Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSecure World Foundation @swfoundation.bsky.social · 12/10/2026On Oct. 20, SWF’s Ian Christensen will co-facilitate “The Road to Sustainability” at NeoSpace Europe 2026 in Luxembourg, alongside Muriel Hooghe of the Luxembourg Space Agency. Learn more: www.swfound.org/news/ian-chr... 011
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 12/10/2026As always, Jessica doing the heavy lifting for the rest of us. But this bit by the US saying Russia placed weapons in space as early as 2007 confuses me; maybe they misspoke and meant the 2017 activities of Cosmos 2519/2521/2523? (read about it here: www.swfound.org/publications...)swfound.orgSecure World Foundation: 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities ReportThe 2026 report reveals growing global counterspace capabilities and urges public awareness of the risks of space conflict. 122
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 08/10/2026"nearly two years after Trump ordered development of a new homeland missile-defense system, lawmakers are still struggling to establish what Golden Dome will defend, how much protection it will provide and how much it will ultimately cost." spacenews.com/what-will-go...spacenews.comWhat will Golden Dome actually defend? Senators press for answersWhat will Golden Dome actually defend? Senators press for answers What will Golden Dome actually defend? Senators press for answers 041
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSecure World Foundation @swfoundation.bsky.social · 06/10/2026#IAC2026 is underway in Antalya! SWF staff are participating throughout the week in discussions on space security, sustainability, debris mitigation, emerging space nations & international cooperation. Connect with our team: www.swfound.org/events/secur... 011
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSecure World Foundation @swfoundation.bsky.social · 06/10/2026How are Asia-Pacific countries approaching space sustainability and diplomacy? Join SWF & the Embassy of Malaysia on Oct. 13, 3–6 p.m. in Washington, DC, for a discussion on regional priorities and global cooperation. RSVP by October 11 to rsvpembassymalaysiadc@gmail.com. 011
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026www.thetravel.com/united-airli...thetravel.comUnited Airlines Flights Hit By GPS Jamming Flying Over The Same Major U.S. AirspaceOfficials are investigating the cause. 122
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Excited to see this (disclosure: was interviewed for it so I might show up in some of it): “Space Wars” premieres Wednesday, October 7 at 9pm ET on PBS and online ➡️ to.pbs.org/4z1sld9to.pbs.orgSpace WarsInside the escalating military struggle to control space and the satellites we rely on. 074
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialAndrew Parsonson @andrewparsonson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026In a busy few days for EU defence-related space initiatives, the bloc approved a wide-ranging project that could involve up to €24B in investments, moved to strengthen its military space awareness, and revised its Space Threat Response Architecture. spacenews.com/eu-nations-b...spacenews.comEU nations back military space project worth up to $27 billion, propose shared tracking dataEU nations back military space project worth up to $27 billion, propose shared tracking data 0123
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSecure World Foundation @swfoundation.bsky.social · 30/09/2026How are Asia-Pacific countries approaching space sustainability and diplomacy? Join SWF & the Embassy of Malaysia on Oct. 13, 3–6 p.m. in Washington, DC, for a discussion on regional priorities and global cooperation. RSVP by Oct. 11: www.swfound.org/news/secure-... 011
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Me: there's "much more openness and willingness to talk about these sorts of capabilities, which just was not here even just a couple years ago...They're putting their money where their mouths are." www.axios.com/2026/09/30/u...axios.comU.K. prepares for orbital warfareA key U.S. ally is advertising its growing space arsenal to deter Russia's aggressive space posture. 010
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"McDowell has identified 17 small U.S. satellites as likely jammers; all of them were launched as secretive payloads over the past four years. These satellites are in geostationary Earth orbit" www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-...scientificamerican.comWeapons in space probably aren’t what you thinkElusive, satellite-stalking spacecraft could unleash space war—or help keep orbital peace 01414
