Appropriations, Procurement, and Acquisitions
Space Force budget presents a bridge strategy for missile warning, tracking architecture (C4ISRNet) Service officials say the strategy allows them to maintain the current capability while exploring options for a more resilient missile warning and tracking architecture.
NRO Soon Plans Solicitation For Commercial Radio Frequency Sensing (Defense Daily) The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) this summer expects to seek proposals from commercial providers of satellite-based radio frequency
After Ukraine success, NRO says electro-optical imagery contracts due this summer (Breaking Defense) Payam Banazadeh, CEO of Capella Space, told Breaking Defense that the Ukraine war has been a "critical place for the industry to show itself," but NRO says it isn't accelerating the SAR acquisition process.
NGA shifting tech investment to reflect 'GEOINT revolution' (Breaking Defense) "The flood of new imagery capabilities is overwhelming. Data driven technologies like artificial intelligence are essential," Gen. Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, told the annual GEOINT conference today.
NATO considers buying commercial imagery, irking US spy sat agencies: Sources (Breaking Defense) It is unclear whether the US Intelligence Community has directly responded to NATO's call for information from allies on existing and emerging IMINT capabilities.
Defense Innovation Unit opens Chicago office as part of Midwest expansion (C4ISRNet) The new DIU hub will help the office tab into commercial innovation in the Midwest region.
SSi Canada Buys Additional SES Capacity to Support Government Broadband (Via Satellite) SSi Canada purchased additional SES capacity to expand broadband access in Northern Canada, including the Nunavut territory. Under the agreement announced
NASA Contracts SpaceX, Amazon, Viasat, and Others for TDRS Replacement System (Via Satellite) NASA is working with six American satellite communications companies to develop commercial near-Earth space communication services. On Wednesday, the
Space Business and Market Trends
Capella Raises $97M in Series C Round (Via Satellite) Capella Space raised $97 million in its Series C financing round, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) company announced on Monday. NightDragon led the
Virgin Orbit Renames Government Subsidiary (Via Satellite) Virgin Orbit renamed its U.S. government subsidiary, formerly VOX Space, as Virgin Orbit National Systems. Virgin Orbit National Systems President and
Orbital Insight Adds Satellogic Imagery to its Platform (Via Satellite) Orbital Insight is adding Satellogic’s satellite imagery into its value-add, reseller platform, the companies announced Monday. Orbital Insight operates
GEOINT Satellite Operators Look Toward an Increasingly Commercial Future (Satellite Today) Geospatial data providers are ready to tap into the commercial market, incorporating analytics and advanced tech to reach a plethora of non-government customers.
Iridium Boosts Revenue 15% in the First Quarter of 2022 (Via Satellite) Iridium Communications reported 15% revenue growth in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the first quarter of 2021. The satellite operator on Tuesday
Kathy Warden Projects Another Year of Double-Digit Growth for Northrop Grumman Space in 2022 (Via Satellite) Northrop Grumman’s Space Segment increased sales by 13% in the first quarter of 2021, partially offsetting an overall dip in sales during the quarter.
Hispasat CEO Says Axess Acquisition Transforms Operator into a Service Company (Via Satellite) The satellite industry is going through a period of consolidation down the value chain. At SATELLITE 2022, two such deals were announced, with SES
Boeing Defense, Space & Security Revenue Drops $1.7B in the First Quarter (Via Satellite) The Defense, Space & Security segment of The Boeing Company took a hit in the first quarter of 2022, reporting a 24% dip in revenue compared to the
Northrop Grumman Space CTO Outlines Her Vision for Sustainable Space (Via Satellite) Sarah Schellpfeffer, CTO of Northrop Grumman’s Space sector, recently joined the opening general session at SATELLITE, which looked at how satellite
‘There's a Lot More Left for Me to Do’ — Mynaric CCO Tina Ghataore is Just Getting Started (Satellite Today) Satellite Executive of the Year winner and Mynaric CCO Tina Ghataore talks with Via Satellite about commercializing the company's laser communication terminals while building an inclusive, "get it done" team culture.
AST SpaceMobile Hires Veteran Cogent Exec as New CFO (Via Satellite) Space-based cellular broadband company AST SpaceMobile hired finance and telecom banking veteran Sean Wallace as its new Executive Vice President and CFO.
Launch Services
NRO Launches Mission on Reused SpaceX Booster for the First Time (Via Satellite) SpaceX launched a classified satellite early Sunday morning for the National Reconnaissance Office, using a flight-proven booster, marking the first time
Sending Maine to Space (Maine Spaceport) The Maine Spaceport Initiative seeks to drive Maine’s path forward in the New Space Economy.
Xi calls on Wenchang to build world-class spaceport (Space Daily) Wenchang (XNA) Apr 15, 2022 -
President Xi Jinping has called on the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan to build itself into a world-class spaceport.
