Rheinmetall launches first satellite for space-based air defense surveillance

Rheinmetall has orbited its first satellite, developed jointly with Italy's Argotec, to add a space layer to military air-defense surveillance. The spacecraft launched on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg; data is AI-processed and integrated into air-defense networks. A second satellite is planned for 2028.

• Launched October 1 on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base
• Sensors detect ground indicators of emerging airborne threats for early warning
• Data is AI-processed and fed into existing air-defense architectures
• A second satellite launch is planned for 2028