Spacecraft, Launch Vehicles & Satellites

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Space Force has awarded $60 million in contracts to five aerospace companies to demonstrate multi-vendor connectivity for its Space Data Network (SDN). Announced on Aug. 13 by Space Systems Command, the awards provide $12 million each to Amazon LEO for Government, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab, and York Space Systems. The initiative aims to test standardized interfaces and data transport capabilities, ensuring that diverse commercial satellite systems can seamlessly integrate with the SDN’s core low Earth orbit backbone, which SpaceX is currently building under a $2.29 billion contract awarded in May.

The effort represents a strategic push to avoid single-vendor lock-in and establish a resilient mesh architecture capable of rerouting military data if individual satellites or links are disrupted. Each vendor's award includes a $10 million fixed-price contract for a nine-month prototyping demonstration of ground-to-space and space-to-space data transport, alongside a $2 million, six-month agreement to develop "space exchange points." These exchange points are designed to act as orbital routers, enabling secure data transfers between independent commercial networks, government systems, and the core infrastructure.

Source: Space News
Associated URL: https://spacenews.com/space-force-awards-five-companies-60-million-for-multi-vendor-satellite-network-tests/

DULLES, Va. - Northrop Grumman marked a pivotal moment in space sustainability with the undocking of one of its Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from the Optus D3 satellite, showcasing a new era of on-orbit servicing that extends satellite life beyond traditional replacement models.

The two Mission Extension Vehicles have demonstrated revolutionary satellite life extension through routine, reliable servicing missions since 2020. These in-space satellite servicing capabilities, enhanced by innovations like the recently launched Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) and Mission Extension Pods (MEPs) shifts the paradigm toward a more resilient and sustainable space infrastructure.

Source: Northrop Grumman
Associated URL: https://news.northropgrumman.com/civil-space/northrop-grumman-continues-in-space-industry-leadership-second-mission-extension-vehicle-undocking

CEDAR PARK, Tex. - Firefly Aerospace announced a new contract with the Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit and Space Development Agency to complete a preliminary design review (PDR) for a mission providing deorbit services with Firefly’s Elytra spacecraft. Once the PDR is complete, Firefly will be eligible to compete for the next phase of mission execution, including launch and spacecraft operations.

As part of Firefly’s mission design, Elytra would be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) before maneuvering to the client space object, performing rendezvous proximity operations, surveying the client, and completing the deorbit service. Firefly’s proprietary deorbit system integrated on Elytra can provide satellite deorbit operations in LEO, medium Earth orbit (MEO), or geostationary Earth orbit (GEO).

Firefly is also on contract with the Defense Innovation Unit to perform a space domain awareness mission with its Elytra spacecraft no earlier than 2027. With the core flight structures complete, the team has entered the spacecraft integration and test phase for the mission.

Elytra’s high-thrust maneuverability, ample fuel reserves, and payload capacity are well equipped to provide responsive in-space services, including payload delivery and deorbit services, long-haul communications, surveillance, and lunar imaging. The scalable, multi-mission Elytra vehicles are built with flight-proven components from Firefly’s launch vehicles and lunar landers, including the core avionics, composite structures, and propulsion system that successfully landed Blue Ghost on the Moon.

Source: Firefly Aerospace
Associated URL: https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-awarded-contract-to-design-elytra-deorbit-system-for-defense-innovation-unit/