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SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Firefly sets late-summer debut for Alpha Block 2 while SciTec wins Space Force OTA for Golden Dome interceptors

Firefly Aerospace plans to fly its first upgraded Alpha Block 2 rocket late this summer, citing strong demand for the launch vehicle. Separately, Firefly subsidiary SciTec received a U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement for the space-based missile defense “Golden Dome” interceptors.

2026-05-04T18:30:33.232070-07:00

Via Satellite

NRO expands its Strategic Commercial Enhancements pipeline with new EO sensing awards to EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel

2026-05-04T16:10:27.183632-07:00

Via Satellite

Lockheed Martin, Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space partner on sea-based satellite launch for national security missions

2026-05-04T14:04:28.560841-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Pixxel and Sarvam to launch India’s first orbital data-centre satellite (Pathfinder) by end-2026

2026-05-04T09:57:51.816761-07:00

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Firefly sets late-summer debut for Alpha Block 2 while SciTec wins Space Force OTA for Golden Dome interceptors Firefly Aerospace plans to fly its first upgraded Alpha Block 2 rocket late this summer, citing strong demand for the launch vehicle. Separately, Firefly subsidiary SciTec received a U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement for the space-based missile defense “Golden Dome” interceptors.

2026-05-04T18:30:33.232070-07:00

Firefly sets late-summer debut for Alpha Block 2 while SciTec wins Space Force OTA for Golden Dome interceptors

SpaceNews.com

NATO calls for updated governance to fuse commercial and national GEOINT NATO deputy assistant secretary general for intelligence Maj. Gen. Paul Lynch said May 4 at the GEOINT Symposium that the alliance must update its policies and strengthen ally relationships to accelerate the fusion of commercial and national geospatial intelligence.

2026-05-04T17:21:20.689860-07:00

NATO calls for updated governance to fuse commercial and national GEOINT

SpaceNews.com

NATO governance policies need updating

2026-05-04T17:21:20.689860-07:00

NATO governance policies need

Via Satellite

NRO expands its Strategic Commercial Enhancements pipeline with new EO sensing awards to EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded new contracts for Earth-sensing data under its Strategic Commercial Enhancements (SCE) effort, bringing additional commercial remote-sensing firms into intelligence operations. NRO commercial-programs head Pete Muend said the agency could vet commercial operators’ ability to track airborne targets for Space Force needs.

2026-05-04T16:10:27.183632-07:00

NRO expands its Strategic Commercial Enhancements pipeline with new EO sensing awards to EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel

Via Satellite

Lockheed Martin, Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space partner on sea-based satellite launch for national security missions Lockheed Martin said it is joining a strategic collaboration with Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space to develop sea-based launch capabilities for national security missions. The May 4 announcement positions the partners to expand operational launch options beyond land-based ranges while leveraging Lockheed’s missile-defense legacy footprint.

2026-05-04T14:04:28.560841-07:00

Lockheed Martin, Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space partner on sea-based satellite launch for national security missions

SpaceNews.com

Defense tech firms back “Origin” to process commercial satellite/GEOINT closer to the tactical edge when comms fail GRVTY’s Origin platform brings geospatial intelligence processing into a joint defense effort to keep imagery and analytics usable when communications networks are degraded or unavailable. The initiative targets faster, on-demand access to commercial satellite imagery and other GEOINT for military users operating at the edge.

2026-05-04T12:06:00.267158-07:00

Defense tech firms back “Origin” to process commercial satellite/GEOINT closer to the tactical edge when comms fail

SpaceNews.com

Pixxel and Sarvam to launch India’s first orbital data-centre satellite (Pathfinder) by end-2026 Pixxel says its Pathfinder satellite—built with Sarvam—will test “data centre in space” capabilities, aiming to run AI models in orbit and analyze satellite data in real time for faster geospatial intelligence. The partners plan an end-2026 launch to demonstrate on-orbit compute and remote sensing integration.

2026-05-04T09:57:51.816761-07:00

Pixxel and Sarvam to launch India’s first orbital data-centre satellite (Pathfinder) by end-2026

Breaking Defense

Space-BACN optical inter-satellite laser links move from DARPA to DIU on a future on-orbit pathfinder Space-BACN’s optical inter-satellite laser-link program is transitioning from DARPA to the Defense Innovation Unit for a future on-orbit pathfinder, according to industry executives. The shift signals a move from advanced research toward faster, DIU-led proof points for contested space communications and networking.

2026-05-04T08:43:04.302887-07:00

Space-BACN optical inter-satellite laser links move from DARPA to DIU on a future on-orbit pathfinder

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Space Defense & Militarization News

Firefly sets late-summer debut for Alpha Block 2 while SciTec wins Space Force OTA for Golden Dome interceptors

NRO expands its Strategic Commercial Enhancements pipeline with new EO sensing awards to EarthDaily, ICEYE and Pixxel

Lockheed Martin, Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space partner on sea-based satellite launch for national security missions

Pixxel and Sarvam to launch India’s first orbital data-centre satellite (Pathfinder) by end-2026

News Timeline