The Air Force and Space Force have each awarded or expanded contracts with commercial space companies to advance point-to-point rocket delivery and satellite-based laser communications for military use.
A flurry of moves in late July and early August 2026 — from a U.S. laser-communications contract to Spain's multibillion-euro satellite commitment and China's latest relay launches — illustrates how orbital communications infrastructure has become a primary arena of great-power competition.
The California-based satellite manufacturer more than doubled its valuation in seven months as top-tier venture capital firms bet on dual-use space infrastructure amid growing demand from both commercial and defense customers.
