Spacecraft, Launch Vehicles & Satellites

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Rocket Lab Corporation announced mission success for its role in the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) VICTUS HAZE mission.

This historic mission required Rocket Lab to design, build, and test a Pioneer spacecraft for the USSF, launch it on Electron within 24 hours’ notice, commission the spacecraft within 72 hours, and then conduct complex rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) on orbit within 84 hours to pursue, monitor, approach, and photograph another target satellite in a demonstration of a rapid threat-response scenario.

Rocket Lab successfully completed all mission phases faster than the deadlines set by the Space Force, setting records and delivering new standards in responsive space.

Responsive Launch: On June 19th, Rocket Lab launched the VICTUS HAZE mission just 16 hours and 42 minutes after receiving the Notice To Launch from the Space Force - the fastest response time ever for a Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission.

Spacecraft Commissioning: Completed within 38 hours - more than 30 hours ahead of the Space Force’s 72-hour deadline - Rocket Lab’s spacecraft operation team methodically activated and verified all of Pioneer’s systems including power, communications, and attitude control, ensuring the satellite was fully operational and ready to begin its tactical space domain awareness mission.

RPO Operations: Completed in less than 59 hours - 25 hours ahead of the Space Force’s 84-hour deadline. Rocket Lab’s Pioneer spacecraft performed a series of complex orbital maneuvers to pursue, monitor, approach, and photograph a target satellite on orbit. Throughout operations, Rocket Lab maintained continuous tracking of the target spacecraft, demonstrating precision navigation and control capabilities essential for space domain awareness operations. While traditional missions have relied on separate contractors for rockets, satellites, and operations in space, Rocket Lab is delivering all three for VICTUS HAZE - the first time a single prime contractor has provided an entire all-in-one mission for the TacRS program.

Deployed by the USSF’s Space Systems Command (SSC), led by the Space Safari Program Office, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), VICTUS HAZE is a Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission generating the vital data, technology, and real-world operational experience needed to make that rapid response a repeatable reality.

With the threshold RPO demonstration now successfully completed, Rocket Lab will continue to operate the Pioneer spacecraft on orbit for several more months to prove out additional advanced RPO tactics, techniques, and procedures tasked by Space Safari.

Rocket Lab’s continued successful delivery of responsive space missions and increasingly complex RPO mission objectives for the USSF reinforces the Company’s reputation as a trusted partner capable of executing the most challenging and time-critical missions for national security.

Source: Rocket Lab
Associated URL: https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-delivers-mission-success-for-space-force-completes-historic-launch-and-on-orbit-satellite-tracking-mission-in-record-time/

OTTAWA - Telesat LEO ULC, a subsidiary of Telesat Corporation announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with Canada’s Defence Investment Agency for Telesat Lightspeed services to deliver secure Military Ka-band (Mil-Ka) Arctic connectivity to the Canadian Armed Forces for the Enhanced Satellite Communications Project - Polar (ESCP-P) program.

This agreement builds on the Strategic Partnership Agreement announced in late 2025 between the Defence Investment Agency, Telesat, and MDA Space for the ESCP-P program and reflects Canada’s strategy to leverage commercial expertise and innovations to accelerate delivery of critical sovereign capabilities. Telesat expects to deliver a comprehensive solution to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), including secure, Mil-Ka connectivity across Canada’s Arctic region, spanning 65 degrees to 90 degrees North latitude. The program will also include end-to-end network integration services, including user terminals, ground and control infrastructure, training, and support services.

The above agreement is subject to the execution of a definitive contract by the parties, which Telesat expects to be completed in the coming weeks. Following execution, Telesat intends to share more detailed information about the expected financial impact of this agreement. This agreement, as well as the anticipated definitive contract, will not impact the timing of Telesat Lightspeed global service delivery, which remains on track for Q1 2028.

Source: Telesat
Associated URL: https://www.telesat.com/press/press-releases/canadian-armed-forces-selects-telesat-lightspeed-for-mil-ka-band-component-of-escp-p-arctic-military-communications-program/

HARWELL, U.K. - Airbus Defence and Space has signed the initial contract for the design and build of the Aeolus-2 wind sensing satellite from the European Space Agency (ESA) at a ceremony at ESA’s UK headquarters ECSAT at Harwell.

Aeolus-2 will follow the first Aeolus wind sensing satellite built by Airbus and launched in 2018. The satellite provided the first-ever high-resolution vertical wind profiles from space, enabling a 4% improvement of numerical weather forecasting, and significantly enhanced the accuracy of global weather prediction models benefiting European stakeholders and society.

Data from Aeolus, which flew in orbit until 2023, significantly enhanced the accuracy of global weather prediction models and provided critical data for understanding atmospheric circulation and long-term climate change. Aeolus-2 will also be equipped with another pioneering Doppler wind lidar with ultraviolet lasers which will scan from the ground up to 30km taking measurements every 0.01 seconds, covering all of the globe every seven days. Aeolus-2 will have an additional detector to measure aerosols in the atmosphere.

The first Aeolus satellite helped improve knowledge of hurricanes, and of how volcanic ash travels in the high atmosphere. It also improved data availability at the poles and the equator, reducing the mean error between predictions and observations by more than 4%.

Light from the lasers on Aeolus bounce off small particles such as dust, ice and water droplets, and the light scattered back collected by the telescope shows the speed and wind direction based on the Doppler shift of the particles.

Aeolus-2 is being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) and will benefit major weather centres, including the UK’s Met Office and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

Aeolus-2 will orbit the Earth 15 times a day and deliver data to users within 120 minutes of the oldest measurement in each orbit. The satellite will be in a 450 km orbit and a lifetime of 5.5 years.

Source: Airbus
Associated URL: https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-07-airbus-awarded-aeolus-2-wind-sensing-satellite-contract