Sens. Ted Cruz and John Hickenlooper introduced the Nodes, Enterprise Workloads, and Hybrid Operations, Resilience, Integration, Zero-Trust, Orbital Networks (NEW HORIZON) Act.

The pilot program would allow the Defense Department to assess the usefulness of in-space data storage and processing for military operations.

The NEW HORIZON Act would establish a pilot program for the Pentagon to evaluate commercial orbital data centers and space-based cloud computing for national security missions.

Sens. Ted Cruz and John Hickenlooper introduced the Nodes, Enterprise Workloads, and Hybrid Operations, Resilience, Integration, Zero-Trust, Orbital Networks Act.

Ted Cruz and John Hickenlooper serve on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

The pilot program would evaluate whether commercial orbital data centers and space-based cloud computing can be integrated with existing communications and intelligence technology.

The pilot program would be established at the Defense Innovation Unit within one year after the bill becomes law.

The pilot program’s findings could help the military begin using orbital data centers under a program of record.

The pilot program would allow the Defense Department to evaluate how orbital data centers can be integrated with existing communications and intelligence technology.

If the bill becomes law, the defense secretary would brief Congress on the pilot program's findings by the end of 2028.

Ted Cruz and John Hickenlooper both serve on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

Ted Cruz chairs the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

The pilot program's findings could help the military begin using orbital data centers under a program of record.

The pilot program would allow the Defense Department to study the resiliency and vulnerabilities of orbital data centers.

If enacted, the bill would require the defense secretary to brief Congress on the pilot program’s findings by the end of 2028.

The Nodes, Enterprise Workloads, and Hybrid Operations, Resilience, Integration, Zero-Trust, Orbital Networks Act would establish a pilot program for the Pentagon to evaluate commercial orbital data centers and space-based cloud computing for national security missions.

The pilot program would be established at the Defense Innovation Unit within one year after the bill is passed.

NEO Hunter remains a publicly presented concept rather than an approved program.

Blue Origin’s NEO Hunter concept uses Blue Ring to study and deflect potentially hazardous asteroids.

Blue Origin developed Blue Ring for advanced space missions.

Blue Ring would provide maneuvering, payload hosting, and deep-space operations capabilities for NEO Hunter.

NEO Hunter includes ion-beam deflection and direct kinetic impact techniques.

Blue Origin’s NEO Hunter mission concept tests ion-beam deflection and direct kinetic impact techniques for near-Earth objects.

Blue Origin developed Blue Ring as a platform for advanced space missions.

Blue Origin proposed Blue Ring as a central element of the NEO Hunter mission concept for studying and deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids.

Blue Ring provides maneuvering, payload hosting, and deep-space operations capabilities for NEO Hunter.

Blue Ring is designed to operate in complex orbital environments with transport, management, and payload-support capabilities for different space destinations.

Dawn Aerospace is a New Zealand-Dutch space transportation company.

Dawn Aerospace has cash-flow positive operations.

Dawn Aerospace targets a 2028 demonstration for its Loop refueling service.

Dawn Aerospace’s Aurora spaceplane reached supersonic speeds in November 2024.

Dawn Aerospace has a $17 million partnership with Oklahoma.

Dawn Aerospace’s refueling service customers include companies aboard Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force satellites equipped with Dawn refueling ports.

Dawn Aerospace has more than 200 flagship propulsion systems in orbit.

Dawn Aerospace targets 2027 for operational use of Aurora’s Mach 3.7 capability.

Dawn Aerospace closed a $25 million Series B round at a $195 million post-money valuation.

Dawn Aerospace aims to make Aurora the first vehicle to fly above the Kármán line twice in one day.

Mana Ventures, ANA Future Frontier Fund, and NZVC participated in Dawn Aerospace’s Series B round.

Dan Wallman will join Dawn Aerospace’s board as a result of the Series B round.

Dawn Aerospace’s Loop project is an in-orbit refueling demonstration for its satellite propulsion systems.

Dawn Aerospace’s revenue increased from less than $3 million to more than $15 million after its 2022 Series A round.

Dawn Aerospace will use Series B proceeds to accelerate development of its Aurora spaceplane and conduct an in-space refueling demonstration.

Balerion Space Ventures led Dawn Aerospace’s Series B round.

Japan has promoted the peaceful use of space activities for socioeconomic development through APRSAF for more than 30 years.

Italy and Japan will continue collaborating on deep-space observation to improve early detection and precise orbit determination of potentially hazardous asteroids.

Italy and Japan will strengthen Earth observation cooperation through data exchange between JAXA and ASI to improve mutual multiband imaging coverage and support disaster risk management.

Italy and Japan will deepen cooperation between their agencies and research institutes in solar physics.

Giorgia Meloni and Sanae Takaichi met in Rome on 15 June 2026.

Italy and Japan share the view that research investment is essential to developing the advanced skills needed to support their space industries.

Japan has promoted the peaceful uses of space activities for socioeconomic development through APRSAF for more than 30 years.