Space Systems Command

Space Systems Command disclosed the first six 'operational' contracts under the Space Force's Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) program — a civil-reserve-style framework for buying commercial space-monitoring capacity — while acknowledging that the hardest commercial terms (US rights to deny service to other customers in wartime, and reimbursement for satellites lost in conflict) remain unresolved.

Space Force awards $615M in a second batch of SB-AMTI contracts to Rocket Lab, STR, and a third unnamed vendor to mature aircraft-tracking satellites, building on a $4.16B SpaceX award and broadening the supplier base.

Space Force creates a centralized NITE-STAR contract vehicle (up to $981M) to develop testing and training infrastructure for OTTI, engaging 15 vendors over two five-year periods.