NROL-15: A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the National Reconnaissance Office’s third of four planned classified satellites for the year lifted off from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral at 9:15 a.m. EDT June 29. The flight of NROL-15 marked the second launch for the NRO in nine days. The Delta IV Heavy featured a center common booster core along with two strap-on common booster cores, each powered by an RS-68A Liquid Hydrogen/Liquid Oxygen engine producing 797,000 lb. of thrust.

Russia has claimed the successful test of a prototype of new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The new missile was fired from a mobile launcher at the Plesetsk spaceport in May and its warhead reached a designated area in the Kura test range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The military also said the missile will have improved capabilities to overcome anti-ballistic missile defenses being deployed by the U.S.—an important new priority for Moscow after years of trying to forestall U.S. missile-defense developments.

Silicon Valley group will attempt to fund telescope to identify and track thousands of Near Earth Asteroids

The head of satellite services provider Inmarsat says he would like to see more established launch service providers in the market, and hopes that new and returning players such as Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Sea Launch will help foster more choice and competition in the future.

LOS ANGELES — Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (SS2) has returned to flight testing with its first glide flight since last September.

Says key design and production processes used to manufacture Europe’s Ariane 5 launcher can support production of the Liberty transportation system

DENVER — Research outcomes on the International Space Station (ISS) will be so important to the future of U.S. human spaceflight that NASA is considering bartering for Russian crew time to help out with research in its facilities.

In a major consolidation to address an era of fixed-price contracts and lower defense and civil space spending, Lockheed Martin Space Systems is establishing two basic business lines — military and civil — rather than the separate talent pools devoted to more specific requirements in each of those areas.