Xi made the remark on Tuesday aftern
SpaceX launches second U.S. reconnaissance satellite on Falcon 9 rocket (UPI) SpaceX on Sunday successfully launched a U.S. spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office on its Falcon 9 rocket.
US Space Force
To infinity and beyond: New Space Force unit to monitor 'xGEO' beyond Earth's orbit (Breaking Defense) Space Force has established the new 19th Space Defense Squadron to monitor what officials now refer to as "xGEO" space.
Space Force team asks warfighters: What do you need from space ISR? (Breaking Defense) "Our goal is to ultimately develop a comprehensive set of needs and gap analysis with traceable documentation of the joint warfighter requirements for space," said Lt. Gen. Chance Saltzman, before investing in solutions.
USSF's Combined Full- and Part-Time Component Would Be Called the 'Space Component (Air Force Magazine) The Space Force wants to combine the Active and reserve components into one, which it will call the "Space Component."
Dozens of Air Force and Space Force Jobs Now Eligible for Reenlistment Bonuses (Military.com) The Air Force and Space Force announced that there would be reenlistment bonuses available for 63 job fields.
Air Force Academy Will Have First Permanent Space Force Professor as More Cadets Become Guardians (Military.com) Air Force Col. Luke Sauter, a permanent professor and head of the school's astronautics department, will transfer into the Space Force on Friday during a formal ceremony.
A $1.8 Million Home for Space Force's Top Enlisted Leader Is Included in the 2023 Budget Request (Military.com) The request for a 3,500-square-foot home for the chief master sergeant of the Space Force is tucked away in the $230 million requested to fix privatized base housing.
Military Space Operations
The anti-satellite test ban must not undermine deterrence (Defense News) The U.S. must convince its adversaries they cannot destroy America's critical satellites while retaining theirs.
Space Fence now has a direct link to key Space Force data hub (C4ISRNet) The milestone represents the first direct-connect between the Space Force's Unified Data Library and a sensor in the Space Surveillance Network.
Navy’s Cyberspace Boss: 5-domain conflict is the new norm (DVIDS) Vice Adm. Ross Myers, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), participated in the 5th Joint Service Academy Cybersecurity Summit, Apr. 20.
Russia’s ‘Satan II’ nuclear missile will be ready by autumn, warns country’s space chief (The Telegraph) Kremlin has described missile – which has been called the most dangerous weapon in the world – as a ‘present to Nato’
Products, Services, and Solutions
Momentus Clears FCC Regulatory Hurdle for Next Month's Vigoride Launch (Via Satellite) Space transportation and infrastructure services company Momentus received a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday
Hawaiian Airlines to Offer Starlink In-Flight Connectivity from SpaceX (Via Satellite) Hawaiian Airlines is the first major airline to reach an agreement with SpaceX to add in-flight connectivity (IFC) service enabled by Starlink satellites
SpaceX Signs JSX as First Airline for Starlink In-flight Connectivity Service (Via Satellite) JSX, the California-based public charter operator, will become the first airline to operate aircraft using SpaceX’s Starlink satellites for in-flight
Hispasat Wins Turnkey LTE Backhaul Deal in Mexico (Via Satellite) Hispasat has won a new satellite backhaul deal in Mexico, the company announced April 28. The Spanish satellite operator will provide a satellite backhaul
Amazon CEO Estimates Total Market Size for Kuiper Constellation at 300-400 Million Customers (Via Satellite) Amazon CEO Andy Jassy mentioned the company’s Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation Kuiper in his first letter to shareholders, writing that
Reach Ten Communication to Provide Gateway for Measat-3d (Via Satellite) Measat is working with Reach Ten Communication on the new Measat-3d high throughput satellite (HTS) East Malaysia Gateway project, Measat announced April
Planet Says Pelican Satellites Will Offer 30-Centimeter Resolution (Via Satellite) Planet Labs announced Thursday that its next-generation Pelican constellation will provide up to 30 cm resolution. The constellation is also designed for
Intelsat Launches VideoNow Program Guide for G-19 Satellite (Via Satellite) Intelsat announced Thursday it is launching VideoNow, a new electronic program guide to help viewers looking for free-to-air (FTA) content on
Spire Adds New Weather Insights for the Maritime Industry (Via Satellite) Spire Global is rolling out new weather solutions for the maritime industry that the company says can analyze how upcoming weather conditions affect
Kymeta to Distribute OneWeb Technologies LEO Services to the US Government (Via Satellite) Kymeta has reached an agreement to distribute OneWeb connectivity services to the U.S. government in partnership with OneWeb’s government subsidiary,
JSAT Signs Maritime Deal for Nippon Maru Cruise Ship (Via Satellite) Sky Perfect JSAT (JSAT) has signed a new maritime deal with Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line (MOPAS) to upgrade the consumer experience with better broadband.
