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Defense & Security Intelligence

2026-01-25 04:34 UTC
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space exploration

30 articles

China's Military Space Program Has Undergone Explosive Surge: 36 To 1,000 In 15 Years
China has rapidly expanded its military space capabilities over the last decade, increasing from 36 satellites in 2010 to approximately 1,000 by mid-2025. This growth includes around 350 intelligence,...
Musk Hosts Defense Secretary At SpaceX Days After $739M Contract , Announces Grok AI Pentagon Deployment
Elon Musk has hosted US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the SpaceX headquarters a few days following the announcement of a $739 million contract for the company's technology services. During the vis...
China caps record year for orbital launches with Tianhui-7 and Shijian-29 technology test missions
In 2025, China capped its record-breaking year in space launches by completing two consecutive missions to reach a total of 92 orbital launches. This achievement marks a significant milestone both for...
Americans Head To The Moon, Again
The United States is resuming its lunar exploration with NASA's Artemis program after a gap of nearly five decades since the last Apollo mission in 1972. Artemis I aims to create a sustainable human p...
Minibus provides $24.4 billion for NASA for fiscal year 2026
House and Senate appropriators have released a final appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026 that largely rejects the Trump administration's proposed steep cuts to NASA, providing it with $24.4 billi...
Busy Year IN 2026; ISRO's Big Plan Revealed
ISRO plans an ambitious year ahead in 2026 following the success of Chandrayaan-3. The organization aims to expand its role in the global space industry through a series of launches including advanced...
SpaceX will move more than 4,400 satellites to a lower orbit after China cited safety risk
SpaceX plans to lower the orbits of more than 4,400 Starlink internet satellites throughout 2026. This decision follows a statement from an unnamed Chinese official who expressed safety and security c...
ISRO's Packed 2026: Gaganyaan Uncrewed Flight, Oceansat Launch, Quantum Tech Demo
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans an ambitious schedule for 2026, which includes uncrewed testing of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, launching satellites under the Oceansat proj...
SpaceX, China drive new record for orbital launches in 2025
In 2025, orbital launch activity set another annual record, largely driven by SpaceX and Chinese launches. The article notes that future growth could depend on different factors from those behind the ...
DoS Planning To Launch First Quantum Communication Satellite By 2030
India's Department of Space plans to launch its first quantum communication satellite by 2030 as part of the National Quantum Mission (NQM). This project aims to establish secure long-distance communi...
ISRO's Aditya-L1 Decodes How Solar Storms Impact Earth’s Magnetic Field
India's Aditya-L1 solar observatory has provided new insights into the mechanics of solar storms and their effects on Earth's magnetic field. ISRO announced on January 10, 2026, that data from this mi...
China hits 90 launches as Guowang deployment continues, Fengyun-4C heads to GEO
In 2025, China surpassed its 90th orbital launch through a series of missions deploying satellites for the Guowang megaconstellation and the advanced weather monitoring spacecraft, Fengyun-4C. These l...
ESA and ClearSpace announce PRELUDE in-orbit servicing and debris removal mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Luxembourg-based ClearSpace have launched an initiative named PRELUDE aimed at in-orbit servicing and active debris removal. This project involves deploying two sma...
ISRO's Global Leap: 390 Satellites For 34 Nations Since 2014
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched more than 390 foreign satellites for 34 countries since 2014, highlighting its precision, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in the global sa...
PSLV-C62 Failure Marks Second Straight Setback As Third-Stage Woes Haunt ISRO
India's PSLV-C62 mission failed on January 12, 2026, marking the second consecutive failure for India's space agency ISRO. This setback follows issues with the rocket's third stage....
PSLV-C62 Fails To Place EOS-N1 Satellite Into Orbit; Encounters Anomaly In PS3 Stage
The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on January 12, 2026, encountered an anomaly in the PS3 stage. The primary EOS-N1 E...
Blue Origin Gain Is Boeing and Lockheed Martin Loss
The article discusses how Blue Origin's growth could come at the expense of established aerospace companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. It highlights shifts in funding, contracts, and technolo...
Trump's New Executive Order on Space Has the Right Stuff
President Trump issued an executive order aimed at ensuring American space superiority and strengthening national security capabilities in outer space....
ISRO Aims To Commission Third Launch Pad At Shriharikota In 4 Years: Scientist
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to construct a third launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Shriharikota. The target timeline for development, installation, and commission...
There’s no end in sight for a space ‘nuclear renaissance’
A growing demand for nuclear power has led some to term this period as a 'nuclear renaissance' that is anticipated to gain more momentum in 2026. The need stems from two primary uses: small modular re...
China warns satellites from Elon Musk’s Starlink are ‘safety and security’ risk
During an informal UN Security Council event initiated by Russia, China expressed concerns over the growing number of internet satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink. The country highlighted ...
The space stories that will shape 2026
In an episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss and SpaceNews journalists discuss upcoming space stories expected to shape the year ahead....
2026 will be the year of space nuclear power and surviving the lunar night
Surviving lunar nights has become essential for serious lunar missions, moving from an optional feature ('nice-to-have') to a critical requirement. The progression is evident in the ability to land re...
Putin Discussed Space Sphere with Manturov
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Dmitry Manturov, the Minister of Industry and Trade, to discuss issues related to the space industry. The meeting covered various aspects including production...
Willy Ley’s Long-Awaited Journey to Orbit: Honoring a Space Pioneer on Celestis’ Serenity and Destiny Flights
Celestis Inc., a company that provides memorial spaceflights, is set to honor Willy Ley, a significant figure in space exploration history. The article discusses the impact of individuals like Ley who...
ISRO Gears Up For New Year’s First Launch: PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 On Jan 10
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its first mission of 2026, the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre's First Launch Pad in Sriharikota on January 10. ...
Top Moments of 2025: Trump Inauguration, Indian Space Milestones, Coldplay Viral Kiss Cam, and More
The article reviews key events from the year 2025 including Donald Trump's second inauguration as President, significant achievements in India's space program, a viral moment during a Coldplay concert...
Space Stocks To Watch Now – December 26th
MarketBeat's stock screener identifies Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, Boeing, Sidus Space, and GE Aerospace as key space industry stocks to monitor based on their focus on activities such as satellite m...
Tyvak International’s LIDE satellite completes initial on-orbit 5G tests
The 12U CubeSat named LIve DEmonstration (LIDE) completed its initial on-orbit operations following its launch in July 2025. The satellite was designed to test 5G communications technology....
Heliophysics missions move toward operations
Two NASA heliophysics missions launched together in September are operating successfully. A third mission that launched earlier this year has started limited operations despite issues with one spacecr...