Theresa Hitchens
@thitch.bsky.social
Currently Senior Space Reporter at Breaking Defense. Space geek; former peace & security think-tanker; voracious reader of fiction esp. sci-fi/fantasy/alt-history; interested in cooking, archaeology/anthropology, poetry and scientific discovery.
Given the recent press crackdown, this is not surprising. They are limiting public information conduits in as many ways as possible. Watch for similar moves at other government agencies. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/pent...
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clamps down on military interactions with Congress - Breaking Defense
A Pentagon memo, obtained by Breaking Defense, now mandates that all communication with Congress be routed through its main legislative affairs office.
breakingdefense.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Given the recent press crackdown, this is not surprising. They are limiting public information conduits in as many ways as possible. Watch for similar moves at other government agencies. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/pent...
This is a big deal for Germany. I remember when no German politician would be willing to mention the words space and military in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence. breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
German military to invest $41B in space capabilities - Breaking Defense
"Satellite networks today are an Achilles' heel of modern societies. Whoever attacks them paralyzes entire nations,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
breakingdefense.com
September 25, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This is a big deal for Germany. I remember when no German politician would be willing to mention the words space and military in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence. breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
Breaking Defense now has an encrypted in box for tips and shy sources: breakingdefense@proton.me
September 12, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Breaking Defense now has an encrypted in box for tips and shy sources: breakingdefense@proton.me
Second and third order consequences are real. Sigh. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/stor...
Stormy weather: DoD faces dearth of data from planned NOAA cuts - Breaking Defense
The Space Force repurposes NOAA's older GOES weather imaging satellites to monitor weather over the Indian Ocean for Indo-Pacific Command.
breakingdefense.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Second and third order consequences are real. Sigh. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/stor...
RIPS JCIDS, the US military's long-hated process for setting weapon system requirements. It remains to be seen if the proposed new plan will do any better, or slide off the deep end of pursuing speed at the expense of rigorous analysis about commanders' needs. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/pent...
Pentagon terminating JCIDS process as part of larger acquisition reform: Memo - Breaking Defense
“So, the way I read the memo is great, we can go a lot faster now but the big question that remains is, ‘Are we moving faster in the right direction?’” a service official said.
breakingdefense.com
August 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
RIPS JCIDS, the US military's long-hated process for setting weapon system requirements. It remains to be seen if the proposed new plan will do any better, or slide off the deep end of pursuing speed at the expense of rigorous analysis about commanders' needs. breakingdefense.com/2025/08/pent...
If you haven't heard this NPR interview with Pete Buttigieg, take a listen. He's soooo good in this. www.npr.org/2025/07/28/n...
Pete Buttigieg warns Democrats can't go back to status quo after President Trump
Steve Inskeep speaks with former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about distrust in government and the status of the Democratic Party.
www.npr.org
July 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM
If you haven't heard this NPR interview with Pete Buttigieg, take a listen. He's soooo good in this. www.npr.org/2025/07/28/n...
Catching up with Chineses shenanigans on orbit. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
Chinese sats appear to be attempting first-ever on-orbit refueling, sat tracking firms say - Breaking Defense
"While this type of close approach activity does not automatically signify a military mission, it obviously could provide a co-orbital counterspace capability," expert Victoria Samson told Breaking De...
breakingdefense.com
June 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Catching up with Chineses shenanigans on orbit. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
Space Force's MILNET revealed. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/spac...
Space Force is contracting with SpaceX for new, secretive MILNET SATCOM network - Breaking Defense
The MILNET contract with SpaceX is being paid for by the Space Force but managed by the National Reconnaissance Office, sources said.
breakingdefense.com
June 18, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Space Force's MILNET revealed. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/spac...
The latest skirmish in the long-running DoD war with the telecoms industry over spectrum access. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/sena...
Senate Republicans 'very close' to deal to protect key DoD spectrum in reconciliation language - Breaking Defense
Democrat Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, where Boeing is headquartered, continues to raise concerns about potential interference with civil and military aviation.
breakingdefense.com
June 13, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The latest skirmish in the long-running DoD war with the telecoms industry over spectrum access. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/sena...
Breaking Defense got the scoop on the admin's DoD RTD&E budget, both FY26 base and reconciliation. Surprise (not): Space Force is a big winner in the reconciliation stakes for Golden Dome related programs. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/excl...
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon's RDT&E budget revealed - Which next-gen systems get a cash influx in FY26? - Breaking Defense
Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the Defense Department's FY26 budget request for RDT&E Programs. Here's what you should know.
breakingdefense.com
June 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Breaking Defense got the scoop on the admin's DoD RTD&E budget, both FY26 base and reconciliation. Surprise (not): Space Force is a big winner in the reconciliation stakes for Golden Dome related programs. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/excl...
While the Trump-Musk social media trashfire may be great theater (🍿) if SpaceX contracts with DoD actually were canceled, it would be super problematic. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/amid...
