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SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Starfish Space wins SDA contract to deorbit satellites in missile‑tracking and communications constellation

Starfish Space has been awarded a Space Development Agency (SDA) contract to provide on‑orbit deorbiting services for satellites in an SDA missile‑tracking and communications constellation. The work covers active removal of SDA spacecraft at end‑of‑life or following anomalies, using Starfish’s rendezvous and disposal capabilities.

2026-01-21T06:12:15.700958-08:00

SpaceNews.com

New report warns U.S. space assets vulnerable to Russian escalation

2026-01-21T05:15:57.390108-08:00

Payload

Loft Orbital wins €50M French DESIR contract to build SAR demo satellite

2026-01-21T06:12:33.312882-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Digital transformation: keystone of deterring warfare in space

2026-01-21T06:12:18.309962-08:00

News Timeline

Payload

Loft Orbital wins €50M French DESIR contract to build SAR demo satellite Loft Orbital has been awarded a €50 million French contract to build and demonstrate a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite under the DESIR programme. The demo is intended to widen the pool of electro‑optical and radar Earth‑observation capabilities available to France’s defence sector.

2026-01-21T06:12:33.312882-08:00

Loft Orbital wins €50M French DESIR contract to build SAR demo satellite

SpaceNews.com

Digital transformation: keystone of deterring warfare in space Modernizing space systems' digital architecture—including resilient networks, secure ground-to-space links, and faster data fusion—is essential to deter and withstand hostile activity in orbit. Defense planners argue rapid adoption of cyber-hardened, automated and interoperable systems raises costs for adversaries and reduces single-point failures.

2026-01-21T06:12:18.309962-08:00

Digital transformation: keystone of deterring warfare in space

SpaceNews.com

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Starfish Space wins SDA contract to deorbit satellites in missile‑tracking and communications constellation Starfish Space has been awarded a Space Development Agency (SDA) contract to provide on‑orbit deorbiting services for satellites in an SDA missile‑tracking and communications constellation. The work covers active removal of SDA spacecraft at end‑of‑life or following anomalies, using Starfish’s rendezvous and disposal capabilities.

2026-01-21T06:12:15.700958-08:00

Starfish Space wins SDA contract to deorbit satellites in missile‑tracking and communications constellation

SpaceNews.com

❗️

New report warns U.S. space assets vulnerable to Russian escalation A new report warns that U.S. space assets are vulnerable to Russian escalation in orbit, exposing weaknesses in resilience and deterrence that could threaten military, intelligence and communications capabilities. The assessment calls attention to urgent gaps in U.S. preparedness against intentional on‑orbit hostilities.

2026-01-21T05:15:57.390108-08:00

New report warns U.S. space assets vulnerable to Russian escalation

SpaceWatch Global

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China’s Satellite Surge: Growth Curves and Strategic Implications China's annual satellite launches accelerated sharply from 111 in 2021 to 378 in 2025, driving rapid expansion of LEO constellations and national orbital assets. The surge increases China's on-orbit capacity and raises strategic questions for commercial market balance and defense-related capabilities.

2026-01-21T00:17:44.614725-08:00

China’s Satellite Surge: Growth Curves and Strategic Implications

SpaceNews.com

Appropriations set Space Force at $26B for FY2026 and press Pentagon on Golden Dome oversight A FY2026 defense appropriations conference agreement funds the U.S. Space Force at $26 billion and includes directives increasing Pentagon oversight and reporting on the Golden Dome space‑based missile‑defense effort, signaling Congress will actively monitor the program as it moves through prototyping and milestones.

2026-01-20T14:19:00.482812-08:00

Appropriations set Space Force at $26B for FY2026 and press Pentagon on Golden Dome oversight

SpaceWatch Global

Davos spotlights space's rising economic and geopolitical stakes as House of Pioneers advances an alternative agenda At Davos this week global leaders are elevating space as an economic and geopolitical priority, while the House of Pioneers convenes a counterpoint program that advances an alternative, industry-driven space agenda focused on commercialization, governance and strategic competition. Executives and policymakers will debate commercialization, governance and security.

2026-01-20T00:53:02.255717-08:00

Davos spotlights space's rising economic and geopolitical stakes as House of Pioneers advances an alternative agenda

Space Intel Report

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Macron vows extra funding to accelerate France's military space build-up amid CNES budget shortfall Visiting LA PLATA, Maryland, President Emmanuel Macron pledged supplemental funding to accelerate France's military space buildup and address program shortfalls as CNES confronts a budget gap. The commitment is intended to preserve development timelines for defence satellites and operational space capabilities despite fiscal pressures.

2026-01-19T13:04:01.082851-08:00

Macron vows extra funding to accelerate France's military space build-up amid CNES budget shortfall

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Space Defense & Militarization News

Starfish Space wins SDA contract to deorbit satellites in missile‑tracking and communications constellation

New report warns U.S. space assets vulnerable to Russian escalation

Loft Orbital wins €50M French DESIR contract to build SAR demo satellite

Digital transformation: keystone of deterring warfare in space

News Timeline