The US Space Force

[Forest Green]

BlackSky Secures $7 Million Contract Renewal for Space-Based Imagery and Analytics Services

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 01, 2024 - BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has secured a $7 million contract renewal to provide dynamic space-based imagery and analytics monitoring services to an established international government cu

www.spacewar.com

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1797698552535355865

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1797698552535355865

Air Force aims to field new moving target indication capability in 2027

The Air Force wants to start fielding new capabilities for moving target indication in 2027, DefenseScoop has learned.

defensescoop.com

GDIT's Project Enigma inches toward production contract - Breaking Defense

Project Enigma is a program designed to create a single-cloud digital environment where industry, academia and the DoD can work together on a shared network.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

ROC Stars: Air Force seeks more firms for cargo delivery via rocket - Breaking Defense

AFRL's fiscal 2025 budget plans show that the lab hopes to complete testing of the capability to air-drop cargo pallets down from Starship during FY25, and to launch a demonstration flight to "transport 30 to 100 tons of cargo to an austere site" in late FY25 or early FY26.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

F-35, Israel win big in House appropriators' $833B draft defense bill - Breaking Defense

The HAC-D's version of the spending bill contains a heavy focus on culture war issues, but does increase spending for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the Defense Innovation Unit.

breakingdefense.com

The Space Force’s $29.4 billion request was cut slightly to $28.6 billion, with reductions of about $400 million to both procurement and research and development accounts.

House appropriators also slapped down the Department of the Air Force’s proposed move of National Guard space units into the Space Force. Because the bill summary and text does not lay out explicit language laying out the exact scope of the prohibition, it remains to be seen how it compares with the language approved by HASC, which would allow the Space Force to absorb National Guard space units, but only if approved by that state’s governor.

 

[Forest Green]

DARPA project uses AI to flag space weapons, spy satellites

Through the DARPA project, Slingshot Aerospace created an AI tool to spot nefarious satellites that could be hiding in large constellations.

www.defensenews.com

US Space Force sorts through industry ideas to boost satellite sensors

Space Systems Command is sifting through an influx of ideas from companies to determine how they might shape future space domain awareness requirements.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Forest Green]

First test of space-based hypersonic tracking sensors 'within a week,' MDA director says - Breaking Defense

Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins told CSIS that he is "absolutely" trying to speed development of the Glide Phase Interceptor, but that any changes must keep the program "viable."

breakingdefense.com

Hide and seek: Despite sharper eyes on the heavens, sneaky sats can still find shadows - Breaking Defense

Hiding in the sun, launching mini satellites and radar absorbent materials are just some of the tricks nations are using to hide their military satellites in orbit.

breakingdefense.com

Space Rapid Capabilities Office slates $1B for dynamic space ops C2 - Breaking Defense

Under the contract, SpRCO's Rapid Resilient Command and Control project, nicknamed R2C2, will buy ground software in "bite-sized pieces" to support new Space Force satellites capable of rapid and sustained maneuver.

breakingdefense.sites.breakingmedia.com

 

[Forest Green]

US Space Force plans to boost competition for launch business. Will it work?

Incumbents with the National Security Space Launch mission may have too strong a hold on the program.

www.defensenews.com

Space Force’s Resilient GPS program draws skepticism from lawmakers

Lawmakers say the Space Force's plan to use proliferation to boost GPS resiliency may be flawed.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Forest Green]

Missile Defense Agency satellites track first hypersonic launch

The flight the satellites tracked was the first for MDA’s Hypersonic Testbed — a platform for various hypersonic experiments and advanced components.

www.defensenews.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1801679261301965095

View: https://x.com/defense_news/status/1801679261301965095

 

[Grey Havoc]

Space Force boots RTX from MEO missile warning/tracking program - Breaking Defense

"This was done because the RTX Epoch 1 development effort was facing significant cost growth from the original agreement baseline, projecting slips to the launch schedule, and had unresolved design challenges," a Space Systems Command spokesperson told Breaking Defense.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

Air-breathing satellites???

