Orbital Systems

Latest in Orbital Systems

Open feuding between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, until recently close friends and political allies, has shone a particular light on how heavily reliant the U.S. government, and America's armed forces especially, has become on SpaceX.
Space

This Is How U.S. National Security Has Become Dependent On SpaceX

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 6, 2025

Solar flare hitting satellite, computer artwork.
Space

Space Force Chief “Enamored By Systems That Deny, Disrupt, And Degrade” Satellites

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 11, 2025

The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission Seven successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, March 7, 2025. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, to exercise the service's ability to recover the spaceplane across multiple sites. 
Space

X-37B Returns To Earth, Space Force Won’t Commit To Buying More

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

X-37B shows earth from its perspective for the first time.
Space

X-37B Spaceplane Shares Earth Image For First Time As New Mission Details Emerge

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 21, 2025

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the top American military officer overseeing operations in and around North America, has said he would welcome Canadian participation in expanding continental missile defense efforts, including in space.
Air

Canada Joining Iron Dome Missile Defense Plan Would Be Welcome: NORAD Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 14, 2025

Recent satellite imagery shows a curious white-colored object at the end of the runway at a remote airstrip in northwestern China.
Space

Mysterious Object Appears At Remote Chinese Airfield Linked To Spaceplane Program

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 4, 2024

While it has turned out that the RS-26-based Oreshnik that Russia fired at Ukraine was not a conventionally-armed ICBM, it still highlights the very real interest in, if not more active development and even potential fielding of, a weapon of that kind globally.
Land

Conventionally Armed ICBM Concept Highlighted By Unprecedented Russian Missile Attack On Ukraine

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 22, 2024

One of America's secretive X-37Bs is set to perform a series of maneuvers called aerobraking that will significantly change its orbit, which is said to be a first-of-its-kind event for the mini-space shuttle.
Anti-Satellite Capabilities

Secretive X-37B Spaceplane To Use Aerobraking Maneuvers To Rapidly Change Orbit

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 10, 2024

The U.S. Space Development Agency, or SDA has outlined the progress made so far in demonstrating a satellite-based Link 16 network to transmit data directly from space, as well as the potential of laser communications to connect satellites together, and to use those same satellites to conduct missile tracking from low Earth orbit (LEO).
Air

Link 16 Coverage From Space, Laser Communications Relays Make Major Advances

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Sep 17, 2024

The U.S. Navy says it is on the verge of having persistent, reliable, and secure high-speed internet connections across its fleets thanks to a project leveraging commercial satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink.
Navies

Starlink Now Being Deployed On U.S. Navy Warships

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 22, 2024

Ukraine has used a crowd-funded satellite to attack more than 1,500 targets in Ukraine and Russia.
News & Features

“People’s Satellite” Helped Ukraine Hit Over 1,000 Targets Spy Agency Says

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jun 27, 2024

SpaceX's contract for a new satellite constellation for the DOD could be a game changer.
Space

If SpaceX’s Secret Constellation Is What We Think It Is, It’s Game Changing (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 20, 2024

The White House has confirmed that a recently disclosed serious national security threat is indeed related to a Russian anti-satellite capability under development, but many questions remain.
Space

Russia’s “Highly Concerning” Anti-Satellite Super Weapon: What Are The Possibilities?

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 15, 2024

The US Space Force's top officer says he is extremely concerned by Russian and Chinese threats to American space-based assets.
Space

Threats In Space “Extremely Concerning”: Space Force Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 15, 2024

A cryptic press release has revealed concerns about a reported Russian space-based capability that poses a serious and destabilizing threat to national security.
Space

Alarm Raised Over Destabilizing New Russian Threat In Space: Reports

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 14, 2024

A video montage shown before the latest launch of a U.S. Space Force X-37B mini-shuttle appears to offer the first look at one of these spaceplanes outside of the Earth's atmosphere.
Space

Look At An X-37B In Space With An Extended Payload Module

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 29, 2023