WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force plans to use satellites built by K2 Space to test a critical but unresolved piece of future missile-defense systems: how to move large volumes of data quickly between spacecraft and down to Earth.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...