Redwire to Lead DARPA SabreSat VLEO Mission

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 18, 2024 - Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) announced it has secured a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to act as the prime mission integrator for an air-breathing satellite.

www.spacewar.com

US Space Force Awards Contracts to Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA for National Security Space Launch Phase 3

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024 - The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) has awarded National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts to Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA. The base Indefinite Delivery Indefinite

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Space Systems Command Grants Contracts for Space Laser Communication Prototypes

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 18, 2024 - The United States Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) has awarded four contracts to Blue Origin, CACI International Inc., General Atomics, and Viasat to develop space laser communication termi

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Frontier Technology Chosen for $1B Military Satellite Software Contract

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024 - Frontier Technology Inc. (FTI) has been selected by the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO) as one of twenty companies to compete for the Rapid Resilient Command and Control (R2C2) indefinit

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Vyoma Awards Aerospacelab Contract for Second Space Surveillance Satellite

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024 - Vyoma has awarded Aerospacelab a contract to build a microsatellite that will carry Vyoma's second Space Situational Awareness (SSA) optical payload, set for launch by the end of 2025. This mission

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[TomcatViP]

A gorgeous blend b/w a Super Saber and the Star Trek Enterprise

View: https://youtu.be/mln4kyXqWXw

We talked about that long time ago, with ionized atmospheric conditions and very low density that can assist sustainer engines (ionized particles to electric thrusters) and air assist maneuver for orbit transfers or, I suspect, evading targeting from IADS.

 

[Forest Green]

I bet you get really nice recon pictures too. Also well below the magnetosphere, I wonder what that means as regards space nuke EMP effects.

 

[dark sidius]

View attachment 732223
A gorgeous blend b/w a Super Saber and the Star Trek Enterprise

View: https://youtu.be/mln4kyXqWXw

We talked about that long time ago, with ionized atmospheric conditions and very low density that can assist sustainer engines (ionized particles to electric thrusters) and air assist maneuver for orbit transfers or, I suspect, evading targeting from IADS.

Star cruiser...

 

[jsport]

SDA to develop separate ground system for FOO Fighter 'fire control' sats - Breaking Defense

SDA Director Derek Tournear said he expects the new FOO Fighter ground segment to be up and running in December 2026, before the first satellites are launched.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

Cal Poly Releases Report on Outer Space Cyberattack Scenarios

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024 - The Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group has published a 95-page report on the rising threat of cyberattacks targeting space systems. Funded by a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, the

www.spacewar.com

US allies cite progress, but say more needed for collective response to space threats - Breaking Defense

US Space Command's recently realigned and renamed Joint Commercial Operations cell is one example of successful joint operations, agreed the four European space leaders.

breakingdefense.com

SPACECOM prepping data fusion pilot to create 'common operational picture' - Breaking Defense

Space domain awareness is one of the mission areas that SPACECOM Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting said currently needs improved command and control capabilities.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Forest Green]

Next-generation material for satellites could self-heal when exposed to cosmic rays

Rochester NY (SPX) Jun 25, 2024 - The space environment is harsh and full of extreme radiation. Scientists designing spacecraft and satellites need materials that can withstand these conditions. In a paper published in January

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[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1806326633772486981

View: https://x.com/northropgrumman/status/1806326633772486981

https://twitter.com/x/status/1806326671861035150

View: https://x.com/northropgrumman/status/1806326671861035150

Northrop Grumman Ships Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission Satellites to Launch Site

DULLES, Va. – June 21, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) delivered its two-satellite constellation to the launch site for Space Norway's Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM). These satellites will bring commercial broadband and...

news.northropgrumman.com

Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission | Northrop Grumman

Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission will deliver game-changing broadband coverage of the Arctic maritime domain in partnership with our international allies

www.northropgrumman.com

 

[Forest Green]

Space Force faces 'bellicose' PLA willing to risk escalation: RAND - Breaking Defense

The RAND study warns that due to "inflated threat perceptions" about US intentions, Chinese leaders tend to "interpret U.S.-led efforts to establish crisis communication mechanisms or broader space norms as tools to control China's behavior."

breakingdefense.com

Space Force working with SpaceX to closely watch falling Starlinks - Breaking Defense

The Space Force today circulated a fact sheet explaining what the service called a "proactive" and "collaborative" effort to keep tabs on Starlink re-entries as SpaceX begins to de-orbit some 100 early variants.

breakingdefense.com

SpaceX launches U.S. spy satellites from Vandenberg

Washington DC (UPI) Jun 29, 2024 - SpaceX launched spy satellites for the United States from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Friday night.

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Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission Prepares for Launch

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2024 - Space Systems Command's (SSC) two Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization (EPS-R) payloads, integrated with Space Norway's Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) vehicles, have arrived at Vandenbe

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Raytheon Awarded Contract to Develop Landsat Next Instruments

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2024 - Raytheon, a division of RTX (NYSE: RTX), has secured a $506 million contract from NASA to design and build the Landsat Next Instrument Suite (LandIS), featuring three advanced space instruments, wit

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