NOAA Launches Initiative to Inform Future Space Situational Awareness System

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Commerce has launched Consolidated Pathfinder, a limited-term project to support the agency’s Traffic Coordinator System for Space. Under Consolidated Pathfinder, NOAA tasked Pennsylvania-based company COMSPOC to provide orbit determination services. The agency also placed orders with the California-based companies LeoLabs and Slingshot Aerospace to provide space […]

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Lawrence Carter

Michael Guetlein Urges Broader Approach to Responsive Space

Gen. Michael Guetlein, the U.S. Space Force’s vice chief of space operations, has called on his organization to consider alternative approaches to responsive space beyond launching replacements for satellites destroyed by adversaries. Speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies panel discussion, he suggested that the Space Force could form agreements with allies or […]

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Noah Lowell

Blue Origin, SpaceX to Build Large Cargo Lunar Landing Systems for Artemis Project

NASA is working with two contractors to develop a space vehicle capable of delivering large cargo to the moon. In a Jan. 9 announcement, the U.S. space agency announced that it exercised an option under the Human Landing System contract awarded to Blue Origin and SpaceX. The modification covers the design and development of crewed […]

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Brianne Monterey

John Plumb Explains Update to Pentagon Space Program Classification Policy

John Plumb, the Pentagon’s assistant secretary for space policy, has shared that a recent classification policy update is meant to facilitate information sharing internally and with allies and industry. He told reporters that the new memo, signed by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in late 2023, “completely rewrites” a 20-year-old document that is outdated for […]

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Noah Lowell

NASA Transmits Laser From Orbiter to Indian Lunar Lander

NASA has transmitted a laser beam from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to India’s Vikram lander located on the lunar surface. On Dec. 12, the orbiter pointed its laser altimeter toward Vikram, located near the Manzinus crater on the moon’s South Pole. The laser was received by NASA’s Laser Retroreflector Array aboard Vikram after traveling around […]

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Lawrence Carter

NASA Continues Space Launch System Rocket Testing for Future Artemis Missions

NASA welcomed 2024 with another round of tests for the Space Launch System rocket in support of future Artemis missions. On Wednesday, the U.S. space agency conducted a critical test series to obtain data that will help in producing new RS-25 engines by Aerojet Rocketdyne, a L3Harris Technologies subsidiary. The January 2024 test comes after […]

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Brianne Monterey

SDA Eyes T2TL Gamma Satellites Capable of Hosting New Military Communications Payloads

The Space Development Agency is planning to buy 20 satellites that will be used for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer Gamma military communications network. According to the SDA’s draft solicitation, the satellites will carry Warlock, a new type of communications node that would transmit targeting information and “close future kill chains.” T2TL Gamma is designed […]

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Lawrence Carter

NASA Selects 12 Organizations to Provide Engineering, Mission Integration Services for ISS

NASA and 11 companies and one university will be working to ensure seamless operations at the International Space Station. The space agency announced that it had selected the companies to work on the $478 million Research, Engineering and Mission Integration Services-2 contract. Under the deal, the contractors will provide several support services, including ground hardware, […]

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Brianne Monterey

Kurt Vogel Assumes Leadership of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has announced the appointment of Kurt Vogel as associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate, effective immediately. Vogel will handle executive leadership, strategic planning and management of all space technology programs financed by the unit’s $1.2 billion budget, NASA said. James Reuter, the previous STMD head, retired in 2023. Prasun […]

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Noah Lowell

NGA Solicits Commercially Available GEOINT Data Under Luno Program

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency plans to use commercially available Earth observation data for its Luno program. According to an NGA request for proposals, the program aims to use commercial satellite imagery and data analytics to improve the agency’s global monitoring capabilities. NGA also shared that under Luno, it intends to procure products, data and services […]

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Lawrence Carter

Space | GovCon News | POC | Page 23