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialJack | China in Space 🐼🚀 🇨🇳 @china-in-space.com · 29/09/2026Unless it slipped away from Shijian-21 at incredible speeds before returning unnoticed, it never approached the claimed Beidou satellite. Shijian-25 started to split from it at the end of 2025: www.china-in-space.com/p/china-appe...china-in-space.comChina Appears to Have Refueled a Geostationary Satellite in World-Leading TestShijian-25 and Shijian-21 are no longer docked following what may have been a successful satellite-to-satellite refueling test. 041
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Hmm - @planet4589.bsky.social says "Unless the US Space Force had been tracking the wrong objects, 'the rendezvous postulated in early 2025 could not have happened'" www.scmp.com/news/china/s...scmp.comClaims China’s BeiDou satellite was refuelled in orbit could change space raceResearch papers suggest the historic operation occurred in February last year, a manoeuvre that could have military implications. 384
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I guess this is one way to conduct counterspace operations bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comPoland says fire at Starlink station is sabotage as Denmark warns of rising Russian threatThe satellite station is used in part to provide internet coverage to neighbouring Ukraine, the government says. 061
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026"in December 2025, it was reported that Meadowlands had been made eligible to be sold to allies through the United States’ Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program" - from @SWFoundation's 2026 counterspace report Story from: www.bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comUK military jamming other nations' satellites to defend itself, BBC toldThe head of the RAF says the UK faces "unprecedented threats" from adversaries in space, as a new unit is created to defend Britain's satellites. 000
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026"The British military has been jamming or blocking satellites from other countries in order to defend itself from hostile threats, the BBC has been told. The RAF has been using a ground-based system for the past year" Not saying that this definitively is the US' Meadowlands but 112
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialDavid Burbach 🇺🇸 @dburbach.bsky.social · 26/09/2026PBS NOVA will have an episode on Space Wars Oct 7th including me as an expert. Final boss for a science kid short of hosting the third run of Cosmos. I didn't make the trailer but I'm much more boring than @vsamsondc.bsky.social or @planet4589.bsky.social video.nhpbs.org/video/space-...video.nhpbs.orgNOVA | Space Wars Preview | Season 53 | Episode 12Inside the escalating military struggle to control space and the satellites we rely on. 916437
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Ha I'm sure your comments were very insightful 010
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Make that 76! San Marino is the newest Artemis Accords signatory. www.nasa.gov/organization...nasa.govNASA Welcomes San Marino Signing the Artemis Accords - NASAThe Republic of San Marino became the 76th signatory to the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in the city of Rimini on Friday with NASA and U.S. Department of 162
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 24/09/2026And another Artemis Accords signatory: Côte d’Ivoire. That makes 75. www.nasa.gov/organization...nasa.govNASA Welcomes Côte d’Ivoire as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory - NASA“The United States and Côte d’Ivoire already cooperate on Earth,” said NASA’s Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. “Today, we expand that partnership beyond 0103
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Absolutely barn-burner by Steve Mirmina who argues that "The Moon should not be the Earth’s junk drawer" in "Lawful but Awful: U.S. Regulation of Commercial Activities on the Lunar Surface" papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....papers.ssrn.comLawful but Awful: U.S. Regulation of Commercial Activities on the Lunar SurfaceCommercial lunar activity is accelerating faster than the United States' regulatory framework can accommodate. The Astrobotic Peregrine mission exposed a regula 032
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026#74 www.nasa.gov/organization...nasa.govNASA Welcomes Croatia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory - NASAThe Republic of Croatia became the 74th signatory to the Artemis Accords on Wednesday during a ceremony in the capital city of Zagreb with NASA and U.S. 021
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026"According to Mulvaney, the decision was made by the previous Air University commander and forwarded by AETC under a requirement to cut civilian jobs across the Department of the Air Force." Solid decision-making going on here www.defensenews.com/air/2026/09/...defensenews.comAir Force, civilian staff dispute status of China Aerospace Studies InstituteCASI's director said the move will effectively end the institute, even as the service says CASI’s mission will continue. 020
