Two space startups just pulled off what they’re calling the most complex private rendezvous in modern history — for the US Space Force. True Anomaly and Rocket Lab completed a mission called Victus Haze last week. Think orbital Top Gun.
Here’s what happened. Rocket Lab launched a spacecraft called Puma just 16 hours and 42 minutes after getting the order. That’s fast — most rockets are locked in months ahead. True Anomaly’s Jackal was already waiting in orbit. It had to find Puma using onboard sensors from 2,000 kilometers away, with no prior knowledge of where it would arrive.
Jackal found it. Flew close — exactly how close is classified. Orbited the target. Captured imagery of different parts of the vehicle. Then returned to its starting point.
Both spacecraft were moving at roughly 17,500 mph.
China and Russia are deploying novel space weapons. The Space Force needs to understand what those capabilities are. Private companies are stepping in to fill that gap. “Right now we have gaps in our collection capability,” said True Anomaly CEO Even Rogers, a former military space officer.
True Anomaly has raised just over $1 billion, including a $650 million round in March. The company will now compete for task orders under the Space Force’s $6.2 billion Andromeda program — which specifically looks to the private sector for maneuverable reconnaissance.
The next exercises are already planned, with increasing difficulty. Puma might try to evade Jackal and perform its own inspection maneuvers.
