Blue Canyon Technologies has delivered the first 6U cube satellites to NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. The CubeSats will be used to support Starling, an activity that would test technologies that would allow for autonomous spacecraft automation. The hardware delivery is part of a NASA contract that requires Blue Canyon to design and manufacture […]
The U.S. Space Force is seeking industry’s input on the feasibility of putting low-cost space domain awareness sensors in orbit as hosted payloads. In a request for information published Thursday, the newest military service said its ultimate aim is to augment the existing Space Surveillance Network and support the Combined Space Operations Center and the […]
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has begun the process of procuring commercial space services to fly its astronauts to the International Space Station, as part of efforts to extend the orbital facility’s usefulness. On Wednesday, the agency issued a request for information asking private space companies about their abilities to ferry personnel to and […]
The Senate Appropriations Committee is urging NASA to work on a second crewed lunar lander and wants the agency to select a second company to deliver the spacecraft. The request is part of a series of draft bills that were introduced on Monday. According to draft legislation released by the panel, NASA will receive $24.83 […]
A new defense spending bill by the Senate Appropriations Committee proposes a $500 million boost to the budget requested by the U.S. Space Force for fiscal year 2022. If passed, the Space Force’s total budget for FY2022 would increase to $17.9 billion. Under the proposed budget, the nascent service branch would receive $120 million for […]
The National Reconnaissance Office recently published its first solicitation for commercial space radar imagery as part of a larger effort to tap private-sector sources of space data. NRO Director Christopher Scolese said the request for bids represents a more agile approach to the acquisition of emerging remote sensing phenomenologies, such as commercial radar, hyperspectral imagery […]
NASA engineers are investigating issues with the Lucy spacecraft after the agency noticed that one of the two circular solar arrays failed to lock in place after launch on Saturday. NASA noted that apart from the issues with the solar panels, the Lockheed Martin-manufactured spacecraft is in healthy condition. According to a NASA statement issued […]
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has requested Congress to introduce an amendment into the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to hasten the appointment of the first space acquisition executive. Kendal, a three-time Wash100 winner, wishes that the new assistant secretary take office earlier than October 2022, as prescribed by the NDAA for fiscal 2020, SpaceNews […]
Los Angeles-based Embedded Ventures on Wednesday announced that it has signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Space Force to “collaboratively investigate the potential benefits of leveraging venture capital investment practices to accelerate the pace of change and innovation.” This marks the Space Force’s first cooperative agreement with a VC firm. Under the Cooperative Research […]
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded space-based refueling solutions provider Orbit Fab a cooperative research and development agreement to provide more information about the company’s space refueling port. Under the CRADA, Orbit Fab will share details about its Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface while the Air Force will advise on requirements and designs […]
