Latest news with #EarthOrbit
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Trump's Golden Dome plan could launch new era of weapons in space
Posters for the proposed Golden Dome for America missile defense shield are displayed before an event with President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, Monday, May 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence concept revives a controversial, decades-old initiative whose ambitious construction could upend norms in outer space and reshape relations between the world's top space powers. The announcement of Golden Dome, a vast network of satellites and weapons in Earth's orbit set to cost US$175 billion, could sharply escalate the militarization of space, a trend that has intensified over the last decade, space analysts say. While the world's biggest space powers - the U.S., Russia and China - have put military and intelligence assets in orbit since the 1960s, they have done so mostly in secrecy. Under former president Joe Biden, U.S. Space Force officials had grown vocal about a need for greater offensive space capabilities due to space-based threats from Russia and China. When Trump announced his Golden Dome plan in January, it was a clear shift in strategy, one that emphasizes a bold move into space with expensive, untested technology that could be a financial boon to U.S. defence contractors. The concept includes space-based missiles that would launch from satellites in orbit to intercept conventional and nuclear missiles launched from Earth. 'I think it's opening a Pandora's box,' said Victoria Samson, director of space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation think tank in Washington, referring to deploying missiles in space. 'We haven't truly thought about the long-term consequences for doing so,' she added. Samson and other experts said Golden Dome could provoke other states to place similar systems in space or to develop more advanced weapons to evade the missile shield, escalating an arms race in space. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia and China reacted differently to the latest news from Trump. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it was 'seriously concerned' about the project and urged Washington to abandon its development, adding that it carried 'strong offensive implications' and heightened the risks of the militarization of outer space and an arms race. A Kremlin spokesperson said Golden Dome could force talks between Moscow and Washington about nuclear arms control in the foreseeable future. Primarily seeking to defend against a growing arsenal of conventional and nuclear missiles from U.S. adversaries Russia, China and smaller states such as North Korea and Iran, the Golden Dome plan is a revival of a Cold War-era effort by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), better known as the 'Star Wars' program. SDI envisioned stationing a constellation of missiles and powerful laser weapons in low-Earth orbit that could intercept a ballistic nuclear missile launched anywhere on Earth below, either in its boost phase moments after launch or in its blazing-fast cruise phase in space. But the idea never came to fruition mainly because of technological hurdles, as well as the high cost and concerns it would violate an anti-ballistic missile treaty that has since been abandoned. 'We're ready' Golden Dome has strong and powerful allies in the defence contracting community and the growing defence technology arena, many of whom have been preparing for Trump's big move into space weaponry. 'We knew that this day was likely going to come. You know, we're ready for it,' L3Harris Chief Financial Officer Ken Bedingfield said in an interview with Reuters last month. 'L3 Harris has an early start of building the sensor network that will become the foundational sensor network for the Golden Dome architecture.' Trump ally Elon Musk's rocket and satellite company SpaceX has emerged as a frontrunner alongside software firm Palantir and drone maker Anduril to build key components of the system, Reuters reported last month. Many of the early systems are expected to come from existing production lines. Attendees at the White House press conference with Trump on Tuesday named L3Harris, Lockheed Martin and RTX Corp as potential contractors for the massive project. But Golden Dome's funding remains uncertain. Republican lawmakers have proposed a $25 billion initial investment for it as part of a broader $150 billion defence package, but this funding is tied to a contentious reconciliation bill that faces significant hurdles in Congress. Reporting by Joey Roulette; Additional reporting by Mike Stone; Editing by Jamie Freed, Reuters
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Trump's Golden Dome plan could launch new era of weapons in space
U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense concept revives a controversial, decades-old initiative whose ambitious construction could upend norms in outer space and reshape relations between the world's top space powers. The announcement of Golden Dome, a vast network of satellites and weapons in Earth's orbit set to cost $175 billion, could sharply escalate the militarization of space, a trend that has intensified over the last decade, space analysts say. While the world's biggest space powers - the U.S., Russia and China - have put military and intelligence assets in orbit since the 1960s, they have done so mostly in secrecy. Under former President Joe Biden, U.S. Space Force officials had grown vocal about a need for greater offensive space capabilities due to space-based threats from Russia and China. When Trump announced his Golden Dome plan in January, it was a clear shift in strategy, one that emphasizes a bold move into space with expensive, untested technology that could be a financial boon to U.S. defense contractors. The concept includes space-based missiles that would launch from satellites in orbit to intercept conventional and nuclear missiles launched from Earth. "I think it's opening a Pandora's box," said Victoria Samson, director of space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation think tank in Washington, referring to deploying missiles in space. "We haven't truly thought about the long-term consequences for doing so," she added. Samson and other experts said Golden Dome could provoke other states to place similar systems in space or to develop more advanced weapons to evade the missile shield, escalating an arms race in space. