Signals & Space Monthly Briefing

March 2020

Prepared by the CyberWire (Monday, March 2, 2020) Supply chain cyberattack: ransomware hits Visser Precision. Visser Precision disclosed over the weekend that it had been the victim of a cyberattack. TechCrunch reports that the attack was a ransomware infection, specifically an attack using the DoppelPaymer ransomware strain. Visser said in a brief statement to TechCrunch that the company “continues its comprehensive investigation of the attack, and business is operating normally.” Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts the victim's files, rendering them unusable until the victim pays a ransom in exchange for the attacker's provision of decryption keys. The keys usually afford the victim the ability to unlock their affected files. The recent trend in cybercrime is for ransomware to steal data as well as encrypting it, and DoppelPaymer has exactly that functionality. If the criminals first exfiltrate, then encrypt, the victims' data, they gain additional leverage: should the victims not pay the ransom, the criminals can threaten them with release of sensitive information stolen in the course of the attack. According to Tom's Guide, this appears to be the case at Visser. Security firm Emsisoft told TechCrunch that they had found a website that listed the files stolen in the incident. On display were folders named for Visser customers (those included Tesla, SpaceX, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin). Some but not all of the files were available for download, as has become the normal criminal practice in malware cases. Downloadable files on offer included non-disclosure agreements between Visser and SpaceX. Another file was technical: a partial schematic for a missile antenna marked “Lockheed Martin proprietary information.” Visser Precision is a Denver-based parts manufacturer that offers "metal and plastic 3D printing, 5-axis CNC machining, injection mold building, and metal additive manufacturing" for a range of industries, including major aerospace companies. Visser's customers include SpaceX, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. Ransomware is most commonly delivered by phishing attacks, emails sent to the target that carry a malicious payload. When someone in the targeted organization opens and interacts with the phishing email, typically by opening an attached file or clicking a link in the body of the email, the process of infecting the enterprise begins. While Visser says it's been able to work through the attack and continue operations, ransomware attacks have shown increasing ability to disrupt industrial operations. Companies may wish to consider the third-party cyber risk to which their suppliers expose them. That risk extends not only to the possibility of losing intellectual property, but also to the business risk of delays in receiving components and the cyber risk of a malware infection spreading from their partners. As Fifth Domain reminds us, it's worth noting, for companies who do contract work for the US Department of Defense, that the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification version 1.0 was released at the end of January, and provides cybersecurity guidelines for Defense contractors. Close encounters: benign. The Defense Innovation Unit is interested in developing methods of servicing satellites in orbit. C4ISRNET summarizes the elements of a solicitation that closed on February 16th in a way that gives a sense of what the US Defense Department is interested in pursuing. The solicitation called out four capabilities: Light utility m-OLV. This vehicle would be able to carry one or more payloads, and should have sufficient propellant to move one payload from low-Earth to geostationary orbit "with guidance and control to support cooperative rendezvous, proximity operations and release of its payload at the end of the transit." Its payloads would have a cumulative mass of up to fifty kilograms. Heavy utility m-OLV. Similar to the light utility m-OLV, but with a total payload capacity of at least five-hundred kilograms, the heavy utility m-OLV would carry enough propellant for both persistent operations and for maneuver to a different orbit. It would have "guidance and control to support cooperative rendezvous, proximity operations, and berthing with a space outpost or servicer." Fuel depot. This vehicle would store and transport chemical or electrical propellant that, once transferred to another satellite, would enable that second spacecraft to move from low-Earth to geostationary orbit. "The depot should include the necessary mechanisms, sensors and controls to couple the customer vehicle to the depot for refueling." Ride-sharing approach. This technology would "provide transport of detachable payloads or propellant to an m-OLV or an outpost in geostationary, cislunar or another exotic orbit." Similar capabilities were demonstrated this past month. On February 25th, in what's being characterized as the first in-orbit commercial servicing of a satellite, Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) successfully docked with two-decades-old Intelsat-901, which had been parked, according to Space News, in a "graveyard orbit three-hundred kilometers above the geostationary arc." MEV-1 will remain docked with Intelsat-901 while it