https://spacewatch.global/tag/northrop-grumman/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Fri, 08 May 2026 05:31:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/northrop-grumman/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/spacewatchgl-opinion-the-kill-chain-comes-home-what-leonardo-drss-breakfast-briefing-tells-us-about-the-direction-of-american-homeland-defense/ Thu, 07 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73681
Written by Torsten Kriening
Kill chains justified by homeland defense. Decisions moving to software. And allies barely mentioned. This breakfast said more than it intended.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/remondo-introduces-pais-platform-for-ultra-high-resolution-imaging-at-scale/ Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=71503 Remondo has debuted a new class of space-based imaging technology that delivers sub-30 centimeter resolution from low-cost microsatellites in Lower Earth Orbit, without the expense and complexity of traditional large-aperture systems, at the ongoing DGI in London. The company is addressing a core challenge facing both commercial and government users: achieving sub-30 centimeter resolution with rapid revisit rates without the cost, procurement lead time, and complexity of traditional large-aperture satellite systems.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/01/seven-grand-asset-management-firm-announces-strategic-investment-in-starlab-space/ Thu, 08 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=70217 Starlab Space LLC has announced Seven Grand Managers, LLC, an asset management firm's investment in Starlab, reflecting a growing confidence in Starlab as the next-generation commercial space station and a cornerstone of the post-ISS low-Earth orbit economy. With more than $1 billion assets under management, Seven Grand’s investment adds to a broadening base of institutional capital backing Starlab and underscores investor conviction that commercial space infrastructure has reached a new stage of maturity]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/space-development-agency-sda-makes-awards-to-build-72-tracking-layer-satellites-for-tranche-3/ Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69998 The Space Development Agency has awarded four agreements, with a total value of approximately $3.5 billion, to build 72 Tracking Layer satellites to proliferate missile warning/missile tracking infrared sensors along with missile warning, tracking, and defense (MWTD) sensors. The agreements were awarded to teams led by Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab USA, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies to each deliver and operate 18 space vehicles (SV) as part of the Tracking Layer constellation for Tranche 3, launching in fiscal year 2029. In detail;]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/northrop-grumman-invests-in-firefly-towards-eclipse-medium-launch-vehicle/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65584 Northrop Grumman has invested $50 million into Firefly to further advance production of their co-developed medium launch vehicle, Eclipse. The companies continue to make progress in the development of Eclipse flight hardware with qualification testing underway and more than 60 Miranda engine hot fire tests performed to date.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/04/nro-launches-nrol-174-mission-aboard-a-minotaur-iv-rocket/ Thu, 17 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=64937 NRO, in partnership with U.S.S.F SSC and Northrop Grumman, successfully launched multiple national security payloads with the NROL-174 mission aboard a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV rocket from Space Launch Complex 8 (SLC-8) at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) April 16, 2025, at 3:33 p.m. EDT.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/11/nrl-has-developed-robotics-capable-of-servicing-satellites/ Tue, 19 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62345 The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) in partnership with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has completed the development of a spaceflight-qualified robotics suite capable of servicing satellites in orbit.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/11/firefly-aerospace-closes-oversubscribed-series-d-round/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62261 Firefly Aerospace has closed an oversubscribed $175 million Series D round at a valuation of over $2 billion. RPM Ventures, a new investor, led the Series D round, with other existing investors as well as multiple new investors, including GiantLeap Capital and Human Element participating in the round. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/northrop-grumman-ships-asbm-satellites-to-launch-site/ Mon, 24 Jun 2024 06:00:54 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55790 Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered its two-satellite constellation to the launch site for Space Norway's Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM). These satellites will bring commercial broadband and protected military satellite communications to the hard-to-reach northern polar region. ASBM is a joint effort between Space Norway, the Norwegian Armed Forces, the U.S. Space Force, Viasat and Northrop Grumman.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/05/astroscale-u-s-appoints-lewis-as-senior-vp-of-policy-and-general-counsel55256/ Mon, 20 May 2024 06:00:22 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55256 Astroscale U.S. Inc. has announced the appointment of Janna Lewis as Senior Vice President of Policy and General Counsel, effective immediately. Based in Washington D.C., Lewis will consequently provide strategic legal and policy direction to facilitate Astroscale U.S.’s growth and ensure compliance with evolving regulations. She will guide the company in the areas of corporate law and governance, contracts, intellectual property and domestic policy, and she will serve on the Astroscale U.S. Board of Directors as Secretary.