Viasat Inc. (VSAT) has selected Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) to manufacture the spacecraft bus for a new geosynchronous Earth orbit satellite, advancing the U.S. Space Force’s Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. The Partnerships, announced on August 17, 2026, pairs Viasat’s anti-jam communications payload with Rocket Lab’s spacecraft platform to provide resilient connectivity for military operations in contested environments.

According to a joint press release, the collaboration stems from a prime contract awarded to Viasat on May 22, 2026, by the U.S. Space-Agencies (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC). Under the Swarm 1 contract, Viasat is tasked with delivering one of the first small, maneuverable satellites for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) constellation. The prime contract includes a five-year mandate for operations, cybersecurity, and sustainment services.

Spacecraft design and payload integration

Rocket Lab will utilize its Lightning spacecraft platform, specifically configured for the geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) environment, to host Viasat’s dual-band X/Ka-band payload. The integration and Manufacturing processes will take place across the companies’ respective facilities in Carlsbad and Long Beach, California.

The PTS-G program is designed to provide secure, jam-resistant communications for U.S. and allied forces. Craig Miller, President of Viasat Government, emphasized the operational focus of the joint effort.

“This production award represents an important step forward in delivering the next generation of protected satellite communications capabilities for the U.S. Space Force. By combining Viasat’s cutting-edge communications payload technology with Rocket Lab’s proven spacecraft platform, we are advancing a more agile and resilient GEO architecture designed to support mission-critical communications hot spots in contested environments.”

Expanding national security space footprint

The PTS-G subcontract marks another milestone in Rocket Lab’s rapid expansion into the defense and national security sector. Sir Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, stated that moving from design into production highlights the company’s growing role in national security space, adding that the vertically integrated spacecraft will help deliver infrastructure that keeps forces connected in contested environments.

The Viasat partnership follows two other major defense Contracts awarded to Rocket Lab during the same week. On August 17, 2026, the company was onboarded to the Space Force’s $981 million NITE-STAR program to develop space test and training infrastructure. The following day, on August 18, 2026, the Space Force selected Rocket Lab for the Space Data Network Consortium, backed by $12 million in contracts to support the Global Military Communications Network.

AirPro News analysis

We view Rocket Lab’s selection for the PTS-G bus as a strong indicator of the U.S. Space Force’s shifting procurement Strategy. By moving away from massive, multi-billion-dollar legacy satellites toward smaller, maneuverable, and distributed architectures, the military is prioritizing resilience against orbital threats. Rocket Lab’s ability to secure the PTS-G bus contract, alongside the NITE-STAR and Space Data Network Consortium awards, demonstrates that the company is successfully transitioning from a dedicated small-launch provider to an end-to-end prime contractor capable of competing for critical national security space infrastructure.

Sources: Rocket Lab Corporation

LandSpace successfully launched and recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) Y2 carrier rocket on August 19, 2026, marking China’s first land-based vertical recovery of an orbital-class booster using deployable legs.

The mission lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Area and successfully delivered the Honghu-03 satellite, developed by Hongqing Technology, to orbit. According to a press release issued by LandSpace, the successful touchdown transitions the Zhuque-3 program from recovery technology verification to engineering reuse verification, a critical step toward operational reusability.

Flight profile and technical upgrades

The Zhuque-3 Y2 launched at 07:35 Beijing Time on August 19, 2026 (23:35 UTC on August 18). Following stage separation, the first stage executed a controlled descent and landed at the Zhuque-3 recovery pad in Minqin County, Gansu Province, at 07:41 Beijing Time. The total flight time for the first stage was 137 seconds.

LandSpace implemented several engineering optimizations for the Y2 mission following the December 3, 2025, maiden flight of the Zhuque-3 Y1, which reached orbit but failed to recover its first stage. The Y2 vehicle featured a simplified landing propulsion scheme utilizing fewer landing ignition engines. The company also upgraded the autonomous safety control system to include predicted impact point functions and enhanced the vehicle’s thermal protection for reentry.