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia and China reacted differently to the latest news from Trump. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it was "seriously concerned" about the project and urged Washington to abandon its development, adding that it carried "strong offensive implications" and heightened the risks of the militarization of outer space and an arms race. A Kremlin spokesperson said Golden Dome could force talks between Moscow and Washington about nuclear arms control in the foreseeable future. Primarily seeking to defend against a growing arsenal of conventional and nuclear missiles from U.S. adversaries Russia, China and smaller states such as North Korea and Iran, the Golden Dome plan is a revival of a Cold War-era effort by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), better known as the "Star Wars" program. SDI envisioned stationing a constellation of missiles and powerful laser weapons in low-Earth orbit that could intercept a ballistic nuclear missile launched anywhere on Earth below, either in its boost phase moments after launch or in its blazing-fast cruise phase in space. But the idea never came to fruition mainly because of technological hurdles, as well as the high cost and concerns it would violate an anti-ballistic missile treaty that has since been abandoned. 'WE'RE READY' Golden Dome has strong and powerful allies in the defense contracting community and the growing defense technology arena, many of whom have been preparing for Trump's big move into space weaponry. "We knew that this day was likely going to come. You know, we're ready for it," L3Harris Chief Financial Officer Ken Bedingfield said in an interview with Reuters last month. "L3 Harris has an early start of building the sensor network that will become the foundational sensor network for the Golden Dome architecture." Trump ally Elon Musk's rocket and satellite company SpaceX has emerged as a frontrunner alongside software firm Palantir and drone maker Anduril to build key components of the system, Reuters reported last month. Many of the early systems are expected to come from existing production lines. Attendees at the White House press conference with Trump on Tuesday named L3Harris, Lockheed Martin and RTX Corp as potential contractors for the massive project. But Golden Dome's funding remains uncertain. Republican lawmakers have proposed a $25 billion initial investment for it as part of a broader $150 billion defense package, but this funding is tied to a contentious reconciliation bill that faces significant hurdles in Congress. (Reporting by Joey Roulette; Additional reporting by Mike Stone; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Trump's Golden Dome plan could launch new era of weapons in space
WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense concept revives a controversial, decades-old initiative whose ambitious construction could upend norms in outer space and reshape relations between the world's top space powers. The announcement of Golden Dome, a vast network of satellites and weapons in Earth's orbit set to cost $175 billion, could sharply escalate the militarization of space, a trend that has intensified over the last decade, space analysts say. While the world's biggest space powers - the U.S., Russia and China - have put military and intelligence assets in orbit since the 1960s, they have done so mostly in secrecy. Under former President Joe Biden, U.S. Space Force officials had grown vocal about a need for greater offensive space capabilities due to space-based threats from Russia and China. When Trump announced his Golden Dome plan in January, it was a clear shift in strategy, one that emphasizes a bold move into space with expensive, untested technology that could be a financial boon to U.S. defense contractors. The concept includes space-based missiles that would launch from satellites in orbit to intercept conventional and nuclear missiles launched from Earth. "I think it's opening a Pandora's box," said Victoria Samson, director of space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation think tank in Washington, referring to deploying missiles in space. "We haven't truly thought about the long-term consequences for doing so," she added. Samson and other experts said Golden Dome could provoke other states to place similar systems in space or to develop more advanced weapons to evade the missile shield, escalating an arms race in space. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia and China reacted differently to the latest news from Trump. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it was "seriously concerned" about the project and urged Washington to abandon its development, adding that it carried "strong offensive implications" and heightened the risks of the militarization of outer space and an arms race. A Kremlin spokesperson said Golden Dome could force talks between Moscow and Washington about nuclear arms control in the foreseeable future. Primarily seeking to defend against a growing arsenal of conventional and nuclear missiles from U.S. adversaries Russia, China and smaller states such as North Korea and Iran, the Golden Dome plan is a revival of a Cold War-era effort by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), better known as the "Star Wars" program. SDI envisioned stationing a constellation of missiles and powerful laser weapons in low-Earth orbit that could intercept a ballistic nuclear missile launched anywhere on Earth below, either in its boost phase moments after launch or in its blazing-fast cruise phase in space. But the idea never came to fruition mainly because of technological hurdles, as well as the high cost and concerns it would violate an anti-ballistic missile treaty that has since been abandoned. Golden Dome has strong and powerful allies in the defense contracting community and the growing defense technology arena, many of whom have been preparing for Trump's big move into space weaponry. "We knew that this day was likely going to come. You know, we're ready for