All articles tagged with #military satellite
United Launch Alliance is launching its most powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket to deploy an experimental U.S. military navigation satellite, testing new resilient technologies for GPS-like systems, in a significant step for military space capabilities.
SpaceX is set to launch the GPS III SV-08 satellite for the U.S. military on May 30 from Cape Canaveral, marking a rapid turnaround from an originally scheduled 2025 launch, to enhance GPS anti-jamming capabilities amid increasing signal threats. The launch was accelerated to improve satellite resilience, utilizing SpaceX's Falcon 9 after the delay of ULA's Vulcan rocket, demonstrating the program's flexibility and strategic importance for national security and civilian safety.
North Korea's attempt to launch a military satellite ended in failure as the rocket exploded midair shortly after takeoff, crashing into the sea. The incident, attributed to a malfunction in a newly developed engine, has heightened regional tensions and violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Neighboring countries Japan and South Korea were informed of the planned launch, which occurred shortly after trilateral meetings between South Korea, Japan, and China.
North Korea plans to launch a rocket carrying its second military spy satellite, drawing strong rebukes from South Korea and Japan. The launch, banned under U.N. resolutions, is seen as a cover for testing long-range missile technology. South Korea and Japan have called on North Korea to cancel the launch, while preparing military responses. The launch is part of North Korea's efforts to build a space-based surveillance network amid increasing U.S.-led military threats.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched a military weather satellite, the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M), from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The satellite will provide essential weather data for the U.S. military, including ocean surface wind speed, ice thickness, and soil moisture. This launch marked the 13th of 2024 for SpaceX from Vandenberg and the 37th of the year from both coasts. The mission also saw the reuse of the rocket's first-stage booster and payload fairing, demonstrating SpaceX's commitment to reusability.
In 2025, a robot satellite in geostationary orbit will attempt to affix a new imaging sensor payload on a military satellite using a robot arm developed by DARPA and the Naval Research Laboratory. The mission, overseen by the Defense Innovation Unit, aims to upgrade the satellite's hardware, a major technological challenge. The Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV) being built by Northrop Grumman's subsidiary SpaceLogistics will perform the mission, which is part of the effort to match commercial technologies with military needs for in-orbit services.
Boeing has been awarded a $439.6 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to build the WGS-12 military communications satellite, part of the Wideband Global Satcom constellation. The satellite is set to be delivered in January 2029 and will provide communications services to the United States and its allies. This comes as Boeing is still completing production of WGS-11, funded by congressional earmarks, and the Department of the Air Force has confirmed that WGS-12 meets specific needs that cannot be met by commercial alternatives.
Airbus has partnered with Northrop Grumman in a bid to secure the SkyNet military satellite contract. The collaboration aims to leverage Northrop Grumman's expertise in satellite systems and Airbus' experience in the aerospace industry. The SkyNet contract is a significant opportunity for both companies to provide advanced satellite capabilities for military communications.
Russia's Defense Ministry has deployed a new military satellite into orbit, just days before the country's upcoming lunar launch, marking its first lunar landing craft mission in almost 50 years.
North Korea is set to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June, which it claims is for monitoring US activities. The move has drawn criticism over its potential use of banned missile technology. The launch would be the North's latest in a series of missile launches and weapons tests, including one of a new, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile last month. Japan and South Korea have condemned the move, calling it a violation of UN sanctions, while the US State Department has warned that any North Korean launch using ballistic missile technology would violate UN resolutions.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a military satellite station and approved the next steps of the plan by the non-permanent satellite-launching preparatory committee, dedicated to launching North Korea's first military intelligence satellite. Kim said successfully launching the military reconnaissance satellite is an "urgent requirement of the prevailing security environment of the country." Pyongyang had completed building its first military spy satellite earlier this year, and activity at the launch pad area at North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station has resumed after nearly a half-year hiatus.