returns the communications satellite to its intended orbit. The operation is intended to extend Intelsat-901's life by at least five years. Close encounters: arguably malign. The ability to approach, inspect, and interact with satellites in orbit represents an obvious dual-use capability. A Russian satellite, Kosmos 2542 has approached a US reconnaissance satellite (USA 245) MIT Technology Review reports. Kosmos 2542 is now "shadowing" the American spacecraft in low-Earth orbit at a distance of less than three-hundred kilometers. Russia says that Kosmos 2542 represents a test of satellite inspection technologies that could be used to observe and possibly service Russia's own spacecraft. The test involves a "parent satellite" which deploys a daughter, sub-satellite in its vicinity, and then closes with the daughter craft to image it. There is indeed a parent-daughter pair in Kosmos 2542, but their behavior seems inconsistent with anything other than cozying up to the US spacecraft. Why it would be doing so is a matter for speculation, but most observers conclude that the Russians are interested in the capabilities and operations of USA 245. The US and its allies are predictably unhappy with this activity. "This is unusual and disturbing behavior and has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space," Space Force chief of space operations General John Raymond told Business Insider, adding that "the United States finds these recent activities to be concerning and do not reflect the behavior of a responsible spacefaring nation." “Of course, it is a threat to our allies,” Général d'armée Aérienne André Lanata, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, told the Washington Examiner. He sees Kosmos 2542 as part of ongoing Russian efforts to develop ways of interfering with other countries' spacecraft. Collision avoidance in Earth orbit. There's some controversy over how to handle collision avoidance in space, C4ISRNET reports. Researchers argue that the models used to estimate the risk of collision are flawed, and lead to systematic underestimation of that risk. Sponsored by Cosmic AES Quick reaction—they need something now, not five years from now. In the space domain, conditions are challenging and the opposition is smart, committed, and well-resourced. You need to get capabilities into the hands of operators as quickly as possible. Rapid prototyping is the cost-effective way to bridge the gap between invention and use. Find out how we do it at Cosmic AES, leaders in signals and space.  GPS enhancements. NTS-3, US Space Force's planned new positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) constellation, is intended to be jam-resistant and will feature maneuverable satellites designed to deliver battlespace coverage when and where it's needed, Breaking Defense reports. According to C4ISRNET, prime contractor L3Harris announced on February 11th that the system had passed its critical design review. GPS vulnerability (and resilience under conditions of denial). On February 12th President Trump issued an executive order directing the Government as a whole to prepare for resilience with respect to positioning, navigation, and timing. “It is the policy of the United States to ensure that disruption or manipulation of PNT services does not undermine the reliable and efficient functioning of its critical infrastructure. The Federal Government must increase the nation’s awareness of the extent to which critical infrastructure depends on, or is enhanced by, PNT services, and it must ensure critical infrastructure can withstand disruption or manipulation of PNT services. To this end, the Federal Government shall engage the public and private sectors to identify and promote the responsible use of PNT services.” Space Force activities and procurements. On February 3rd, Defense News reported, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett signed a report to Congress outlining the initial organizational plan for the US Space Force. That plan shows some evidence of seriousness about holding down headquarters bloat--the initial estimate of a thousand personnel assigned to Space Force headquarters has dropped, with the plan now anticipating a staff of some eight hundred. Budgets, however, are expected to see a steady increase, according to Bloomberg, with an FY 2021 budget of $15.4 billion. $2.4 billion of that will be devoted to procurement of satellites, terminals, ground control stations, launch services and communications security. That procurement share of the budget is expected to rise to $4.7 billion in 2025. Space Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract for rapid prototyping of a Protected Tactical SATCOM system. The prototype will be used for "on-orbit demonstration of assured tactical communications." C4ISRNET reports that the total contract value is $253.6 million. According to Space News the funding will cover up to four payloads. The Department of the Air Force proposed FY 2021 budget includes, FCW says, $150 million for Space Force's "space command and control mission system software pilot to continue the service's trend of leveraging commercial capabilities." Building a Service culture at US Space Force. US Space Force has begun the long process of building its Service culture. The first Space Force Facility has