Amid Trump, Musk blowup, canceling SpaceX contracts could cripple DoD launch program - Breaking Defense
Elon Musk's SpaceX is already expected to conduct more than two dozen national security-related space launches over the next few years.
breakingdefense.com
June 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
While the Trump-Musk social media trashfire may be great theater (🍿) if SpaceX contracts with DoD actually were canceled, it would be super problematic. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/amid...
Long-running DoD 'Spectrum Wars' with telecoms creeps into reconciliation debate, now with Golden Dome concerns added. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/dod-...
DoD S-band needed for Golden Dome, border defense threatened by spectrum auction plans: CSIS - Breaking Defense
Selling off the low S-band "is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea," Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project, told Breaking Defense today.
breakingdefense.com
June 5, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Long-running DoD 'Spectrum Wars' with telecoms creeps into reconciliation debate, now with Golden Dome concerns added. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/dod-...
New Russian Cosmos shadowing a US spy sat -- third time is a pattern. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/russ...
Russia's new Cosmos satellite orbiting near US sat; piques ASAT fears - Breaking Defense
Based on its orbital pattern, independent astronomer Marco Langbroek said he suspected the new satellite is joining other Russian "sleeping interceptors."
breakingdefense.com
May 30, 2025 at 9:36 PM
New Russian Cosmos shadowing a US spy sat -- third time is a pattern. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/russ...
The Space Force is testing AMTI sats. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
Space Force testing space-based sensors to track airborne targets - Breaking Defense
Space-based capabilities could put current aerial tracking platforms in question, but top military brass have argued for options "from whatever domain or platform or system that comes [in]."
breakingdefense.com
May 15, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The Space Force is testing AMTI sats. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
Gradual changes largely made in secret have made it easier for the US military to wage war in space. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/excl...
EXCLUSIVE: US loosens some rules for offensive counterspace ops, wargaming - Breaking Defense
Some decision-making authorities, previously closely held by the president or secretary of defense, have been delegated to US SPACECOM, according to sources, but military space leaders want more freed...
breakingdefense.com
May 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Gradual changes largely made in secret have made it easier for the US military to wage war in space. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/excl...
Hmm. This could be an interesting challenge given tariffs and all. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
Space Force eyeing international launch sites to increase 'resilience' - Breaking Defense
While not necessarily a near-term possibility, Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen said the Space Force is "looking at increasing the resiliency, increasing the ways that we have to get assured access to s...
breakingdefense.com
May 9, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Hmm. This could be an interesting challenge given tariffs and all. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
Another subtle, but clear, indication that the Space Force and Space Command are moving out on satellite attack weapons and plans. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
Space RCO head sees potential 'product line' for orbital warfare satellites - Breaking Defense
Space RCO Director Kelly Hammett envisions that his shop will feed tech into the Space Force's new effort to contract commercial firms to replace the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program...
breakingdefense.com
May 9, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Another subtle, but clear, indication that the Space Force and Space Command are moving out on satellite attack weapons and plans. breakingdefense.com/2025/05/spac...
The Never Ending Story of SPACECOM HQ basing. breakingdefense.com/2025/04/late...
Latest DoD IG report clears a hurdle for SPACECOM move to Alabama - Breaking Defense
Following the release of the report today, Alabama politicians began touting the new OIG report as justifying a Trump move to reverse Biden's basing decision.
breakingdefense.com
April 16, 2025 at 12:42 AM
The Never Ending Story of SPACECOM HQ basing. breakingdefense.com/2025/04/late...
All the Way To Go Ohio. (I'm from close to Newark, pronounced Nerk, Ohio.)
www.bbc.com/travel/artic...
www.bbc.com/travel/artic...
The US's 2,000-year-old mystery mounds
Constructed by a mysterious civilisation that left no written records, the massive site is now open to the public for the first time in more than a century.
www.bbc.com
April 16, 2025 at 12:41 AM
All the Way To Go Ohio. (I'm from close to Newark, pronounced Nerk, Ohio.)
www.bbc.com/travel/artic...
www.bbc.com/travel/artic...
Dogfightin in space? breakingdefense.com/2025/03/5-ch...
5 Chinese satellites practiced 'dogfighting' in space, Space Force says - Breaking Defense
Space Force leaders are sharpening their rhetorical swords regarding the service's need to build space warfighting chops.
breakingdefense.com
March 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Dogfightin in space? breakingdefense.com/2025/03/5-ch...
I'm pretty sure the US would have to withdraw from the NATO treaty to do this, but I'm not a lawyer. www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
Trump considering major NATO policy shift
The president has discussed possibly favoring members of the alliance that spend a set percentage of their GDP on defense, sources told NBC News.
www.nbcnews.com
March 7, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I'm pretty sure the US would have to withdraw from the NATO treaty to do this, but I'm not a lawyer. www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...