Key facts
- The US Space Force, True Anomaly, and Rocket Lab completed a complex orbital rendezvous mission.
- The mission involved a Rocket Lab spacecraft named Puma and a True Anomaly spacecraft named Jackal.
- The Jackal spacecraft captured imagery of the Puma spacecraft while orbiting it.
- The exercise, named Victus Haze, aimed to demonstrate close inspection capabilities for newly deployed satellites.
- True Anomaly CEO Evan Rogers stated the mission was one of the most complex rendezvous and proximity operations in modern history outside of human spaceflight.
The US military is increasingly relying on the private sector to handle complex space reconnaissance missions, a shift highlighted by a recent exercise involving two space startups, True Anomaly and Rocket Lab, for the US Space Force. The mission, dubbed Victus Haze, saw their respective satellites, Jackal and Puma, perform a sophisticated rendezvous and proximity operation in orbit.
Rocket Lab successfully launched its Puma spacecraft just over 16 hours after receiving notification, a rapid turnaround compared to typical launch schedules. True Anomaly's Jackal spacecraft, already in orbit, utilized its onboard sensors to locate and identify Puma from a distance of 2,000 kilometers. The Jackal then maneuvered into close proximity with Puma, orbiting it to capture detailed imagery before returning to its original orbit. This capability is seen as crucial for understanding the space-based capabilities of rival nations like China and Russia, which are actively developing novel space weapons.
True Anomaly CEO Evan Rogers emphasized the complexity of the operation, noting that it represents one of the most advanced rendezvous and proximity operations between two spacecraft in modern history, excluding human spaceflight missions. Such maneuvers are challenging due to the high speeds at which spacecraft travel in orbit, approaching 17,500 mph. The exercise is part of a broader effort by the Space Force to address gaps in its collection capabilities.
True Anomaly, founded by former military space experts, aims to provide the hardware and software necessary for new Space Force tasks. The company has raised over $1 billion, with a significant $650 million round in March. It plans to compete for task orders within the Space Force's $6.2 billion Andromeda program, which seeks private sector solutions for maneuverable reconnaissance. Future exercises are planned with increasing difficulty, potentially including evasion scenarios.