Private space pilots are flying orbital missions for the US Space Force
News Source
β’Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:01:06 +0000
π° What Happened
Two space startups, True Anomaly and Rocket Lab, completed a complex mission for the US Space Force called Victus Haze. Rocket Lab launched a spacecraft called Puma just 16 hours and 42 minutes after getting the order. A True Anomaly spacecraft called Jackal was already in orbit and used sensors to find Puma from 2,000 kilometers away. Jackal flew close to Puma and took pictures of it. The mission proved that private companies can do military space reconnaissance quickly and accurately.
π The Backstory
The US Space Force was created in 2019 as a new branch of the military focused on space. It tracks satellites, protects US space assets, and monitors what other countries are doing in orbit. China and Russia have been testing new space weapons, including satellites that can inspect or attack other spacecraft. The military used to do all this work itself, but now it is hiring private companies to help. True Anomaly and Rocket Lab are part of a growing group of startups building technology for the space industry.
π― Why It Matters
Space is becoming a new battlefield. Private companies are now helping the military protect satellites that we all rely on for GPS, internet, and weather forecasts.
Two space startups, True Anomaly and Rocket Lab, completed a complex mission for the US Space Force called Victus Haze. Rocket Lab launched a spacecraft called Puma just 16 hours and 42 minutes after getting the order. A True Anomaly spacecraft called Jackal was already in orbit and used sensors to find Puma from 2,000 kilometers away. Jackal flew close to Puma and took pictures of it. The mission proved that private companies can do military space reconnaissance quickly and accurately.
The US Space Force was created in 2019 as a new branch of the military focused on space. It tracks satellites, protects US space assets, and monitors what other countries are doing in orbit. China and Russia have been testing new space weapons, including satellites that can inspect or attack other spacecraft. The military used to do all this work itself, but now it is hiring private companies to help. True Anomaly and Rocket Lab are part of a growing group of startups building technology for the space industry.
Space is becoming a new battlefield. Private companies are now helping the military protect satellites that we all rely on for GPS, internet, and weather forecasts.