it," L3Harris Chief Financial Officer Ken Bedingfield said in an interview with Reuters last month. "L3 Harris has an early start of building the sensor network that will become the foundational sensor network for the Golden Dome architecture." Trump ally Elon Musk's rocket and satellite company SpaceX has emerged as a frontrunner alongside software firm Palantir (PLTR.O), opens new tab and drone maker Anduril to build key components of the system, Reuters reported last month. Many of the early systems are expected to come from existing production lines. Attendees at the White House press conference with Trump on Tuesday named L3Harris, Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab and RTX Corp (RTX.N), opens new tab as potential contractors for the massive project. But Golden Dome's funding remains uncertain. Republican lawmakers have proposed a $25 billion initial investment for it as part of a broader $150 billion defense package, but this funding is tied to a contentious reconciliation bill that faces significant hurdles in Congress.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
PUNCH mission: Nasa snaps a picture of a rainbow in space
Nasa has released a picture of a rainbow in space!The image was created by putting together photos taken by three instruments from their newly-launched PUNCH mission. It's the first rainbow-coloured view of the sky to be taken by the US space expedition is hoping to reveal new details about how the Sun's corona moves through the solar system as the solar wind. What's happened? PUNCH is the first mission designed to measure the corona and solar wind in 3D, by studying the direction light travels. Last month, a camera on board one of the four satellites which make up PUNCH took three images in succession to create the multi-coloured view. The image shows the faint glow from dust orbiting the Sun. The different colours represent the different strengths and directions of light and the finished picture gives scientists new information on the movement of solar to Nasa, these early images also help the mission team confirm that PUNCH's cameras are working properly. What is Nasa's PUNCH mission? Nasa's Punch mission is made up four small satellites which are in low Earth orbit, observing the Sun and its to the US Space Agency, the plan is for them to make a global 3D picture of the entire inner heliosphere - that's the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by the Sun which surrounds the planets and the Kuiper doing this, Nasa hope to find out more about how the Sun's outermost layer of its atmosphere - called the corona - becomes the solar mission was launched in March 2025 and is expected to last around two years.
Associated Press
17-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Third Mission for iQPS in Multi-Launch Contract, Sets Schedule For the Next iQPS Mission
MAHIA, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2025-- Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) ('Rocket Lab' or 'the Company'), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its third mission for Japanese customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). 'The Sea God Sees' mission successfully launched on Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 8:17 p.m. NZT on May 17th, 2025. The mission carried iQPS' QPS-SAR-10, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite, to a 575km low Earth orbit, where it was deployed as part of iQPS' growing constellation. The mission was launched just weeks' after Rocket Lab's previous launch for iQPS was deployed on March 15, 2025 – demonstrating frequent, reliable, and dedicated small orbital launch for satellite operators with 100% mission success in 2025. Today's mission was the third overall launch for iQPS and the second in a multi-launch contract to launch eight missions for the company in 2025 and 2026. Four more launches are scheduled for launch this year, with the remaining two scheduled for 2026. Rocket Lab's next mission for iQPS is scheduled to launch in less than a month's time, from no earlier than June 2025. Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: 'Another fantastic launch by the Electron team to flawlessly deliver another iQPS mission to orbit. Constellation deployment requires a reliable rocket with pinpoint orbital deployment accuracy that allows for the seamless integration of the latest spacecraft to the constellation – and that's exactly the service Electron continues to provide as the global leading launcher for small satellite missions. With another mission lined up with iQPS in just a few short weeks, we're looking forward to supporting their constellation with multiple missions this year and next.' iQPS CEO, Dr. Shunsuke Onishi, says: 'We are truly delighted to have successfully launched our 10th satellite, 'WADATSUMI-I,' into orbit just two months after the launch of our QPS-SAR-9 'SUSANOO-I.' This achievement is a remarkable milestone to the outstanding technical capabilities of our development team, and we are deeply grateful to Rocket Lab team for enabling such a precise and agile launch. With more Electron launches ahead, we're more committed than ever to accelerating the buildout of our satellite constellation, and we look forward to continuing this powerful partnership.' Launch images: Launch webcast: About Rocket Lab Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'Securities Act') and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'Exchange Act'). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words 'believe,' 'may,' 'will,' 'estimate,' 'potential,' 'continue,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'expect,' 'strategy,' 'future,' 'could,' 'would,' 'project,' 'plan,' 'target,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'), accessible on the SEC's website at and the Investor Relations section of our website at which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. View source version on CONTACT: Rocket Lab Media Contact Murielle Baker [email protected] KEYWORD: AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA UNITED STATES JAPAN NEW ZEALAND NORTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING SATELLITE SOURCE: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/17/2025 05:43 AM/DISC: 05/17/2025 05:42 AM
