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NASA Spaceflight • Aaron McCrea

Packed launch week: ULA's Vulcan to carry USSF-87 and SpaceX to fly Crew-12 amid eight scheduled missions

Eight launches are scheduled this week from multiple sites, led by United Launch Alliance's Vulcan carrying the USSF-87 national-security payload and SpaceX's Crew-12 Dragon bound for the International Space Station. The manifest mixes crewed, government and commercial missions across several providers.

2026-02-09T14:35:59.122500-08:00

Via Satellite

Momentus and NASA to demo Vigoride 7 rendezvous, RPO and multispectral sensor for U.S. Space Force on March Transporter launch

2026-02-09T12:14:06.615952-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Space Force awards Starfish Space $54.5M for second Otter on‑orbit servicing vehicle

2026-02-07T08:07:20.728950-08:00

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX moves Dragon flights from KSC LC‑39A to Cape Canaveral SLC‑40 as 39A is repurposed for Starship

2026-02-06T13:28:55.259770-08:00

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NASA Spaceflight

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Packed launch week: ULA's Vulcan to carry USSF-87 and SpaceX to fly Crew-12 amid eight scheduled missions Eight launches are scheduled this week from multiple sites, led by United Launch Alliance's Vulcan carrying the USSF-87 national-security payload and SpaceX's Crew-12 Dragon bound for the International Space Station. The manifest mixes crewed, government and commercial missions across several providers.

2026-02-09T14:35:59.122500-08:00

Packed launch week: ULA's Vulcan to carry USSF-87 and SpaceX to fly Crew-12 amid eight scheduled missions

Via Satellite

Momentus and NASA to demo Vigoride 7 rendezvous, RPO and multispectral sensor for U.S. Space Force on March Transporter launch Momentus signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA for an in‑orbit servicing and rendezvous demo using its Vigoride 7 vehicle. Launching no earlier than March 2026 on a SpaceX Transporter, the mission will perform RPO, test a multispectral sensor for the U.S. Space Force and deploy a NASA CubeSat.

2026-02-09T12:14:06.615952-08:00

Momentus and NASA to demo Vigoride 7 rendezvous, RPO and multispectral sensor for U.S. Space Force on March Transporter launch

SpaceNews.com

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Space Force awards Starfish Space $54.5M for second Otter on‑orbit servicing vehicle The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command awarded Starfish Space $54.5 million to build a second Otter satellite‑servicing vehicle, funding a GEO‑capable on‑orbit servicing and mobility platform. Starfish says it leverages large‑scale simulations and Google Cloud machine learning to develop autonomous rendezvous, docking and mobility functions.

2026-02-07T08:07:20.728950-08:00

Space Force awards Starfish Space $54.5M for second Otter on‑orbit servicing vehicle

Spaceflight Now

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SpaceX moves Dragon flights from KSC LC‑39A to Cape Canaveral SLC‑40 as 39A is repurposed for Starship SpaceX is moving all planned Dragon launches from NASA’s historic Launch Complex 39A to Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and has begun physical modifications at LC‑39A — including erection of a Leibherr LR13000 crane Feb. 4 — as the pad is repurposed for Starship.

2026-02-06T13:28:55.259770-08:00

SpaceX moves Dragon flights from KSC LC‑39A to Cape Canaveral SLC‑40 as 39A is repurposed for Starship

Spaceflight Now

ULA offloads first Vulcan at Vandenberg, staging rockets on both coasts ahead of Cape launch United Launch Alliance has offloaded its first Vulcan rocket at Vandenberg Space Force Base after its R/S Rocket Ship barge arrived, enabling the company to stage vehicles on both the West and East coasts for the first time since November 2022 as it readies a Cape Canaveral launch.

2026-02-06T05:24:14.936589-08:00

ULA offloads first Vulcan at Vandenberg, staging rockets on both coasts ahead of Cape launch

SpaceNews.com

Pentagon pushes Golden Dome as model for faster, risk‑tolerant defense acquisitions The Pentagon is promoting its Golden Dome air‑and‑missile defense concept as a template for faster, more risk‑tolerant acquisition across defense programs. Officials want the model used to accelerate prototyping, fielding and contractor engagement while accepting higher developmental risk to shorten delivery timelines.

2026-02-05T16:27:21.464088-08:00

Pentagon pushes Golden Dome as model for faster, risk‑tolerant defense acquisitions

SpaceNews.com

Space Force sharpens strategy and forges military space pacts as satellite‑defence advances raise stakes in contested orbit The U.S. Space Force is updating its strategy and pursuing new military space pacts as rivals, orbital congestion and advances in satellite‑defence technologies increase risk to on‑orbit resilience. Leadership is pushing faster acquisitions, deterrence options and hardened satellite operations for contested space.

2026-02-05T08:03:34.147929-08:00

Space Force sharpens strategy and forges military space pacts as satellite‑defence advances raise stakes in contested orbit

SpaceNews.com

Space Force seeks expanded combat and defensive role as satellites become targets The U.S. Space Force is positioning to expand its operational and defensive remit as satellites increasingly face kinetic, cyber and electronic threats. The shift signals plans to assume broader command, protection and warfighting responsibilities for orbital assets in a contested domain.

2026-02-04T04:17:21.036199-08:00

Space Force seeks expanded combat and defensive role as satellites become targets

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Space Force News

Packed launch week: ULA's Vulcan to carry USSF-87 and SpaceX to fly Crew-12 amid eight scheduled missions

Momentus and NASA to demo Vigoride 7 rendezvous, RPO and multispectral sensor for U.S. Space Force on March Transporter launch

Space Force awards Starfish Space $54.5M for second Otter on‑orbit servicing vehicle

SpaceX moves Dragon flights from KSC LC‑39A to Cape Canaveral SLC‑40 as 39A is repurposed for Starship

News Timeline