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/05/sidus-space-joins-intuitive-machines-led-racer-team/ Fri, 10 May 2024 06:00:03 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55152 Sidus Space has announced that it is a teammate on the NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services ("LTVS") Contract, which NASA awarded to the Intuitive Machines-led Moon Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover (RACER) team announced earlier last month.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/03/firefly-aerospace-expands-to-support-medium-launch-vehicle/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:21 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53961 Firefly Aerospace, Inc., an end-to-end space transportation Company, has opened a Rocket Ranch expansion in Briggs, Texas, more than doubling the size of its manufacturing facilities. The space transportation Company also added two new test stands and installed machinery to support the production of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) the companies are co-developing together.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/03/viasat-wins-northrop-grumman-contract-to-support-afrl-initiative/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:00:06 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53899 Viasat, Inc. has won a contract from Northrop Grumman to support the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) initiative, called the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) Call 003 program – better known by its nickname 'Global Lightning.' As a result, the company's high-capacity geostationary satellites will support the program, which is connecting commercial space internet services for military users]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/02/caltech-and-nasa-to-launch-uvex-to-survey-ultraviolet-light/ Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:00:56 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53685 California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are conducting a new mission to survey ultraviolet light across the entire sky and consequently offer more insight into how galaxies and stars evolve. NASA will launch the UVEX (UltraViolet EXplorer) space telescope tentatively in 2030 as its next Astrophysics Medium-Class Explorer mission to facilitate the mission.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/02/redwire-expands-space-manufacturing-technology-portfolio/ Fri, 02 Feb 2024 07:00:30 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53487 Redwire Corporation has announced the strategic expansion of its in-space manufacturing technology portfolio with the first pathfinder mission for its autonomous semiconductor manufacturing platform, MSTIC. MSTIC will launch to the International Space Station (ISS) onboard Northrop Grumman’s 20th cargo resupply services mission (NG-20).]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/01/voyager-and-airbus-finalize-starlab-space-llc-joint-venture/ Thu, 11 Jan 2024 07:00:35 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53156 Voyager Space and Airbus have completed the transaction to create Starlab Space LLC, a transatlantic joint venture that will design, build, and operate the Starlab commercial space station. Alongside the joint venture execution, the Starlab team completed the station-level System Definition Review (SDR), a critical milestone assessing the technical and programmatic accountability of the program.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/01/nasa-modifies-contracts-with-blue-origin-and-nanoracks/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 07:00:31 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=53097 NASA has modified agreements for two funded commercial space station partners that are on track to develop low Earth orbit destinations for NASA and other customers as the International Space Station retires in 2030. The changes add new technical milestones and reallocate existing funding to allow the agency to accelerate efforts as part of NASA’s goal to foster a commercial low-Earth orbit economy.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/10/sda-contracts-northrop-grumman-for-pwsa-t2tl-satellites/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:39 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=52014 https://spacewatch.global/2023/10/spacewatchgl-opinion-bezos-splits-with-orbital-reef-now-what/ Fri, 13 Oct 2023 08:00:10 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=51685 Bob Smith, the now retiring former CEO of Blue Origin, was invited at the Financial Times Investing in Space Summit in June 2023 to provide an overview of the future of Orbital Reef, the commercial space station being developed jointly by Blue Origin and Sierra Space. His statements about Orbital Reef were considered a bit disappointing by the inner circle of Space analysts, but nothing in Smith’s tone hinted at the shocking developments that just unfolded.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/10/northrop-grumman-and-voyager-space-team-up-for-starlab-space-station/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 06:00:40 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=51549 Voyager Space announced on the 4th of October that they plan to enter a teaming agreement with Northrop Grumman. The agreement will include developing a fully autonomous rendezvous and docking technology for Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. Voyager will provide cargo resupply services for the Starlab space station, which will be built and operated under a transatlantic joint venture between Voyager and Airbus Defence and Space. ]]>