Budget uncertainties for 2024 have prompted NASA to slow down its Mars Sample Return work, an official said Monday. Speaking at a Planetary Science Advisory Committee meeting, Sandra Connelly, deputy associate administrator for science at NASA, said the agency ordered three MSR field centers to reduce their activities. MSR currently operates on an $822.3 million […]
Denton Gibson has taken on the position of launch director for the Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Alongside senior Launch Director Tim Dunn, Gibson will oversee the execution of science and robotic missions and lead a team that handles NASA-managed launch vehicle services, NASA said Monday. Dunn and Gibson are expected to […]
The U.S. Space Command is seeking to improve its relationship with the academic community to address problems plaguing the country’s space community. Gen. James Dickinson, commander of the Space Command, said the academia is composed of the most brilliant minds that could help USSPACECOM address its challenges. To foster collaboration with leading researchers and educational […]
Australia-based space flight technology provider Saber Astronautics has secured a 15-month, $1.2 million Small Business Technology Transfer Phase 2 contract from the U.S. Space Force for data visualization software development. The contractor will work with Purdue University to develop Space Cockpit, a visualization platform the company started working on in 2019. Under the contract, Saber […]
Bulgaria has become the 32nd country to sign a set of principles to guide international cooperation on space exploration. Established in 2020, the Artemis Accords advance obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and strengthen the commitments of participating nations to various agreements and best practices, NASA said Thursday. In a recent signing ceremony, officials […]
NASA sent supplies, science experiments and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station on Thursday. SpaceX helped launch the 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission, carrying an estimated 6,500 pounds of cargo, using the uncrewed Dragon spacecraft, NASA said. NASA’s Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low-Earth-Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal is one of the technologies […]
Ball Aerospace, Parsons, General Dynamics and Omni Federal have been awarded contracts for Phase 1 of the Space Systems Command’s Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution Command and Control project. The contracts, valued at $9.75 million per company, were awarded via the SSC’s Space Enterprise Consortium, according to consortium manager NSTXL. The Phase 1 awards are […]
The U.S. Army has awarded Intelsat a satellite communications-as-a-managed service contract requiring the company to deliver multi-orbit communications capabilities. Under the satcom-as-a-service contract, Intelsat will provide end-to-end managed connectivity subscription services, allowing the Army to link with commercial teleports and internet services. The company will also provide its Intelsat Flex services, enabling geostationary-orbit and low-Earth […]
Northrop Grumman has completed thermal vacuum tests for a two-satellite constellation designed to enable broadband communications in the northern polar region. According to Northrop, the first of two Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites underwent vibration testing, with another test to follow for the second satellite. ASBM is a two-satellite constellation carrying Ka-band payloads for Viasat, […]
The Space Development Agency is soliciting industry feedback on optical communications waveforms to inform how the agency will integrate them into the third and future transport layer tranches of the Proliferated Warfighter Defense Architecture. According to the SDA, it plans to commence planning for the Tranche 3 Transport Layer in fiscal year 2024, with satellite […]
