEWARD: HANBIT‑Nano maiden orbital launch set for 1:45 p.m. ET Dec. 19

SpaceNews.com

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Astrobotic wins $17.5M in NASA and military contracts to develop three reusable suborbital vehicles Astrobotic said Dec. 19 it has won $17.5 million in combined NASA and military contracts to develop three reusable suborbital vehicles. The awards fund design and maturation work for the vehicles and represent a civil–defense collaboration to advance reusable suborbital flight capability.

2025-12-19T05:07:05.486099-08:00

Astrobotic wins $17.5M in NASA and military contracts to develop three reusable suborbital vehicles

Aviation Week

Starfighters Space raises $22.1M to pursue StarLaunch suborbital service Starfighters Space raised $22.1 million in a Dec. 18 share sale to fund development and commercialization of its StarLaunch suborbital launch service. The financing will underwrite near-term test campaigns, vehicle development and operations as the company advances toward commercial suborbital flights.

2025-12-19T01:39:53.812004-08:00

Starfighters Space raises $22.1M to pursue StarLaunch suborbital service

Ars Technica

DiskSat: NASA and the U.S. Space Force test pizza‑shaped smallsat bus for unmatched power‑to‑weight DiskSat is a flat, disk‑shaped smallsat bus that proponents say offers a power‑to‑weight ratio unmatched by traditional aluminum spacecraft. NASA and the U.S. Space Force are testing the design to leverage higher electrical power and surface area for more capable payloads and experiments in low Earth orbit.

2025-12-18T19:21:54.283630-08:00

DiskSat: NASA and the U.S. Space Force test pizza‑shaped smallsat bus for unmatched power‑to‑weight

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