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Losing CASI is going to deprive us of analysis like this piece, which ID'd Chinese military writing that thought Luch could have been carrying an attack payload (prob a jammer) and GSSAP had the potential to jam in orbit warontherocks.com/is-military-...warontherocks.comIs Military Space-Based Jamming Normal? Some Worry It IsMost open source researchers following the Chinese military space program are well aware of China’s perceptions of the U.S. Space Force and its public 020
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026"Golf said most of the interference JCO detects today originates on the ground. She expects that to change as more spacecraft operate in orbit and the military gains better visibility into radio-frequency activity in space." spacenews.com/space-force-...spacenews.comSpace Force expands use of commercial satellites to track electronic interferenceSpace Force expands use of commercial satellites to track electronic interference Space Force expands use of commercial satellites to track electronic interference 020
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Shaw (former dep cdr of SPACECOM) on SBIs: "perhaps the least likely component of an overall new threat defense system" www.satellitetoday.com/government-m...satellitetoday.comSpace Defense in 2040: A Networked, Weaponized, and Contested FrontierIn tomorrow's warfighting domain, the ability to see, decide, and act first may depend on constellations in orbit. 054
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026"Herman said the Starlink satellites perform “20,000 maneuvers every single day.” He added that 1,000 of those daily maneuvers are to avoid collisions, “so the majority is either station keeping or orbit transfer.”" breakingdefense.com/2026/09/excl...breakingdefense.comEXCLUSIVE: SpaceX given unique access to classified DoD space tracking data, sources say - Breaking DefenseCommercial space monitoring firms are concerned SpaceX's ability to use the best DoD data could threaten the market, sources tell Breaking Defense. 031
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026"The MoD said the new squadron would act against those threats, using advanced technology, including electronic warfare, “to disrupt, degrade and deny hostile actions”. It is intended to support offensive and defensive space operations" 🤨 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comUK to launch military squadron to protect satellites in spaceNew RAF unit will warn of incoming missile attacks, and support offensive and defensive operations 021
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialJonathan McDowell @planet4589.bsky.social · 23/09/2026No elements have been released for object 2026-024J, but new data is available for 2024-024H. I now believe that 24J and 24H were actually the same object, and 24J will eventually be deleted from the catalog (1/n) 1251
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026It is wild when all you hear is that China is our pacing threat to think knowing less about it is a good thing 000
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Yeah, I'm not trying to downplay this, but a lot of people assume that landing a LV means that they have proven they can reuse an LV, and one does not automatically mean the other 010
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026GMD system is literally designed to defend against a limited ICBM attack by a rogue nation so ✅. Aiming high there. And defending against a decap attack would probably mean THAAD/Aegis/PAC-3 around DC. Bet they're wishing they hadn't burned so many systems in Iran 2/2 030
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026First phase, called Epic 1 (sigh), to get fielded in 2028 are technologies "to deter a coercive decapitation or rogue nation attack against the homeland,” per Guetlein aviationweek.com/defense/miss... 1/2aviationweek.comKey Focus For First Golden Dome Rollout: Protect Leadership | Aviation WeekThe Golden Dome air and missile defense program's first phase focuses on deterring a strike aimed at killing U.S. leadership and a limited attack by a rogue nation against the homeland. 100
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026From www.scmp.com/tech/tech-tr...scmp.comIn Focus | China’s rocket recovery was a space race milestone. Is a relaunch within reach?SpaceX might have a head start in reusable rockets, but Chinese commercial space companies are exploring ways to catch up in the cost-saving tech. 310
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026I have been saying this!! "Despite a succession of breakthroughs in booster-recovery efforts in recent months, both on land and at sea, China has yet to reuse one – a stark contrast laying bare the gap between Beijing’s space ambitions and the challenges that remain." Link below 120
