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Space Intel Report • Peter B de Selding

Leonardo to test Michelangelo missile‑defence 'dome' in Ukraine; NATO trials planned for 2027

Leonardo plans operational tests of its Michelangelo integrated air- and missile-defence 'dome' in Ukraine by year-end, with NATO member trials slated from 2027. The system fuses the Guardian ISR constellation with terrestrial sensors, radars and C‑UAS/air-defence elements, CEO Roberto Cingolani said.

2026-03-13T08:54:44.628007-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Kazakhstan at a crossroads: Baikonur could make it Eurasia’s space‑tech broker or a geopolitical pawn

2026-03-13T06:09:22.797260-07:00

Payload

Laurent Jaffart outlines ESA's plan to harden space resilience as Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity

2026-03-12T22:38:30.742389-07:00

Via Satellite

U.S. must end strategic ambiguity and strengthen space domain awareness to secure space dominance

2026-03-12T12:23:09.208417-07:00

News Timeline

Via Satellite

ESA selects Terran Orbital's Tyvak to build 6U Farinella cubesat for Apophis planetary defense mission Tyvak International, a Terran Orbital subsidiary, has won an ESA contract to develop Farinella, a 6U cubesat that will fly on the agency's Planetary Defense Mission to monitor near‑Earth asteroid Apophis. The satellite will provide targeted reconnaissance and contribute to impact‑risk characterization.

2026-03-13T09:19:56.356187-07:00

ESA selects Terran Orbital's Tyvak to build 6U Farinella cubesat for Apophis planetary defense mission

Space Intel Report

Leonardo to test Michelangelo missile‑defence 'dome' in Ukraine; NATO trials planned for 2027 Leonardo plans operational tests of its Michelangelo integrated air- and missile-defence 'dome' in Ukraine by year-end, with NATO member trials slated from 2027. The system fuses the Guardian ISR constellation with terrestrial sensors, radars and C‑UAS/air-defence elements, CEO Roberto Cingolani said.

2026-03-13T08:54:44.628007-07:00

Leonardo to test Michelangelo missile‑defence 'dome' in Ukraine; NATO trials planned for 2027

SpaceNews.com

Kazakhstan at a crossroads: Baikonur could make it Eurasia’s space‑tech broker or a geopolitical pawn Kazakhstan must decide whether to commercialise and leverage Baikonur’s launch and infrastructure assets to position itself as an independent Eurasian hub for space technology and services, or cede influence to larger powers and be sidelined in the intensifying global space competition.

2026-03-13T06:09:22.797260-07:00

Kazakhstan at a crossroads: Baikonur could make it Eurasia’s space‑tech broker or a geopolitical pawn

Payload

Laurent Jaffart outlines ESA's plan to harden space resilience as Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity Laurent Jaffart, ESA's Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, sets out his strategy to harden the agency's defensive posture across navigation, secure communications and connectivity. In a Payload Q&A he explains near‑term priorities, capability gaps to address and how ESA will accelerate defence‑oriented space services for Europe.

2026-03-12T22:38:30.742389-07:00

Laurent Jaffart outlines ESA's plan to harden space resilience as Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity

Via Satellite

U.S. must end strategic ambiguity and strengthen space domain awareness to secure space dominance Space is already a contested domain, and Washington must eliminate strategic ambiguity while investing in robust space domain awareness (SDA) to preserve U.S. space power. The piece links policy clarity to improved sensing, attribution and operational readiness — arguing those elements are essential to deterrence and resilient on‑orbit operations.

2026-03-12T12:23:09.208417-07:00

U.S. must end strategic ambiguity and strengthen space domain awareness to secure space dominance

SpaceNews.com

Voyager opens defense and space tech hub in Long Beach Voyager has opened a defense and space technology hub in Long Beach, establishing a new facility focused on defense- and space-related tech activity in Southern California. The hub expands Voyager’s local industrial presence to support the company’s growing work in defense and commercial space.

2026-03-12T11:08:44.434417-07:00

Voyager opens defense and space tech hub in Long Beach

Space.com

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Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades On March 11, Firefly Aerospace's Alpha returned to flight with the Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven' mission, lifting off from Vandenberg more than 10 months after Flight 6's failure. The launch validated Alpha Block II upgrades, achieved orbital insertion and delivered a Lockheed Martin demonstration payload ahead of Flight 8.

2026-03-11T18:18:46.292108-07:00

Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades

Space Intel Report

Rheinmetall, OHB and Airbus outline $10 billion JV to build Germany's sovereign military LEO satcom constellation Rheinmetall has outlined plans to form a joint venture with OHB, naming Airbus as a production partner, to build a sovereign low-Earth-orbit military communications constellation valued at about $10 billion. The company said it fully expects German government backing to field the system for the Bundeswehr.

2026-03-11T12:38:22.928226-07:00

Rheinmetall, OHB and Airbus outline $10 billion JV to build Germany's sovereign military LEO satcom constellation

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Space Defense & Militarization News

Leonardo to test Michelangelo missile‑defence 'dome' in Ukraine; NATO trials planned for 2027

Kazakhstan at a crossroads: Baikonur could make it Eurasia’s space‑tech broker or a geopolitical pawn

Laurent Jaffart outlines ESA's plan to harden space resilience as Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity

U.S. must end strategic ambiguity and strengthen space domain awareness to secure space dominance

News Timeline