Navy awards RTX up to $24.4B to accelerate Standard Missile-6 production

By Aaron-Matthew Lariosa

Source: Bloomberg

While Americans stocked up on pumpkin spice for fall, the Pentagon was stocking up on missiles. The U.S. Navy awarded RTX* a five-year contract worth up to $24.4 billion to build more than 1,900 Standard Missile-6 interceptors, one of the Navy's most important weapons. The multi-mission missile can take down enemy aircraft, incoming ballistic missiles, and surface ships, giving warships a single interceptor that covers a wide range of threats. The deal supports the Pentagon's push to replenish and expand its missile inventories in response to growing demand from the Navy and allied partners.

L3Harris lands two major defense wins: $462M for executive aircraft satcom and $6B for THAAD propulsion

By Sandra Erwin

Sources: SpaceNews, L3Harris

As MLB wrapped up its postseason and crowned a new World Series champion, L3Harris Technologies* was running up the scoreboard of its own, closing out September with two major Department of Defense wins. First, the U.S. Space Force finalized a $461.9 million contract for L3Harris to provide commercial, multi-orbit satellite communications aboard the executive aircraft used by senior U.S. government and military leaders. The very next day, L3Harris announced a contract from Lockheed Martin* worth more than $6 billion over seven years to expand propulsion production for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, as the Pentagon moves to replenish and grow the nation's interceptor stockpile.

SpaceX launches Google's first AI data center to orbit aboard Planet Labs satellite

By Lora Kolodny

Source: CNBC

While Big Tech is racing to build AI data centers on Earth, SpaceX* just helped move that race into space. SpaceX sent 130 payloads to orbit in a single flight, including a small satellite built by Planet Labs* carrying Google's* first AI data center in space. It's the first test for Google's Project Suncatcher, an experiment to one day run AI data centers in orbit using solar power, with two more prototype satellites planned for early 2027. If it works, companies could start moving some of the massive computing power behind AI off the ground and into space.

Voyager wins $22.4M Department of War contract for next-gen satellite dispensers

By Voyager Technologies

Source: Pulse 2.0

Just as travelers started packing bags for fall break, Voyager Technologies* was figuring out how to pack a rocket more efficiently. The company was awarded a $22.4 million contract from the Strategic Capabilities Office of the Department of War to develop a new generation of small satellite dispensers for the U.S. Space Force. Satellite dispensers hold satellites inside a rocket and release them once in orbit. Voyager's prototypes are designed to fit more satellites per launch without crowding out the main payload, giving the Space Force more flexibility and more bang for its buck.

Gilat lands $28M deal to expand broadband across Peru's Ica region

By Gilat Satellite Networks

Source: MarketScreener

As NFL fans fired up their fantasy lineups for another Sunday of games, Gilat Satellite Networks* was lining up a win of its own. The company's Peruvian subsidiary, Gilat Perú, signed a $28 million agreement with Pronatel, Peru's national telecommunications program, to upgrade broadband connectivity across the Ica region. Construction is expected to wrap by mid-2027 and will be followed by a seven-year operational phase. Ica marks the fifth region in Peru that Gilat has helped bring faster, more reliable internet to since 2025, extending modern connectivity into rural and geographically diverse communities that have historically been underserved.

BlackSky extends HEO deal with new seven-figure contract for next-gen satellite imagery

By BlackSky Technology

Source: Business Wire

With Halloween behind us and spooky season winding down, BlackSky* was busy keeping an eye on something scarier: unknown activity in orbit. The company signed a seven-figure annual extension with HEO*, an Australian-based space intelligence firm, to continue providing high-resolution images of satellites and other objects in space. Under this partnership, BlackSky will use its satellites to photograph other satellites, helping customers in defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors see what's happening up there, from spotting damaged spacecraft to tracking suspicious maneuvers.