Propulsion system problems have forced NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to end its Lunar Flashlight mission. The Lunar Flashlight cubesat was launched as a rideshare payload on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in December 2022 to map ice in permanently shadowed regions near the moon’s south pole. The satellite, however, failed to reach the moon’s […]
Sen. Gary Peters has introduced a bill seeking the creation of an artificial intelligence training program for federal agency leaders. The Artificial Intelligence Leadership Training Act aims to improve the federal workforce’s skills in using AI systems and help government decision-makers better understand the capabilities, risks and ethical implications associated with AI, the office of […]
William LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and a past Potomac Officers Club speaker, highlighted the importance of research and analytics in decision-making and defense acquisitions during the 20th annual Acquisition Research Symposium kickoff address. In his speech, LaPlante, a two-time Wash100 awardee, noted that data-driven analytics is needed to monitor production […]
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Parallax Advanced Research a $4.4 million contract to perform research aimed at developing analytic engines capable of producing machine-generated strategies for warfare at a faster pace than humans. According to Van Parunak, senior research scientist at Parallax, his company is enhancing its Social Causality with Agents using Multiple […]
The Air Force Research Laboratory has selected eight universities to develop nanosatellites for Earth observation, communications and technology demonstration under the AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate-sponsored Mission Concept Program. MCP, in partnership with NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, aims to reduce the barriers hindering university teams from building smallsats and cubesats. Participating students will receive mentorship and guidance […]
The Space Development Agency has announced its plan to select two companies that will provide 100 Alpha satellites for the second tranche of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s Transport Layer. In a draft solicitation, SDA said each satellite will carry three optical communications terminals and Ka-band and Link 16 payloads. The draft request was posted […]
The U.S. Air Force’s 688th Cyberspace Wing has hosted the fourth Savage Cerberus cybersecurity exercise. The Cyberspace Wing is in charge of building, engineering and installing Air Force Network infrastructure and defending mission systems from cyber threats. According to Air Force Col. Mickey Jordan, 690th Cyberspace Operations Group commander, the event provided airmen with the […]
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking comments on the third revision of its draft guidelines for protecting controlled unclassified information. The changes made to the NIST Special Publication 800-171 aim to make it easier for federal agencies and government contractors to comply with cybersecurity requirements. Draft updates include increased alignment of the […]
Scale AI has begun deploying its large language model, called Donovan, on a classified network in partnership with the U.S. Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps to enable faster and more informed decision-making using artificial intelligence. The Donovan federal AI platform uses a machine learning technique that allows learning from human feedback to improve the technology and […]
Future Technologies Venture and Nokia have secured multiyear, multimillion-dollar contracts to provide private 5G network solutions to federal clients. Mike Loomis, general manager for Nokia’s Federal Division and a 4×24 member, described Future Technologies as an important strategic partner for Nokia’s federal business because of its experience in private cellular. The collaboration will provide customers […]
