WASHINGTON — Three companies have been selected to study options for providing satellite deorbiting services to the U.S. government as the Pentagon explores whether disposal of aging spacecraft can be purchased from commercial operators rather than handled through a dedicated government capability.

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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...