Military
Biden taps Aerospace Corp.’s John Plumb to run DoD space policy
President Biden has nominated John Plumb to be assistant secretary of defense for space policy, the White House announced July 29.
Space Force sees ‘advantages and opportunities’ in nuclear-powered space missions
Space vehicles powered by small nuclear reactors could be used for military missions in deep space, the vice chief of the U.S. Space Force said July 28.
Op-ed | Peace in the Era of Weaponized Space
We are on the verge of a new era in space security: the age of diverse and highly capable dual-use space systems that can serve both peaceful and anti-satellite (ASAT) purposes.
House panel wants details on Space Force plans to upgrade launch infrastructure
The House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces in its markup of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act raises concerns about the state of the U.S. space launch infrastructure.
DoD calls for broader dialogue on space rules of behavior
Guidelines issued by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for responsible space operations should be part of a wider conversation about how to maintain safety and security in space, a senior Pentagon official said July 26.
SpaceX or ULA to launch future Space Development Agency satellites
Launch services for Space Development Agency satellites will be procured under the National Security Space Launch program run by the U.S. Space Force.
Space Force extends Parsons’ contract for satellite ground services
Braxton Technologies, a company recently acquired by Parsons Corp., received a $139.4 million contract to continue development and prototyping of the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation ground system for satellite operations.
United Kingdom a potential site for future U.S. space surveillance radar
U.S. Space Force officials have begun discussions with the U.K. government about the possibility of building a deep-space radar site in the United Kingdom.
Peterson, Schriever, Cheyenne Mountain to become Space Force bases
Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station will become U.S. Space Force bases.
Space executives: Regulations and incentives needed to curtail collisions and debris
Safe deployment of satellites is going to be increasingly difficult in the absence of globally accepted rules and incentives to make space a sustainable environment, industry executives said.
Air Force satellite completes two-year experiment to study the medium Earth orbit environment
AFRL completed a two-year space experiment that will help better understand the effects of radiation on space hardware in medium Earth orbit.
Biden to nominate CSIS’ Andrew Hunter as top Air Force acquisition executive
President Biden intends to nominate defense procurement expert Andrew Hunter to be assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics.
Umbra and Hypergiant among firms selected for Air Force JADC2 contract
The U.S. Air Force awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts to 29 companies including Umbra, Kymeta, Hughes Network Systems and Hypergiant Galactic Systems to support the Defense Department’s campaign to ensure sensors from all the services feed data into a common network.
DIU director Michael Brown withdraws as Pentagon acquisition nominee
President Biden’s pick to serve as undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Michael Brown, has withdrawn his nomination.
National Reconnaissance Office official picked to run Space Force acquisitions command
President Biden has nominated the deputy director of the NRO Maj. Gen. Michael Guetlein for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command.
Missile Defense Agency confirms deployment of cubesats launched by Virgin Orbit
Two Missile Defense Agency cubesats launched June 30 on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne successfully began communicating with ground stations last week, the agency announced July 12.