been designated for renaming: Patrick Air Force Base will become Patrick Space Force Base in about a month, the UPI reports. The new Service is open to suggestions ("in good taste," the New York Post points out) as to what to call its members. "Spaceman" (on the analogy of its parent Service's "Airman") has been ruled out from the get-go--it's just too Buck Rogers, and would be difficult for people to take seriously. The National Guard thinks there's a role for it as Space Force's reserve component, Air Force Magazine writes. Space Force has so far drawn its personnel largely from the US Air Force. But the US Army this past month announced plans to transition a hundred soldiers over to Space Force in 2021, Defense One reports. Ironing out roles, missions, and equities will continue to challenge the new Service. The new Service's personnel system will for some time yet remain a work in progress, and Federal News Network says that handling the six-thousand uniformed personnel expected to transfer in from other Services will be a protracted, non-trivial task. An op-ed in Space News gives a fair picture of how the older Services may see themselves in competition with Space Force. However Space Force's culture forms up, one of its biggest private sector fans (with aspirations to becoming one of its biggest contractors) likes what he sees. Elon Musk sees Space Force as an incipient Star Fleet, and he's all in on that, Space.com reports. Hacking space assets. SpaceX now has the world's largest commercial satellite constellation in orbit, with two-hundred-forty-two Internet-delivering spacecraft now in orbit. That number is a drop in the bucket of the projected forty-two-thousand satellites SpaceX intends to launch over the coming decade, but the constellation as it exists today represents a noticeably expanded attack surface for hackers, Science Alert points out. Cyberattacks could affect the satellites directly, spoof signals, or interfere with ground station operations. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is aware of the cyber threat to the missions it manages. The JPL tells TechCrunch that it has adopted a comprehensive approach to risk-modelling designed to give its managers the insight into cyber risk they require to protect their missions. Commercial space travel. Virgin Galactic sees a renewed opportunity for space tourism, and is resuming ticket sales for its projected but not-yet-scheduled flights, the BBC reports. Seats aboard Virgin's spacecraft go for some $250,000, with a thousand-dollar deposit to hold your place among such tourists as Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Bieber. Founder Richard Branson says he'll be on board, too. The Wall Street Journal says Virgin Galactic has obtained twenty out of the required twenty-nine FAA permits to fly. SpaceX is also advancing plans for human spaceflight, although not necessarily for space tourism. The company has added William Gerstenmaier, NASA's former chief of human spaceflight, to its roster as a consultant, Ars Technica reports. [1994]   Today's edition of the CyberWire reports events affecting China, France, Iraq, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, NATO/OTAN, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Selected Reading Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities (9) Marketplace (34) Products, Services, and Solutions (5) Technologies, Techniques, and Standards (20) Design and Innovation (6) Research and Development (10) Legislation, Policy, and Regulation (26) Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement (10) Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities A parts manufacturer for SpaceX and Tesla says it was hacked (TechCrunch) Exclusive: The ransomware group have published some of the stolen files. All Those Low-Cost Satellites in Orbit Could Be Weaponized by Hackers, Warns Expert (ScienceAlert) Last month, SpaceX became the operator of the world's largest active satellite constellation. As of the end of January, the company had 242 satellites orbiting the planet with plans to launch 42,000 over the next decade. Op-ed: So, can hackers take over a satellite? (Navy Times) The author makes a pitch for better safeguards in an era of cheaper satellites and delivery systems. ‘Largest cyber attack in Iran’s history’ occurs on eve of failed satellite launch (The National) The breach disrupted much of the country’s telecommunications network A Russian satellite is probably stalking a US spy satellite in orbit (MIT Technology Review) This isn’t the first time Russia has engaged in such maneuvers. It’s very unclear how the US will respond. Two Russian Spacecraft Are Trailing a US Spy Satellite. Space Force Is Unimpressed (ScienceAlert) Russian spacecraft are trailing a US satellite used to spy on other countries, according to the commander of the US Space Force. ‘A threat to our allies’: Russia stalking US satellites, NATO general warns (Washington Examiner) Russian and Chinese efforts to maneuver spacecraft close to Western satellites underscore the danger that Western powers now face beyond Earth’s orbit, according to a NATO general. Ministry denies report on military intel-gathering equipment (Yonhap News Agency) SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry denied a new report Monday that the milita... Mystery