Military
Space Force signals demand for commercial weather data, but will the industry deliver?
Military needs for weather data such as cloud coverage and theater weather imagery currently cannot be met by the commercial industry and likely will require significant new investment.
Report: Nuclear propulsion would help military satellites maneuver out of harm’s way
Michael Leahy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said nuclear propulsion could give the U.S. military an advantage over enemies by making satellites more maneuverable and less vulnerable to attack.
Space Force chief technologist hints at future plans to build a digital infrastructure
Lisa Costa, chief technology and innovation officer of the U.S. Space Force, said the service is eyeing investments in edge computing, data centers in space and other technologies needed to build a digital infrastructure.
DoD space policy nominee highlights complex security challenges facing U.S.
John Plumb, president Biden's nominee to be assistant secretary of defense for space policy, told lawmakers that the United States has to prepare for the possibility of “conflict extending to, or originating in space.”
Pentagon warns hundreds of programs in limbo until Congress passes full-year budget
U.S. military satellite procurements and contracts for launch services have been put on hold and cannot move forward until Congress passes a full-year defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022.
Space Force on track to absorb Space Development Agency this fall
The Space Development Agency, created in 2019 as a separate entity under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, will be transferred to the U.S. Space Force in October, the agency’s director confirmed Jan. 12.
HawkEye 360 wins $15.5 million AFRL contract
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded HawkEye 360 a $15.5 million contract to provide radio frequency analytics research and development, and to help the government test and evaluate its hybrid space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture.
Launch ranges lack spare parts to support growing demand
The Space Force lacks spare parts for much of the equipment needed to support launches from the Eastern and Western Ranges, an issue that could loom larger as launch activities at both spaceports increase.
Biden nominates Navy admiral to run National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
President Biden has nominated U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth to be the next director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, the. Defense Department announced Jan. 10.
Defense Innovation Unit taps Lyten to develop high-performance batteries for small satellites
Lyten, a battery manufacturer based in California, has prototyped an advanced battery design for small satellites under a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit.
Space Force to take a fresh look at communications satellite needs
What mix of satellites will be needed to meet rising demand for connectivity will be the subject of a deep-dive study by the U.S. Space Force.
Space debris expert warns U.S. ‘woefully behind’ in efforts to clean up junk in orbit
The United States is a space superpower but is not doing as much as other nations to solve the problem of orbital debris, an industry expert said Jan. 6.
Space Force to use navigation data from LEO constellations to detect electronic interference
Under a $2 million contract from the U.S. Space Force, Slingshot Aerospace will develop an analytics tool that uses location data from commercial satellites in low Earth orbit to identify potential sources of electronic interference on the ground.
Space Force wants to help fund technologies to recycle, reuse or remove space debris
Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson in a video released Jan. 5 called on the private sector to help clean up space junk.
China closes record-breaking year with orbital launches from Jiuquan and Xichang
China successfully conducted its 54th and 55th orbital launches of 2021 Dec. 29, launching satellites from the Jiuquan and Xichang spaceports within hours of each other.
Blue Origin joins U.S. military ‘rocket cargo’ program
Blue Origin has signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. military to explore the possibility of using its rockets to transport cargo and people around the world.
