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NASA Spaceflight • Haygen Warren

Russia debuts Soyuz-5, completing first flight test ahead of entry into service

Russia conducted the debut launch of its new Soyuz-5 medium-lift rocket from Baikonur/Baikonur Cosmodrome, flying a suborbital demonstration with a dummy payload. State officials and Roscosmos reported the mission as successful, framing it as foundational work for follow-on Soyuz-5 projects intended to replace the Zenit launch system.

2026-04-30T15:04:20.219619-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Space Force advances laser crosslink flight hardware with K2 Space to test missile-defense data links

2026-04-30T18:11:55.729130-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Northrop Grumman delivers missile-warning sensor as Pentagon moves to cancel Space Force satellite program

2026-04-30T16:24:46.828695-07:00

Space Intel Report

Indra acquisition of Hispasat and Hisdesat boosts Q1 results; Europe’s Iris2 confirmed, Startical air-traffic constellation stil

2026-04-30T11:31:54.215043-07:00

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SpaceNews.com

Space Force advances laser crosslink flight hardware with K2 Space to test missile-defense data links The U.S. Space Force will use K2 Space-built satellites to evaluate a key, previously unresolved element for future missile-defense systems: moving large volumes of data quickly between spacecraft and down to Earth via laser communications. Separately, the Space Force’s Laser Crosslink program has cleared independent verification and entered Phase 3 development toward flight hardware production.

2026-04-30T18:11:55.729130-07:00

Space Force advances laser crosslink flight hardware with K2 Space to test missile-defense data links

SpaceNews.com

Northrop Grumman delivers missile-warning sensor as Pentagon moves to cancel Space Force satellite program Northrop Grumman says it has taken delivery of a missile-warning sensor for a U.S. Space Force satellite program the Pentagon is now proposing to cancel. The development underscores friction between legacy space procurement execution and a shift toward newer architectures.

2026-04-30T16:24:46.828695-07:00

Northrop Grumman delivers missile-warning sensor as Pentagon moves to cancel Space Force satellite program

SpaceNews.com

BENS to spotlight space security at 2026 Eisenhower Award Gala honoring Gen. Stephen N. Whiting Business Executives for National Security (BENS) will make space security a focal theme at the 2026 Eisenhower Award Gala, where public and private leaders will convene to honor General Stephen N. Whiting. The event underscores continued attention to contested-orbit risk management as the space enterprise expands.

2026-04-30T15:19:44.575322-07:00

BENS to spotlight space security at 2026 Eisenhower Award Gala honoring Gen. Stephen N. Whiting

NASA Spaceflight

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Russia debuts Soyuz-5, completing first flight test ahead of entry into service Russia conducted the debut launch of its new Soyuz-5 medium-lift rocket from Baikonur/Baikonur Cosmodrome, flying a suborbital demonstration with a dummy payload. State officials and Roscosmos reported the mission as successful, framing it as foundational work for follow-on Soyuz-5 projects intended to replace the Zenit launch system.

2026-04-30T15:04:20.219619-07:00

Russia debuts Soyuz-5, completing first flight test ahead of entry into service

The War Zone

US Air Force plans to retire E-11A BACN communications jets by 2028, shift battlefield comms and data fusion to space The U.S. Air Force says it has seven E-11s in the current fleet and plans to retire all E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node aircraft in 2028. The service will replace their BACN role with the emerging Department of the Air Force Battle Network, bridging with a hybrid SATCOM terminal.

2026-04-30T12:22:56.118625-07:00

US Air Force plans to retire E-11A BACN communications jets by 2028, shift battlefield comms and data fusion to space

Space Intel Report

Indra acquisition of Hispasat and Hisdesat boosts Q1 results; Europe’s Iris2 confirmed, Startical air-traffic constellation stil Indra Group said its acquisition of satellite fleet operator Hispasat and military satellite services provider Hisdesat has materially increased the scale and profitability of its space business, setting up an expanded space portfolio. Indra also indicated Europe’s Iris2 program is “real,” while the Startical air-traffic constellation’s path remains uncertain.

2026-04-30T11:31:54.215043-07:00

Indra acquisition of Hispasat and Hisdesat boosts Q1 results; Europe’s Iris2 confirmed, Startical air-traffic constellation stil

Payload

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York Space Systems to acquire satcom terminal provider All.Space in a ~$355M deal York Space Systems plans to buy satellite communications terminal manufacturer All.Space (a Seraphim Space portfolio company) for about $355 million, according to SEC filings. The acquisition extends York beyond spacecraft production into user terminals and network connectivity to build a “complete communications ecosystem” for critical missions.

2026-04-30T06:32:32.868369-07:00

York Space Systems to acquire satcom terminal provider All.Space in a ~$355M deal

Space.com

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis Exploration Labs has proposed a first commercial deep-space ride-share mission, “Apophis EX,” aimed at rendezvousing with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis. The concept positions a commercial capability to support near-Earth asteroid operations, aligning mission design around a specific hazard target.

2026-04-30T05:49:47.599162-07:00

Exploration Labs pitches “Apophis EX” commercial deep-space ride-share to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis

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Space Defense & Militarization News

Russia debuts Soyuz-5, completing first flight test ahead of entry into service

Space Force advances laser crosslink flight hardware with K2 Space to test missile-defense data links

Northrop Grumman delivers missile-warning sensor as Pentagon moves to cancel Space Force satellite program

Indra acquisition of Hispasat and Hisdesat boosts Q1 results; Europe’s Iris2 confirmed, Startical air-traffic constellation stil

News Timeline