Chinese ship to Karachi, 5 indicted in US show Pakistan’s nuclear racket is alive (ThePrint) The seizure shows India has made great progress in tracking ships using technologies like Automatic Identification Systems. Marketplace Elon Musk approves of the US Space Force, eyes 'Star Trek' potential (Space.com) Radical innovation could eventually lead us toward the best possible version of Space Force: Starfleet in the "Star Trek" universe. William Gerstenmaier joins SpaceX, and that’s a really big deal (Ars Technica) "I wish my friend success in his new job!" Virgin Galactic sees demand for space travel surge (BBC News) Sir Richard Branson's firm says it is releasing more tickets for flights into space. Virgin Galactic Plans to Resume Space-Tourism Sales (Wall Street Journal) Virgin Galactic Holdings still plans to make its first commercial space-tourism flight this year and took a step toward resuming ticket sales for jaunts expected to cost upward of $250,000. Colorado’s strong space, defense industries continue to act as magnet for companies (The Denver Post) When Booz Allen Hamilton was looking to expand its operations in Colorado, Aurora made sense because of its proximity to Buckley Air Force Base. Booz Allen, a global management, information and tec… Air Force wants $150 million for Space Force software pilot in 2021 (FCW) The Air Force is staying on brand with its 2021 budget request for $150 million for a software and digital technology pilot program for the new Space Force. Should the Pentagon stop playing the role of venture capitalist? (Defense News) In this commentary, a reader discusses what role the government should serve when it comes to working with startups on defense projects. Brexit isn't done: what next for the UK's aerospace and defence industries? (New Statesman) Pigs may not be able to fly, but whales can. The Airbus Beluga is a specially modified plane, designed to transport aircraft wings from Wales to the continent. Intelsat, Rivals To Share $14.9 Billion in 5G Airwaves Plan (1) (Bloomberg Law) Intelsat SA and other satellite providers would share as much as $14.9 billion under a proposal from federal regulators to compensate them for giving up airwaves in an auction to wireless companies. Boeing Awarded $99 Million Contract for Airborne Warning and Control System (ClearanceJobs) The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $99,900,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Block 40/45 full rate production completion.  Boeing's Starliner Goof Could Cost It $410 Million (The Motley Fool) With any luck, this is not how things will play out. Boeing Finds Debris In MAX Fuel Tanks (Aviation Week) Boeing is inspecting all 737 MAXs it has in storage and adding factory-floor precautions after discovering foreign object debris (FOD) in the fuel tanks of m Boeing Booked No New Jetliner Orders in January (Wall Street Journal) Boeing said it booked no new jetliner orders in January, increasing the financial strain that has been building during the 737 MAX crisis as airlines added no new deposits to secure a place in the plane maker’s order backlog. Boeing Fired Midlevel Executive Following Embarrassing Emails (Wall Street Journal) The move followed the disclosures of messages between two Boeing pilots that prompted concerns among lawmakers and regulators that some of the company’s employees took a cavalier attitude toward safety. Could Boeing’s Woes Finally Be Behind It? (Defense Security Monitor) Boeing’s annus horribilis has culminated in the worst full-year loss in the company’s 103-year history.  Nearly the whole year has been consumed by the two fatal crashes of its 737 MAX,… Space Force awards $253.6M contract for protected comms (C4ISRNET) The Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $253.6 million contract to develop a payload that would provide a higher level of protection to war fighters relying on satellite communications on the battlefield. Northrop Grumman to develop jam-resistant payload for U.S. military communications satellites (SpaceNews.com) Northrop Grumman won a $253.5 million payload development contract under the Protected Tactical Satellite Communications program. Northrop Grumman to Provide Protected Tactical SATCOM Rapid Prototype for the Space Force (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center to develop a Protected Tactical SATCOM (PTS) rapid prototype payload for an on-orbit demonstration of... L3Harris looks to shed as much as 10 percent of company (Defense News) The decision to sell its airport security business for $1 billion is the first of more transactions, says L3Harris CEO Bill Brown. Lockheed launches $100K small biz innovation program here (Orlando Business Journal) The initiative invites small firms in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties to submit proposals and compete for the money. Raytheon Shows Its Strength Heading Into United Technologies Deal (The Motley Fool) In what might be the defense company's last quarterly report as a standalone business, its backlog and growth forecast impressed. Collins Expects Substantial Synergies from UTC-Raytheon Merger (Aviation International News) Collins Aerospace will remain largely intact following the merger but its in-house military GPS business will be divested. NASA taps Rocket Lab to launch CubeSat