Boeing officials say the company’s Orbital Express system transferred propellant and a battery from one spacecraft to another, “marking industry firsts for the revolutionary system.” The Orbital Express was one of the six spacecraft launched March 8 aboard an Atlas V evolved expendable launch vehicle. The Boeing Autonomous Space Transport Robotic Operations (ASTRO) servicing spacecraft transferred the propellant and a battery to a prototype receiving NextSat spacecraft developed by Ball Aerospace.
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.