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialLisa Grossman @astrolisa.bsky.social · 18/09/2026In reporting this, I learned that Russia launched a big space mirror in the 90s. Retrospective pieces c. 2015 were like "what a crazy, supervillain-y idea!" Now the idea is back, being taken seriously, and shining light (sorry) on the shortcomings of space law. 🔭🧪 www.sciencenews.org/article/refl...sciencenews.orgBig space mirrors could bring Earth on-demand light — and upend our night skyA space satellite that would offer light on demand has astronomers asking: Who controls the night sky? 33217
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialSecure World Foundation @swfoundation.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Early bird registration for #SWFSummit26 has been extended through Friday, Sept. 25, 9 PM MST. Join us Nov. 4–5 in Brasília for the 8th Summit for Space Sustainability—the first held in Latin America and the Caribbean. www.swfsummit.org/ 011
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026What are ‘space weapons’, which US says it has deployed into orbit? aje.news/iag51m via @AJEnglishaje.newsWhat are ‘space weapons’, which US says it has deployed into orbit?The rare announcement from Washington is expected to raise alarm among allies and adversaries alike, experts say. 042
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026"The remarks this week by Washington's top military-space officials are part of "the increasing comfort level of the U.S. government to speak about aggressive actions in space" that has been building up in recent years, said Victoria Samson" www.reuters.com/business/aer...reuters.comUS admission of orbital weapons seen as landmark moment in race with China, RussiaThe U.S. acknowledgment this week that the Pentagon is operating weapons in Earth's orbit marks a landmark moment in space militarization aimed at deterring what U.S. officials describe as aggressive... 110
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Uh the US uses our satellites all the time to target objects as part of conflict; we really don't want to pull on that particular thread /2 010
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026"A U.S. official who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity to provide additional context said that could include the military taking out an enemy’s satellite if it’s being used to target American troops or a U.S. satellite." 1/ wapo.st/3TygmVlwapo.stU.S. has deployed first space-based weapon, Air Force secretary saysThe public disclosure follows years of warnings that China and Russia have been practicing offensive maneuvers in orbit. 110
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026www.defenseone.com/threats/2026...defenseone.comThe Pentagon must prepare for battles around the moon: Joint Chiefs chairDays after orbital weapons were revealed, Gen. Dan Caine ups the scope of the military’s desired reach. 010
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026"When asked if the Outer Space Treaty limits the military’s cislunar ambitions, Gagnon said it did not limit orbital operations. “The United States Space Force will continue to execute safe and responsible space operations in all regions of space and in all orbits,” he said." 🤨 120
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026The rest of the Bloomberg article can be found here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article... /3bloomberg.comNew US Space Weapon Adds to Arsenal to Counter Russia, ChinaThe revelation by the Air Force this week that the US now has a weapon in space stoked speculation — but few answers — about the weapon’s capability. 010
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026To learn more about the US' acknowledged current, non-space jammers, obligatory plug for @swfoundation.bsky.social's annual counterspace threat assessment, which can be found here: www.swfound.org/publications... 2/swfound.orgSecure World Foundation: 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities ReportThe 2026 report reveals growing global counterspace capabilities and urges public awareness of the risks of space conflict. 120
vsamsondc.bsky.social @vsamsondc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Current jammers are "the “Counter Communications System” — a large satellite-dish weapon fielded since 2020 — as well as a smaller, mobile model called “Meadowlands” in operation since July, and the even more mobile system known as the Remote Modular Terminal" 1/ 120
Reposted by @vsamsondc.bsky.socialJonathan McDowell @planet4589.bsky.social · 16/09/2026So, USSF has space weapons now. In the current draft JSR, planet4589.org/latest.html , I describe a set of 17 USSF satellites that I am calling "USSF GEO Patrol". If @vsamsondc.bsky.social is correct that the space weapons are jammers, I think these are the likely candidates.planet4589.orgJonathan's Space Report - Latest IssueJonathan's Space Report | Latest Issue 65721