to lunar orbit (UPI) NASA announced Friday it selected Rocket Lab of Huntington Beach, Calif., to launch a small satellite, or CubeSat, that will orbit the moon to help prepare for lunar missions. BAE Lands $2 Billion Defense Trove From UTC-Raytheon Merger (Industry Week) Sale of assets were required for UTC and Raytheon to gain antitrust approval for their merger. Space Software Startup To Pursue SDA Contracts (Breaking Defense) NewSpace Networks will bid against Lockheed Martin for bankrupt Vector Launch's GalacticSky software-defined satellite assets, says co-founder Shaun Coleman. NewSpace Networks Raising $200M Sets Sights On Space Ecosystem (PR Newswire) NewSpace Networks, a software and strategic investment company focused on the aerospace ecosystem, today revealed that it is raising $200... Navy awards a $178M contract to update GPS systems (C4ISRNET) The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific has awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a $178 million contract for to modernize GPS systems in partnership with the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, the company reported Jan. 24. Leidos wins $7.7B Navy NGEN-R network services contract (FedScoop) Leidos has won the Navy‘s $7.7 billion contract for the network services portion of the Next Generation Enterprise Networks Recompete (NGEN-R). Under the potential eight-and-a-half-year Service Management, Integration and Transport (SMIT) contract, the Northern Virginia defense and IT contractor will provide “base network services … such as electronic software delivery, end user core build, endpoint detection, logistics … Mercury Systems Recognized Among Massachusetts’ 50 Fastest-Growing Middle-Market Companies (Globe Newswire) Mercury is the only aerospace and defense company included on Boston Business Journal’s new list Mercury Systems to Ruggedize HPE ProLiant Servers for Critical Aerospace and Defense Applications (AP NEWS) Press release content from Globe Newswire. The AP news staff was not involved in its creation. Mercury Systems Receives $24M RF Microelectronics Order for Airborne Electronic Warfare Application (Globe NewsWire) Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, announced it received a $24 million order from a leading defense prime contractor for SWaP-optimized radio frequency (RF) modules ready for integration into an advanced electronic warfare system. The order was booked in the Company’s fiscal 2020 second quarter and is expected to be shipped over the next several quarters. Vislink Technologies Receives $400,000 in Orders for Satellite Communications Equipment from Airbus, Signs Master Purchase Agreement (Globe Newswire) Vislink Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: VISL) announces that is has received orders valued at over $400,000 for satellite communications equipment from Airbus Defence and Space Limited (“Airbus”). McKean Captures NAVWAR $249M Contract (MDJOnline.com) McKean Defense Group, LLC announced today that it was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to provide the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWCPAC) integration, David Tepper Wants Intelsat to Fight the FCC on 5G Spectrum Move. Its Stock Surged 26%. (Nasdaq) David Tepper’s Appaloosa Management has taken a stake in Intelsat stock and is urging the company’s board to file for bankruptcy and challenge the FCC’s plan to clear a key band of spectrum for the U.S.’s transition to 5G. Products, Services, and Solutions First Space-Qualified, Commercial Solid-State Drive Lifts Off into Orbit (Globe Newswire) Open systems architecture reduces development time for mission-critical systems in high-radiation environments Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Historic First Docking of Mission Extension Vehicle with Intelsat 901 Satellite (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, SpaceLogistics LLC, have successfully completed the first docking of the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) to the Intelsat 901 (IS-901)... Northrop launches International Space Station cargo mission from Virginia (UPI) Northrop Grumman successfully launched its Cygnus cargo capsule to the International Space Station from Virginia on Saturday without a hitch. Will SpaceX and OneWeb help the military stay connected in the Arctic? (C4ISRNET) Funding for polar communications experiments and prototyping is the No. 1 unfunded priority for NORAD and USNORTHCOM, following by funding for various sensors and radars. Rafael’s Drone Dome intercepts multiple drones with lasers (Defense News) Rafael Advanced Defense Systems recently tested its counter-UAS system Drone Dome, during which the system identified and intercepted moving targets using a high-powered laser beam. Technologies, Techniques, and Standards America’s future battle network is key to multidomain defense (Defense News) Two U.S. Air Force generals argue that American military superiority can be ensured through a comprehensive network connecting all of its weapons and troops in real time. Space Force Preps for 49 Launches at Cape Canaveral (Air Force Magazine) The Space Force’s 45th Space Wing is gearing up for a hectic 2020 schedule that could entail launching at least one rocket a week almost all year. Here is the Space Force’s new Enterprise SATCOM Vision (C4ISRNET) Under an enterprise satellite communication system, military and commercial satellite providers would be integrated. This would allow war fighters to seamlessly transition to whatever network or signal is available while maintaining connectivity. What will the NRO’s new cubesats do? (C4ISRNET) The National Reconnaissance Agency's two cubesats deployed from the Cygnus capsule Jan. 31 following a November launch. Korean-made geostationary environment-monitoring satellite successfully launched (Korea Herald) The world's first geostationary environment-monitoring satellite built by South Korea has been successfully launched, the country's state-run aerospace research institute said Wednesday. The Ariane-5 rocket carrying the 3.4-ton Chollian-2B, tasked with monitoring the movement of fine dust and other air pollutants in the East Asian region, as well as tides, is on course to reach its transfer orbit some 36,000 kilomet... 6 ways AI can make sense of sensor data in 2020 (C4ISRNET) Expect to see more of that sensor data challenges that have historically flummoxed the military addressed in 2020 through artificial intelligence. Fifth anti-jamming satellite available to war fighters (C4ISRNET) The Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite system is intended to replace the MILSTAR constellation in providing protected, anti-jamming satellite communications to high-priority United States military assets and its international partners in Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia. New GPS Sats Can Maneuver & Resist Jamming (Breaking Defense) "NTS-3 is all about getting the data to the warfighter fast," says Bill Gattle, president of L3Harris Space Systems. Can scout drones be programmed with new tricks? (C4ISRNET) Exyn Technologies announced this week it has built code to allow drones to fly in and map a GPS-denied environment. Space companies are racing to beam web access to the entire planet. But 'space junk' is a big worry (CNBC) Space companies, from Elon Musk's SpaceX to start-up OneWeb, are racing to launch satellites into space with the aim of creating global internet coverage on Earth. But there's one big problem, experts say — "space junk." The next GPS payload will be fully digital (C4ISRNET) According to L3Harris, the new payload will provide a more powerful, reliable and flexible GPS signal than previous satellites. Multidomain operations are driving the Army to the cloud (C4ISRNET) The Army's top IT official sees data and cloud computing as essential to enabling success in multidomain battle. The war against space hackers: how the JPL works to secure its missions from nation-state adversaries (TechCrunch) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory designs, builds, and operates billion-dollar spacecraft. That makes it a target. What the infosec world calls Advanced Persistent Threats — meaning, generally, nation-state adversaries — hover outside its online borders, constantly seeking access t… Cybersecurity AI is ready for prime time: why the skeptics are wrong (Fifth Domain) Government leaders need a stronger understanding of commercial offerings to better determine what artificial intelligence for cybersecurity is ... and is not. A milestone for the Air Force’s experimental navigation satellite (C4ISRNET) Navigation Technology Satellite 3 will inform the design of future GPS satellites by testing new technology on orbit, while augmenting the the Air Force's current GPS constellation. 5G could bring new speed to military operations (C4ISRNET) If the U.S. military introduced a fifth generation network in to its C4ISR systems, decision-making in high profile military operations would improve because critical information would arrive faster, according to a Jan. 31 Congressional Research Service report. To Defeat Hypersonic Weapons, Pentagon Aims To Build Vast Space Sensor Layer (Forbes) The Pentagon's latest idea requires launching hundreds of satellites into low Earth orbit to track hypersonic threats, and that's just the beginning. New space radar likely to go online this month (C4ISRNET) A new report claims Space Fence has already detected previously unobserved and untracked objects in low earth orbit, but some lingering issues remain. What DoD’s weapon tester said about Army electronic warfare (C4ISRNET) While the DoD's weapons tester had a few criticisms regarding the Army's electronic warfare enterprise, it assessed there were improvements as well. US military's 'Jetson' laser can ID your unique heartbeat hundreds of feet away (Fox News) The U.S. military could soon spot you in a crowd — not by your face or your gait, but by your unique heartbeat rhythm. The Pentagon recently developed and tested a laser that can scan and distinguish the pitter-patter of your heart from up to 650 feet (200 meters) away.  