Cybersecurity in Orbit: Sollensys Signs ETA Space (Yahoo Finance) The deal lays a path to keep important test data - expected to be in orbit by 2024 - safe from the threat of hacking. The announcement was made by Sollensys CEO Don Beavers and Eta Space CEO Bill Notardonato, a 30- year NASA veteran.
Inmarsat Debuts New Cyber Maritime Offering for Fleet Xpress (Via Satellite) Inmarsat is launching a new service designed to provide greater cyber protection to its maritime customers. The product, Fleet Secure Unified Threat
UltiSat Signs OneWeb Distribution Agreement (Via Satellite) UltiSat signed a distribution agreement with OneWeb government subsidiary OneWeb Technologies. UltiSat — a subsidiary of Speedcast that provides
Indiana-based Intelinair Launches New Satellite and Aerial Imaging Software for Ag Retailers (95.3 MNC) A screenshot of the AGMRI software. Photo provided by Intelinair. If you’re an ag retailer and want a birds-eye view of how your customer’s farmlands and crops are doing in terms of their health, there’s a new consulting software program available using satellite and aerial technology. Intelinair, an automated crop intelligence company based out of...
SpaceX Releases New Starlink Mesh Wi-Fi Router Priced at US $130 (iPhone in Canada Blog) The router lets Starlink customers easily extend their Wi-Fi internet reach.
Satellite and Ground Station Operations
Chinese Shiyan-10 satellite reappears in new Molniya orbit months after launch anomaly (SpaceNews) Classified Chinese Shiyan-10 has been tracked operating in a specialized orbit, six months after an anomaly during launch appeared to leave it stranded in an initial transfer orbit.
Policy, Strategy, and Regulation
Russia Will Quit International Space Station Over Sanctions (Bloomberg) Russia space agency head says partners to get 12 months notice. Agency had earlier this month threated to end ISS missions.
NIST Seeks Comment on Cybersecurity Framework for PNT Ground Systems (Via Satellite) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking comments on a cybersecurity framework for satellite ground systems in positioning,
US pledges no destructive ASAT missile tests, urges international norm (Breaking Defense) Until now, no US administration was willing to do anything formal, even if only making a public pledge, that would tie the military's hands in any way regarding the use of ASATs.
FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Advances National Security Norms in Space (The White House) New U.S. Commitment on Destructive Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite Missile Testing Today at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, Vice President
French court revokes SpaceX's Starlink internet license, citing monopolization concerns (Space.com) The country's telecoms regulator will have to conduct a public consultation first.
Richard DalBello to Lead NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce (Via Satellite) Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo named Richard DalBello as the new director of NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce (OSC) on Wednesday. DalBello will
Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
NASA Issues $95M in SBIR Phase II Financing to 110 Small Businesses (Via Satellite) NASA issued early-stage Phase II 's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) financing to 110 U.S. small businesses to support technology development on
The US military needs a modernized GPS capability to maintain superiority (Defense News) The replacement of outdated GPS satellites in the constellation has not kept pace with our international competition and emerging global threats.
AFRL opens new space lab (Intelligence Community News) The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate held a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 11 to open a new facility named Skywave Technology Laboratory. The 3,500 square foot, $3.5 million lab is located in a remote area on Kirtland AFB.
Northrop Grumman developing sovereign secure communication capability for Australia (Space War) Brisbane, Australia (SPX) Apr 14, 2022 -
Northrop Grumman Australia (NYSE: NOC) has entered into an agreement with Australian electronics engineering company IntelliDesign for hardware design services and contract manufacturing of Secure C
Antennas: The hard physics challenge for Space Force 'hybrid' SATCOM plan (Breaking Defense) The Army, in particular, is looking for a "magic bullet" — one antenna that can receive SATCOM signals from constellations in LEO, MEO and GEO. But it may be disappointed due to the laws of physics, says Rick Lober, VP of defense and intelligence systems at Hughes.
AFRL releases ASTRO RFP - Intelligence Community News (Intelligence Community News) On April 21, the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) released the request for proposals (RFP) for the Advanced Space Technology Research and Optimization (ASTRO) acquisition. Proposals are due by 4:00 p.m. Mountain on June 6.
