SpaceX will launch its second classified U.S. Space Force mission, USSF‑259, from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sept. 15 using a Falcon 9 booster (1097). The launch window opens at 9 p.m. EDT, with a live webcast beginning about 10 minutes prior. The booster will perform a 13th drone‑ship landing, following its 600th touchdown in April. This flight marks SpaceX’s 110th launch of 2026, with 105 Falcon 9 missions completed so far.

Iceye, the Finnish synthetic‑aperture‑radar satellite maker, has accelerated its global rollout after raising over $1 billion in a Series F round. In the past months the company launched subsidiaries in Germany, Portugal, India, the United Arab Emirates and a technology hub in the Netherlands, and sealed a partnership with South Korean operator KT Sat. It also announced a collaboration with Arianespace to test Ariane 6 launches for European government customers. Global chief operating officer Eric Jensen, who took the post in [...]

Israel’s military deployed the AI‑enabled “Lavender” system to identify and target suspected Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza and Lebanon. The software scans people, vehicles, and objects in real time, assigning risk scores that feed into subsequent attack planning. The system, praised by the Israeli Defense Forces as a “game changer,” has marked tens of thousands of individuals and, alongside the “Gospel” software, guided strikes on buildings and structures. Academics Woodcock and Rehak argue that [...]

In August 2026, U.S. robotics stakeholders traveled to Shenzhen to source servomotors, sensors, and even intact Unitree and Zhiyuan robots, which were disassembled and shipped back in suitcases. Concurrently, a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory investigated potential security risks posed by Chinese LiDAR sensors used in American vehicles, with funding from electric‑vehicle firms. These reports underscore the U.S. robotics industry's reliance on Chinese hardware amid growing national security concerns. Meanwhile, Princeton researchers unveiled a motorless, origami‑inspired robot [...]

Japanese demand for Indian space startups is rising as Tokyo increases commercial space and defense investments. Companies including Digantara Industries, Bellatrix Aerospace, Xovian Aerospace, SatNxt, and Manastu Space are experiencing heightened interest from Japanese firms seeking to expand their capabilities. Over 60 Japanese companies plan to attend the Bengaluru Space Expo in September, indicating a shift in commercial demand beyond traditional US and European markets. This trend is driven by geopolitical tensions forcing nations to build sovereign [...]

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed indigenous Gallium Nitride-on-Silicon Carbide (GaN-on-SiC) semiconductor technology, as confirmed in the Ministry of Defence’s 2025-2026 annual report. This breakthrough enables the production of advanced components for next-generation electronic warfare systems, military radars, and unmanned combat platforms. The core innovation is a compact 3.5 by 3 millimetre GaN microchip capable of outputting 30 watts of power at speeds 300 times faster than legacy silicon alternatives. Unlike traditional materials, [...]

Fusion startups are increasingly partnering with the defense sector as climate‑tech funding slows. The trend harks back to the field’s Cold‑War origins, when researchers sought peaceful uses for thermonuclear science. Recent collaborations include laser‑fusion company Xcimer receiving investment from RTX Ventures to explore high‑energy lasers for weapons, and Pacific Fusion signing an MOU with the National Nuclear Security Administration to run high‑energy‑density experiments at a new New Mexico facility. Both firms aim to prove net‑positive power generation while [...]