Space.com
• Mike Wall
SpaceX is scheduled to launch its second classified mission for the U.S. Space Force in less than a week on Sept. 15. The launch will be available to watch live, offering another public view of the company’s rapidly paced national-security launch activity.
DefenseNews.com
• Cristina Stassis
By DefenseNews.com: The number of satellites launched to provide militaries and defense departments with ISR data from space is expected to increase more than fourfold.
SpaceNews.com
• Jason Rainbow
By SpaceNews.com: British startup Shield Space has completed the critical design review for Broadsword, a 2027 mission aiming to demonstrate satellite-inspection capabilities that defense customers could have in orbit within nine months of contract signing.
Payload
• Douglas Gorman
By Payload: Kuva Space released data today from a pilot program that demonstrated its ability to monitor illegal crop farming from space.
SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust
By SpaceNews.com: Executives with the three European companies seeking to combine their space businesses say the merger is still needed.
By Spaceflight Now: An Avio Vega-C rocket zipped off the launch pad Monday night from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. This was the eighth launch to date of the 34.8-meter-tall (114.2 ft.) rocket and the second of 2026.
European Spaceflight
SpaceNews.com
SpaceNews.com
• Jason Rainbow
By SpaceNews.com: SES outlined plans Sept. 15 to establish direct-to-device satellite production capabilities in Europe with Elveo Mobile, aiming to build out a regional supply chain to expand the D2D operator’s LEO constellation.
SpaceWatch Global
• Torsten Kriening
By SpaceWatch Global: WSBW 2026 day one recap: Aschbacher takes a crew transport decision to Rome, 40 operational launchers worldwide with 19 Chinese, and why capital has outrun the business models.
The Daily Debrief
One concise daily briefing across aviation, defense and space—key developments, corroborating sources, and the context leaders need to act.
Air & Space Forces Mag
• Courtney Albon
Space Intel Report
• Peter B. de Selding
NASA Spaceflight
• Chris Bergin, Eleanor Day
Via Satellite
• Rachel Jewett
thalesgroup.com
• Thales Group