Space Defense & Militarization News

AeroTime

High activity

Zelenskyy reports renewed Starshield disruptions affecting Ukrainian forces across the front

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says military units have faced significant Starshield communications disruptions for several days, with limitations affecting frontline troops and areas across the front line. Kyiv says the problems hamper defenses against Russian attacks; the reports come as U.S. envoys arrive in Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Ars Technica

Anduril says its first satellite can track adversary maneuvers in orbital darkness

Anduril says its first satellite has a wide dynamic range that lets it observe objects in full darkness and detect adversary maneuvers in orbit. The company’s description points to a capability relevant to monitoring activity in space, though the article provides no further technical or operational details.

Bloomberg

Incoming Democrats signal scrutiny of Golden Dome and SpaceX

Newly elected Democrats are expected to challenge President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile shield and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, according to the article. The focus puts both a major defense initiative and a prominent commercial space company on the incoming Congress’s political agenda, though the article gives no details on specific actions.

SpaceNews.com

SpaceX wins $9.9 million study contract to bridge commercial laser communications with military missile-tracking satellites

The Space Development Agency contract will assess whether SpaceX’s proprietary Plaser laser terminal can work with Pentagon missile-warning and tracking satellites. The study addresses a broader interoperability challenge: connecting satellite networks that use different optical communications standards as the Space Force builds out its systems.

Breaking Defense

Ukraine’s Fire Point seeks Starshield coverage extension 200–300 km beyond its borders

Fire Point CEO Iryna Terekh says expanding Starshield licenses beyond Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories could extend coverage 200 to 300 kilometers farther. She told Breaking Defense that the added reach could significantly affect Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian ballistic attacks on civilians.

Ars Technica

U.S. military signals concern over constrained launch supply

The U.S. military appears increasingly concerned about a shortage of launch capacity, with one assessment saying the supply crunch is “exactly the situation we predicted.” The available report does not identify the affected launch providers, missions or proposed response.

Via Satellite

Democratic control of Congress puts Trump’s space spending commitments under pressure

An editorial warns that Democrats’ control of Congress gives lawmakers both the authority and the appetite to challenge major spending commitments by President Trump, including those tied to preserving U.S. strategic advantage in space. The dispute raises the prospect of political gridlock shaping the direction and funding of national space priorities.

SpaceNews.com

Anduril unveils three orbit-tested payloads for space surveillance, including an infrared sensor to track spacecraft in Earth’s

The defense technology company says it has tested all three systems in orbit. One is an infrared sensor designed to track spacecraft while they pass through Earth’s shadow, extending the company’s announced space-surveillance payload portfolio.