Tracking the escalating military competition in orbit. From directed-energy weapons to satellite constellations, the final frontier is now a contested warfighting domain.
The US Space Force enters 2026 amid escalating threats from China and Russia, transitioning to full-spectrum warfighting. The April 2025 "Space Warfighting Framework" codifies the shift from supportive roles to treating space as a contested warfighting domain with offensive and defensive counter-space operations.
Read full article →A comprehensive overview of the current military space landscape as great power competition intensifies. Space Force and US Space Command are pushing to gain more decision-making control over the use of anti-satellite weapons, authority historically held by the president and secretary of defense.
Read full article →Satellite firm Apex is planning a 2026 demonstration of a space-based interceptor host platform for the Golden Dome missile defense system. The FY2026 defense bill includes $13.4 billion for space and missile defense, with cost estimates for the full system ranging from $175 billion to $3.6 trillion.
Read full article →Space Force leadership outlined three categories of weapons being pursued: directed-energy weapons (lasers), radio frequency jamming systems, and kinetic options meant to destroy enemy satellites. Each category includes both ground-based and orbiting systems to establish space superiority.
Read full article →Russia is developing a nuclear space-based weapon designed to take out virtually every satellite in low-Earth orbit at once. The weapon would combine a physical blast that ripples outward destroying satellites while the nuclear component fries their electronics, potentially rendering LEO unusable for a year.
Read full article →US Space Command identified modernized command and control for orbital warfare as a priority, with four high-priority kill chains requiring integrated C2 networks. The strategic shift reflects growing concerns as China's operational satellite fleet exceeded 1,060 by mid-2025.
Read full article →China is investing in all six categories of counterspace weapons: ground-based jammers, kinetic weapons, directed energy weapons, and space-based versions of all three. China completed 73 launches in 2025, up from 51 in 2024, rapidly narrowing the gap with the United States.
Read full article →The Space Force's "Race to Resilience" initiative aims to achieve battle-ready architectures by 2026. Boost-phase space-based interceptor prototypes were awarded under competitive contracts for the Golden Dome initiative in November 2025, with kinetic midcourse awards expected in February 2026.
Read full article →Four satellite missions will launch in 2026 to demonstrate on-orbit refueling, servicing, and repair capabilities for military satellites. One mission will conduct the US's first-ever hydrazine refueling operation in GEO. China was observed conducting similar refueling activities during the summer of 2025.
Read full article →Russia has deployed a new counterspace weapon in close proximity to a US satellite, raising alarms about the escalating threat in orbit. The development comes alongside Russia's alleged nuclear anti-satellite weapon program, which could violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons in orbit.
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