Design and Innovation Northrop Grumman to develop prototype payload for US Space Force (Airforce Technology) The US Space Force has selected Northrop Grumman to develop a PTS rapid prototype payload for an on-orbit demonstration of assured tactical communications. The Pentagon now has 5 principles for artificial intelligence (C4ISRNET) The five principles governing the ethical use of artificial intelligence by the Department of Defense will apply to the combat and non-combat uses of AI-enabled technologies. War on Autopilot? It Will Be Harder Than the Pentagon Thinks (Defense One) Despite defense contractors’ glittering demonstrations, difficult realities are challenging the military’s race to network everything. How a failing film archive could help a new NGA contract concept (C4ISRNET) To ensure that data be preserved for future analysts, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is exploring solutions for scanning deteriorating film. Navy, Beset by Aging Tech, Pushes for Rapid Modernization (Wall Street Journal) Aging and fragmented technology has left the Navy unable to fully defend itself from persistent cyberattacks from China and elsewhere, defense officials said, prompting an effort to upgrade and secure computer networks. What electronic warfare can learn from a wagon full of smartphones (C4ISRNET) Creating a traffic jam with one vehicle is hard, unless that vehicle can fool maps into thinking it is 99 vehicles. Research and Development Starliner faced “catastrophic” failure before software bug found (Ars Technica) "If it had gone uncorrected it would have led to erroneous thruster firing." Boeing's 2nd Starliner software glitch could have led to an in-space collision (Space.com) Starliner's crew module could have "bumped" into its service module after separation if Boeing hadn't caught the error. Boeing says longer Starliner software tests could have prevented flight failure (UPI) Boeing's decision to break up tests of its Starliner space capsule flight software into segments was a major reason the craft failed to reach the International Space Station in December, a company executive said Friday. The Pentagon Is Working on a Nuclear Thermal Rocket (Popular Mechanics) But so is China. Welcome to the next space race. Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Second Stage Test for OmegA™ Rocket (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) PROMONTORY, Utah – Feb. 27, 2020 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully conducted a full-scale static fire test of the second stage of its OmegA rocket today in Promontory, Utah. Developed to support the U.S. Space Force’s National... Air Force, SpaceX to test Starlink capabilities in upcoming live-fire demonstration (Air Force Times) The April 8 event will be the next iteration of the military’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) exercises, taking place at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The demonstration will test the military's interoperability with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellations. Pentagon Briefs Industry On 5G Experiments (Breaking Defense) Four bases around the country will pioneer military use of the new high-speed communications network technology. We don’t really know what we don’t know in orbit (C4ISRNET) Recent events show that current methods for calculating satellite collision in orbit are outdated and nearsighted, and better math for conjunction mitigation could shape how humans manage risk to maintain vital functions of space. New Pentagon budget request invests in 4 advanced technologies (C4ISRNET) The Pentagon wants to focus its fiscal year 2021 research investments in four broad areas of emerging technologies: hypersonics, artificial intelligence, 5G/microelectroncs, and autonomous platforms The Pentagon wants a roadside assistance service in space (C4ISRNET) The the Defense Innovation Unit seeks a service to ferry payloads in space and move vehicles between orbits. Legislation, Policy, and Regulation Insufficient missile defense funding would leave Americans vulnerable (Defense News) The Missile Defense Agency has provided a road map for lawmakers to ensure that the U.S. homeland and America’s forward-deployed troops have sufficient missile defense protection. Nothing’s ‘Irreversible,’ But the Pentagon’s New Bureaucracies Aim to Come Close (Defense One) As budget hearing season gets underway, expect to hear a lot about "irreversible implementation" of changes toward great power competition. Trump wants US to be less reliant on GPS with new executive order (C4ISRNET) The federal government wants to ensure that critical infrastructure isn't vulnerable to any GPS outage. Agencies ordered to prepare for GPS outage (Federal News Network) The departments of Commerce, Defense, Transportation and Homeland Security are on the clock to secure systems that support global positioning satellites. Lamborn, Horn Pledge Bipartisan Support For Space (Breaking Defense) "I think maybe there is a mutual assured destruction in space," Rep. Lamborn said, "where no one will go there because the consequences will be too severe." How will France cooperate with the U.S. in defending space assets? (Defense News) Hear from French Minister of Defense Florence Parly about how France and the new U.S. Space Force will work together. Pentagon seeks largest net-centric warfare budget in a decade (C4ISRNET) The $11.9 billion will help the U.S. military achieve full spectrum dominance, the Department of Defense claims. Space Force to invest in a ‘Fighting SATCOM’ Enterprise in 2021 (C4ISRNET) Under the Space Modernization Initiative, the Space Force wants to develop an integrated architecture for commercial and military satellite communications. Air Force Cuts Aircraft To Fund Space, Multi-Domain (Breaking Defense) "Winning the future