Space
Troy Meink, NRO principal deputy director, explained that the decline in launch costs is one of two critical factors in allowing NRO to begin to diversify its on-orbit force structure to include both “large and small satellites” using multiple orbital domains.
By Theresa Hitchens“By the end of next year, we’ll have 126 Link 16 satellites that are operational on orbit,” said SDA Director Derek Tournear.
By Theresa HitchensThe investment in transitioning Rocket Cargo “is focused on utilizing vehicles that traverse from or through space to transport DoD materiel anywhere around the world within tactically responsive timelines,” the Space Force’s FY25 budget request says.
By Theresa HitchensSDA is asking for $357 million for FY25 launch services, down from the nearly $530 million in FY24. Those funds would pay to manifest four planned launches of the Tranche 2 Transport Layer satellites in 2027.
By Theresa HitchensMaj. Gen. Michael Greiner said that the Space Force’s initial plans are to develop four new Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global satellites, although those plans could change as the program is a new start for FY25.
By Theresa HitchensBreaking Defense has you covered for all the news of the Pentagon’s fiscal 2025 budget rollout, and this handy landing page of our stories will get you where you need to go.
By Aaron Mehta“We kind of depend on having [that] ‘24 bill finish and finish in a way that looks a lot like what we asked for. Otherwise, we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board on a couple of fronts,” said a senior defense official.
By Ashley RoqueGen. Michael Guetlein said that the service is “looking at losing about seven” of the 10 launches it planned under the National Security Space Launch program in FY24 if the CR is prolonged.
By Theresa HitchensLt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, who has been charged to establish the new Space Force Futures Command, said cislunar and dynamic space operations are areas for the command’s scrutiny, since neither have yet proven their ‘military utility.”
By Theresa Hitchens“Approximately 90 [percent] of our foundational data is unclassified, which helps us share products more broadly with partners and allies across the globe,” a spokesperson for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency told Breaking Defense.
By Theresa Hitchens