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Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

Gen. Chance Saltzman calls for Space Force acquisition centered on “minimum viable capabilities”

In his first 2026 Commander’s Note, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman urges tighter collaboration between the service’s acquisition leadership and the operational corps to compress timelines and deliver new capabilities. The message emphasizes focusing acquisition efforts on “minimum viable capabilities” rather than extended perfection cycles.

2026-04-27T13:20:18.231835-07:00

DefenseNews.com

US Air Force certifies SpaceX for military space launches

2026-04-27T04:04:32.918556-07:00

Bloomberg

HawkEye 360 launches IPO roadshow, targets up to $2.42B valuation to raise as much as ~$424M

2026-04-27T04:34:59.881313-07:00

Space.com

SpaceX to relaunch Falcon Heavy on April 27 from LC-39A with Viasat-3.3 after 18-month hiatus

2026-04-26T09:20:22.706970-07:00

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DefenseNews.com

US Air Force funds prototypes for new ground-based radar tracking aerial targets Three companies received US Air Force funding to prototype next-generation ground-based radars, with the focus on demonstrating how effectively their systems track aerial targets. The effort this year is designed to validate tracking performance ahead of potential follow-on transition decisions.

2026-04-27T15:20:14.753197-07:00

US Air Force funds prototypes for new ground-based radar tracking aerial targets

Breaking Defense

Gen. Chance Saltzman calls for Space Force acquisition centered on “minimum viable capabilities” In his first 2026 Commander’s Note, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman urges tighter collaboration between the service’s acquisition leadership and the operational corps to compress timelines and deliver new capabilities. The message emphasizes focusing acquisition efforts on “minimum viable capabilities” rather than extended perfection cycles.

2026-04-27T13:20:18.231835-07:00

Gen. Chance Saltzman calls for Space Force acquisition centered on “minimum viable capabilities”

Bloomberg

HawkEye 360 launches IPO roadshow, targets up to $2.42B valuation to raise as much as ~$424M Virginia-based satellite signals intelligence provider HawkEye 360 has started a Nasdaq Global Select Market IPO roadshow, seeking a valuation of up to $2.42 billion. The company plans to raise about $384 million to $424.2 million, following reported 2025 revenue figures near $99 million.

2026-04-27T04:34:59.881313-07:00

HawkEye 360 launches IPO roadshow, targets up to $2.42B valuation to raise as much as ~$424M

DefenseNews.com

US Air Force certifies SpaceX for military space launches The U.S. Air Force announced that SpaceX has been certified to conduct military space launches. The decision broadens the pool of government-approved launch providers, a move that comes as the Space Force is actively increasing demand for more capable rocket launches.

2026-04-27T04:04:32.918556-07:00

US Air Force certifies SpaceX for military space launches

Space.com

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SpaceX to relaunch Falcon Heavy on April 27 from LC-39A with Viasat-3.3 after 18-month hiatus SpaceX is targeting an April 27 launch of Falcon Heavy from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, marking a return to flight after more than 18 months. The mission is scheduled to place Viasat-3.3 into geosynchronous transfer orbit, with both side boosters slated for landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

2026-04-26T09:20:22.706970-07:00

SpaceX to relaunch Falcon Heavy on April 27 from LC-39A with Viasat-3.3 after 18-month hiatus

European Spaceflight

Rheinmetall to establish satellite testing facility in Andøya, Norway Rheinmetall has signed a Letter of Intent to establish a new satellite testing facility in Andøya, Norway. The agreement aims to expand the company’s Nordic space and defense-industrial test footprint, aligning with broader efforts to scale satellite-related experimentation and validation work.

2026-04-25T04:34:27.650016-07:00

Rheinmetall to establish satellite testing facility in Andøya, Norway

DefenseNews.com

Air Force: “Disappointed” SpaceX not certified for military launches by end-2014, but confident it will meet USSF requirements The secretary of the U.S. Air Force said he is “disappointed” SpaceX was not certified for military space launch by the end of 2014, but remains confident the company can meet service-set requirements. The statement underscores how certification timing shapes Pentagon launch assurance and program risk.

2026-04-25T00:50:54.605642-07:00

Air Force: “Disappointed” SpaceX not certified for military launches by end-2014, but confident it will meet USSF requirements

Bloomberg

SpaceX tapped to help build software “operating system” for Trump’s Golden Dome SpaceX has been pulled into an industry group developing the software “operating system” underpinning President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome air-and-missile-defense initiative, according to people familiar with the matter. The reporting underscores how tightly Elon Musk’s space and satellite business is being linked to government defense needs.

2026-04-24T22:35:31.621249-07:00

SpaceX tapped to help build software “operating system” for Trump’s Golden Dome

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Space Defense & Militarization News

Gen. Chance Saltzman calls for Space Force acquisition centered on “minimum viable capabilities”

US Air Force certifies SpaceX for military space launches

HawkEye 360 launches IPO roadshow, targets up to $2.42B valuation to raise as much as ~$424M

SpaceX to relaunch Falcon Heavy on April 27 from LC-39A with Viasat-3.3 after 18-month hiatus

News Timeline