Space Technology
The Quality of Service Challenge for NGSO Constellations (Via Satellite) Until recently our industry thought that it could make money by connecting the unconnected. As a result, Non-Geostationary (NGSO) operators and startups
AST SpaceMobile CSO Details Company's Challenge to the Satellite to Cell Paradigm (Via Satellite) AST SpaceMobile is generating a lot of interest as it nears the launch this summer of Bluewalker 3, a satellite designed to connect directly with
Sky Perfect JSAT and NTT Form Space Compass to Establish an Optical Data Relay Network (Via Satellite) Sky Perfect JSAT and Japanese telco NTT are working together to form a new joint venture, Space Compass Corporation, to establish an integrated space
Flat Panel to the Rescue: Antenna Manufacturers Invest in Emerging Technologies to Meet New Demands (Satellite Today) The antenna market faces great opportunities and enormous pressures. New LEO and MEO constellations will create huge new markets of end users, but will require exquisite technical solutions to meet their demands for connectivity and operators’ requirements for increasing agility across orbits and frequency bands. The key to success will be implementing new technologies to allow manufacturing of next generation precision flat panel antennas at a market-friendly price point.
As Satellite Images Reshape Conflict, Worries Mount About Keeping Them Safe (Defense One) Radio data collected from space is the next frontier.
SpaceX Launches Four Astronauts To The International Space Station In One Of The Most Diverse Missions Ever (Forbes) SpaceX’s Crew-4 mission includes one of the most diverse crews ever sent to the International Space Station for a long-term mission.
Intelligence Community is Rapidly Delivering Commercial Satellite Imagery to Ukraine, NGA Official Says (Via Satellite) AURORA, Colo.—Advances in commercial satellite imagery collection and dissemination have enabled the U.S. intelligence community to provide commercial
How One Company Is Solving The Space Junk Problem (SlashGear.com) Massive amounts of pieces of space junk float around our planet. One company has a solution for avoiding said space junk as we travel beyond it.
Space Science
NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Heads to Cape Canaveral (Wired) This August, following tests at the launch site, the probe will voyage to the middle of the solar system to do the first detailed study of a mostly metal asteroid.
Raytheon Intelligence & Space announces partnership with Space Foundation, expands two STEM programs (Spaceref) Raytheon Intelligence & Space announces partnership with Space Foundation, expands two STEM programs - SpaceRef
Threats and Risks to Space Systems
US eyes proposal to prohibit tampering with national security satellite C2 systems (Breaking Defense) "We recognize our ASAT commitment doesn't cover all ASAT threats, including space based ASAT systems. But we think it is important to take a first step to address the most pressing threats," said Eric Desautels, a senior State Department official involved in negotiating international accords.
Space Command’s Lt. Gen John Shaw Says Space Is 'Under Threat' (Wired) In an exclusive interview, the military branch’s second in command talks about junk in orbit, cyberattacks, satellite vulnerabilities, and Russia's war in Ukraine.
Allied cyber authorities warn 'evolving intelligence' points to incoming Russian cyber attacks (Breaking Defense) Cyber authorities "urge critical infrastructure network defenders to prepare for and mitigate potential cyber threats — including destructive malware, ransomware, DDoS attacks, and cyber espionage — by hardening their cyber defenses and performing due diligence in identifying indicators of malicious activity,” the advisory states.
SpaceX shut down a Russian electromagnetic warfare attack in Ukraine last month — and the Pentagon is taking notes (Defense News) “The next day, Starlink had slung a line of code and fixed it," said Pentagon electronic warfare director Dave Tremper. "And how they did that was eye-watering to me."
U.S. Pentagon Praises Starlink’s Resistance to Jamming, Hacking Attempts (Redorbit) In February 2022, SpaceX sent Starlink terminals to Ukraine and activated its satellite Internet service for the country. In March 2022, it beefed up Starlink’s ability to resist jamming attempts. Now the U.S. Pentagon has praised Starlink’s ability to resist Russia’s jamming and hacking attempts. Russia had disrupted other forms of communication during its invasion … Continue reading "U.S. Pentagon Praises Starlink’s Resistance to Jamming, Hacking Attempts"
SpaceX beating Russian jamming attack was 'eyewatering': DoD official (Breaking Defense) “The way that Starlink was able to upgrade when a threat showed up, we need to be able to have that ability," said Dave Tremper, the Pentagon's director of electronic warfare. "We have to be able to change our electromagnetic posture, to be able to change very dynamically what we're trying to do without losing capability along the way.”
Miscellanea
Putin, Gagarin and the great lie of Russian space supremacy (The Telegraph) Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is one of his nation’s greatest heroes, representing Russian might and glory – but his triumph was a Soviet façade
Air Force Raises a Last Glass to the Final Doolittle Raider (Defense One) The children of Lt. Col. Dick Cole say farewell to the last of 80 men who flew the historic 1942 mission.
A neuroscientist explains why intelligent aliens are almost certainly out there (Raw Story) We are living it totally crazy times, and if you don’t think so, you haven’t been paying attention. For the first time in modern history, it is no longer fringe to believe in UFOs. Unidentified Flying Objects that move in ways that seem to be leagues beyond today’s technology have been captured on ...