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Air & Space Forces Mag • Courtney Albon

Space Force study says ~1,000 launches (FY27-31) likely requires a third heavy-lift launch site

A U.S. Space Force infrastructure study, led by deputy for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements Lt. Gen. David Miller, concludes the service will “probably” need an additional heavy-launch site to handle surging throughput. Miller cited demand for roughly 1,000 Space Force launches between fiscal 2027 and 2031.

2026-05-20T11:09:11.885625-07:00

Defense Scoop

Space Force confirms Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo as SDA director and names him PAE for missile warning/tracking

2026-05-19T13:25:44.979344-07:00

DefenseNews.com

US Air Force plan would repurpose decommissioned offshore oil rigs as sea-based rocket booster recovery stations

2026-05-18T08:53:46.937333-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Space Force awards Northrop Grumman $398M for Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype to demonstrate anti

2026-05-16T07:53:09.719393-07:00

News Timeline

Air & Space Forces Mag

Space Force study says ~1,000 launches (FY27-31) likely requires a third heavy-lift launch site A U.S. Space Force infrastructure study, led by deputy for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements Lt. Gen. David Miller, concludes the service will “probably” need an additional heavy-launch site to handle surging throughput. Miller cited demand for roughly 1,000 Space Force launches between fiscal 2027 and 2031.

2026-05-20T11:09:11.885625-07:00

Space Force study says ~1,000 launches (FY27-31) likely requires a third heavy-lift launch site

Defense Scoop

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Space Force confirms Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo as SDA director and names him PAE for missile warning/tracking The Space Development Agency has named Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo its permanent director, effective May 11, ending his acting role that began last September. In parallel, Space Force designated him as the Portfolio Acquisition Executive overseeing missile warning and tracking programs under the new acquisition structure.

2026-05-19T13:25:44.979344-07:00

Space Force confirms Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo as SDA director and names him PAE for missile warning/tracking

DefenseNews.com

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US Air Force plan would repurpose decommissioned offshore oil rigs as sea-based rocket booster recovery stations The U.S. Air Force is proposing to convert retired offshore oil platforms into “sea-based recovery stations” to support U.S. Space Force and commercial rocket-recovery operations. The concept reframes maritime infrastructure as an aircraft-like recovery asset, expanding recovery options beyond land and traditional range assets.

2026-05-18T08:53:46.937333-07:00

US Air Force plan would repurpose decommissioned offshore oil rigs as sea-based rocket booster recovery stations

SpaceNews.com

York Space Systems defends growth as SDA restructuring reshapes Pentagon demand York Space Systems is confronting a core business-model test as its Pentagon program underpinning earlier growth is reorganized. The company is defending its strategy amid changes to Space Development Agency (SDA) programming, which alters how and where spacecraft and related capabilities will be procured.

2026-05-16T15:08:52.224700-07:00

York Space Systems defends growth as SDA restructuring reshapes Pentagon demand

SpaceNews.com

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Space Force awards Northrop Grumman $398M for Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype to demonstrate anti The U.S. Space Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a $398 million contract for the Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype (EPTS-P) effort under Space Systems Command. The prototype is intended to demonstrate anti-jamming technologies for military satellite communications in contested environments.

2026-05-16T07:53:09.719393-07:00

Space Force awards Northrop Grumman $398M for Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype to demonstrate anti

SpaceNews.com

Golden Dome chief disputes CBO’s $1.2T cost estimate for space-based missile defense U.S. Space Force Golden Dome program director Michael Guetlein challenged a Congressional Budget Office estimate pegging the program’s cost at $1.2 trillion. Speaking at Washington’s “Inside the Dome” conference, he argued the estimate does not reflect the program’s affordability and scaling path.

2026-05-14T10:36:53.949538-07:00

Golden Dome chief disputes CBO’s $1.2T cost estimate for space-based missile defense

Ars Technica

US launches nuclear-in-orbit wargame to model how an LEO detonation could degrade orbit for up to a year U.S. officials say a simulated nuclear detonation in low Earth orbit could render portions of orbit “useless” for as long as a year, shaping degraded-operations scenarios for commanders. The new military wargame series tests consequences for space operations and decision-making under nuclear-induced orbital disruption.

2026-05-13T12:13:16.645141-07:00

US launches nuclear-in-orbit wargame to model how an LEO detonation could degrade orbit for up to a year

SpaceNews.com

CBO: Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense could cost ~$1.2T over 20 years, with space-based interceptors the biggest driver The Congressional Budget Office estimates a national missile defense architecture broadly aligned with President Trump’s “Golden Dome” executive order would cost about $1.2 trillion over the next two decades. The CBO report says space-based interceptors are the largest cost component—far above the Pentagon’s public estimate of roughly $185 billion.

2026-05-12T15:14:25.264888-07:00

CBO: Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense could cost ~$1.2T over 20 years, with space-based interceptors the biggest driver

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Space Force News

Space Force study says ~1,000 launches (FY27-31) likely requires a third heavy-lift launch site

Space Force confirms Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo as SDA director and names him PAE for missile warning/tracking

US Air Force plan would repurpose decommissioned offshore oil rigs as sea-based rocket booster recovery stations

Space Force awards Northrop Grumman $398M for Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype to demonstrate anti

News Timeline