NASA has awarded five fifteen-month contracts totaling $145.8 million for the development of human landing system concepts to ensure a long-term human presence on the Moon. The winning companies are Blue Origin Federation, Dynetics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX. The contractors will have to factor in system performance, design, construction standards, mission assurance requirements, […]
Advancements in computing technology are allowing small satellites to move larger amounts of data across the globe, according to the U.S. Space Force’s chief of space operations. Gen. John Raymond, a speaker at a past Potomac Officers Club event and a two-time Wash100 winner, added that powerful microelectronics in spacecraft will ultimately benefit national security, […]
SpaceX has secured a launch services contract for NASA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U mission. The GOES-U satellite is designed to provide advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s weather, oceans and environment. It also comes equipped with real-time mapping tools for lightning activity and advanced monitoring capabilities for solar activity and space weather. The satellite […]
The Defense Innovation Unit has asked industry to submit proposals for small nuclear-powered engines that can support space missions beyond Earth orbit. According to a recently posted DIU solicitation, the Department of Defense is specifically looking for commercial solutions for “lightweight, portable, and long-duration power sources” that can provide propulsion and on-station power to enable […]
NASA has appointed Shannon Curry as the principal investigator for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission. Curry assumed her new role on Aug. 31 after serving as a planetary scientist and deputy assistant director of planetary science at the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory. She replaces the University of Colorado at Boulder’s […]
The U.S. Space Force is reportedly close to launching a new cybersecurity certification process for operators of commercial communications satellites constellations. Jared Reece, program analyst at the Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office, said the goal is to ensure that industry can be trusted to conduct proper cybersecurity assessments of their own systems, Breaking Defense […]
Computer software company SpiderOak has received a Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Air Force for work on its OrbitSecure secure communications system designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Under the $750,000 grant, the company will test the technology on military satellites and ground stations. The Air Force expects the result of […]
The Government Accountability Office said in a recent report that the U.S. military is not able to maximize the Mobile User Objective System despite it being operational for more than four years. MUOS is a narrowband satellite communication system that is meant to eventually replace the Navy’s Fleet Satellite and the Ultra High Frequency Follow-On […]
The U.S. Space Force has awarded mission-critical solutions provider ManTech a $476 million contract to support the Space Systems Command. Under the 10-year prime contract, ManTech will provide systems engineering solutions for the Los Angeles, California-headquartered command, which is tasked with developing and fielding lethal and resilient space capabilities for U.S. warfighters. The contract will […]
The Department of Defense has formed a new group whose job is to coordinate all efforts related to small satellites across all organizations under its purview. The newly-constituted body is made up of representatives from the Offices of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Acquisition and Sustainment, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday. Doug […]