The mission also served as a testbed for payload deployment technologies. The rocket carried LandSpace’s self-developed non-pyrotechnic stacked hold-down and release mechanism. The company stated this system is designed to support future large constellation deployments and high-cadence batch launches.

“This mission is China’s first successful recovery of a carrier rocket first stage using landing legs, and also China’s first successful land recovery of an orbital-class carrier rocket first stage,” LandSpace noted in its official release.

China’s dual-track reusable rocket development

The successful recovery of the Zhuque-3 Y2 first stage establishes a second distinct reusable rocket architecture within the Chinese aerospace sector. The achievement follows a separate milestone by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

On July 10, 2026, CASC successfully recovered the first stage of a Long March 10B rocket at sea using a net-capture system, according to reporting by Space.com. The parallel development of sea-based net capture by a state-owned entity and land-based vertical touchdown by a private company provides China with multiple operational pathways for launch vehicle reusability.

Market-Analysis

The successful landing of the Zhuque-3 Y2 first stage demonstrates rapid maturation in China’s commercial launch sector. By validating the vertical leg-landing architecture just six weeks after CASC demonstrated its sea-based net-capture system, the Chinese aerospace industry has significantly expanded its reusable launch capabilities. We view the successful flight test of LandSpace’s non-pyrotechnic release mechanism as equally consequential for the commercial market. As satellite operators shift toward megaconstellations, the ability to deploy stacked payloads reliably without pyrotechnic shock will be a critical enabler for high-cadence launch operations.

Sources: LandSpace

This is original reporting and analysis by AirPro News.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has successfully towed the largely intact upper stage of its Starship launch vehicle to the coast of Christmas Island following a 24-day recovery operation in the Indian Ocean.

The arrival of the spacecraft, designated Ship 40, provides the manufacturer with a previously unstudied physical test article. Ship 40 splashed down on July 24, 2026, at the conclusion of the Flight 13 test mission. Rather than sinking or breaking apart upon ocean impact, the vehicle remained afloat, prompting an extended towing operation by the SpaceX Recovery team through rough seas to reach the calmer waters of the Australian territory.

Unprecedented intact recovery operation

The successful retrieval of Ship 40 marks a significant milestone for the Starship program. Prior test flights concluded with the upper stage either breaking up during reentry or sinking shortly after splashdown. The survival of Ship 40 allowed recovery crews to secure the vehicle and begin a slow transit toward land.

In a statement released on August 18, 2026, SpaceX confirmed the arrival, noting that the recovery team successfully guided the vehicle to a location just off the coast of Christmas Island after approximately 24 days at sea.

Engineering evaluation and logistical hurdles

With the vehicle now secured in calmer waters, the focus shifts to physical inspection and data gathering. SpaceX confirmed that a team of engineers is currently en route to the island to conduct additional analysis on the spacecraft.

The company stated it will evaluate the vehicle before attempting to return it to the Starbase manufacturing and launch facility in Texas. However, transporting the 52-meter-tall spacecraft presents substantial logistical challenges. The port infrastructure on Christmas Island was not designed to handle a vehicle of this size, and it remains unverified whether Ship 40 can be practically loaded onto a transport vessel intact.

AirPro News analysis

The physical recovery of a Starship upper stage offers invaluable engineering data that telemetry alone cannot provide. We expect SpaceX engineers to focus heavily on the thermal protection system, specifically the adhesion and structural integrity of the heat tiles after enduring orbital-velocity reentry temperatures. Additionally, inspecting the flap hinges and aerodynamic surfaces for stress fractures will directly inform the iterative design process. Even if logistical constraints prevent Ship 40 from returning to Texas in one piece, the on-site material analysis conducted at Christmas Island will yield critical insights for future vehicle production.

Ongoing Starship program acceleration

As recovery operations continue in the Indian Ocean, SpaceX is accelerating its manufacturing and testing cadence domestically. At the company’s facilities, preparations for subsequent flights are actively underway. Booster 22 is currently fully stacked, while components for Booster 23 are moving through the Starfactory production line.

Sources: Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)