WASHINGTON -- Shield AI and Sedaro announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on autonomous operations in orbit.

The collaboration establishes Shield AI’s Hivemind Pilot as Sedaro’s preferred autonomy software for on-orbit demonstrations.

Under the agreement, Shield AI will use the Sedaro Platform for simulation as its primary environment for developing, testing, and demonstrating Hivemind in space-relevant scenarios.

The companies will collaborate on deployment designs ranging from ground-based centric control to in-orbit cognitive capabilities.

Source: Shield AI
Associated URL: https://shield.ai/shield-ai-expands-into-space-domain-through-partnership-with-sedaro/

WASHINGTON - The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has selected 1,014 companies to compete for orders under a massive contracting vehicle worth up to $151 billion, a significant step in the development of the "Golden Dome" homeland defense system. Known as the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD), the initiative received 2,463 offers and is designed to rapidly deliver advanced capabilities, including artificial intelligence and open systems architectures. While the agency did not name individual winners, the 10-year vehicle will allow Department of Defense entities to issue orders across more than 19 work areas, ranging from weapon design and prototyping to cybersecurity and data mining.

The Golden Dome initiative originated from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump shortly after taking office for a second term, mandating a multilayered air defense system that includes space-based interceptors. The program is managed by Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, who submitted his architectural vision to Pentagon leadership in September. Although Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed at a White House cabinet meeting that he has reviewed the plans, it remains unclear if a final implementation plan has been officially signed.

This announcement follows recent news that the Space Force has quietly issued initial prototype awards for space-based interceptors intended to destroy enemy missiles in their boost phase. The SHIELD vehicle aims to streamline acquisition for these and other defense technologies by creating a flexible enterprise arrangement for rapid contracting.

Source: Breaking Defense
Associated URL: https://breakingdefense.com/2025/12/mda-picks-over-1000-initial-winners-for-golden-dome-contracting-vehicle

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Space Force has awarded its first prototype contracts for space-based interceptors, marking a significant initial step in the development of the "Golden Dome" missile defense architecture. The Space Systems Command issued the awards to multiple vendors using Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), a contracting mechanism designed to accelerate the prototyping of emerging technologies.

Details regarding the specific companies selected and the financial value of the contracts remain classified, but some sources indicate the participants are Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, and True Anomaly. The Space Force had released a solicitation in September seeking prototype proposals for boost-phase interceptors, which are intended to destroy missiles shortly after they are launched.

Source: Space News
Associated URL: https://spacenews.com/space-force-awards-first-prototype-deals-for-space-based-interceptors-under-golden-dome/