fight will require us to dominate space," said Maj. Gen. John Pletcher, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget. New Space Force’s Purchasing Projected at $4.7 Billion by 2025 (Bloomberg) Budget office sees steady rise in spending on space launches. National security launches would increase to seven in 2025. The government must be honest when funding the Air Force and Space Force (Defense News) A retired Air Force colonel warns that the new Space Force should not be built on the cheap, and that the U.S. must not continue to mortgage the future of the Air Force to pay for unrelated programs. How will the Space Force be organized? The Pentagon is still working out the details. (Defense News) A plan for the initial structure of the Space Force was sent to Capitol Hill on Feb. 3. Space Force wants to make sure HR is solidified before transferring troops over (Federal News Network) The Space Force is making sure its human capital ducks are in a row as it sets up. Pentagon Mulls Space National Guard Options (Air Force Magazine) National Guard officials are pushing for the Defense Department and Congress to create a Space National Guard despite some uncertainty within the Pentagon. Senior Space Force Official Named Among New Job Assignments (Air Force Magazine) A career special operations pilot will become the second-highest officer at the Space Force's Space Operations Command, the service announced Jan. 30. This familiar face is the Space Force’s first top noncommissioned officer (Military Times) Air Force Space Command's senior enlisted leader is making the move to the Space Force. Patrick AFB in Florida will be first facility renamed under Space Force (UPI) Patrick Air Force Base in Florida will be the first base to be renamed as a Space Force Base in the next 30 days, Brigadier Gen. Douglas Schiess said Friday. 100 US Soldiers to Transfer into Space Force in 2021 (Defense One) The Army is the first branch outside the Air Force to announce initial plans regarding the new branch of service. Op-Ed | Who should join the U.S. Space Force? (SpaceNews.com) Building a military space culture may not require mass transfers of Army, Navy units to the Space Force Space Force wants ideas ‘in good taste’ on what it should call its members (New York Post) Following its official creation this past December, the Space Force is looking for ideas on what the members of the newest branch of the US military should be called. “The US Space Force is l… Speaker: U.S. Space Command gearing up cyber operations (Colorado Springs Gazette) U.S. Space Command is gearing up its cyber operations and plans to create its cyber arm this summer, Brig. Gen. Joseph Matos III told participants in a major cybersecurity conference Bringing Cyber into Space (SIGNAL Magazine) U.S. Space Command lays out its approach to defensive and offensive cyber capabilities. Space Force troops won’t be called ‘spacemen’ (Military Times) The Space Force will start transferring airmen into its ranks this year. Esper won’t give up 5G spectrum to telecom firms, but he will share it (C4ISRNET) US Defense Secretary Mark Esper is pushing back against telecom companies’ efforts to claim mid-band spectrum in their race with China to build 5G networks. For information operations, Air Force wants integration (C4ISRNET) The Air Force’s new information warfare command will open an operations center in March as part of a broader effort to better integrate the service’s information-related capabilities. Pentagon policy chief's firing was part of White House purge (POLITICO) John Rood will officially step down at the end of this week. Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement Why the Airbus anti-bribery probe is unprecedented (Moneycontrol) An anti-corruption investigation that involved law enforcement agencies of three countries and concluded in a record-breaking fine for Airbus has far-reaching consequences beyond the aviation company. Ukraine: Recordings show Iran knew jetliner hit by a missile (Military Times) A leaked recording of an exchange between an Iranian air-traffic controller and an Iranian pilot purports to show that authorities immediately knew a missile had downed a Ukrainian jetliner after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard, despite days of denials by the Islamic Republic. Amazon wants to see internal Pentagon documents in JEDI case (Computing) Amazon insists it was treated unfairly in the bidding process Esper Says White House 'Never' Pressured Him on JEDI (Defense One) Denying claims that Trump meddled, Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he alone chose to review the $10 billion cloud contract. Judge’s order halting JEDI work just the latest roadblock in Defense Dept.’s frustrating journey (Washington Post) Inability to proceed with cloud computing project harms troop preparedness, agency says Federal Judge Halts Pentagon Cloud Contract (Wall Street Journal) A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to halt work on the massive JEDI cloud-computing contract, handing Amazon an early win in its efforts to overturn the award to rival Microsoft. Court temporarily blocks work on DoD’s JEDI Cloud contract (Federal News Network) The Court of Federal Claims issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday, blocking performance under the JEDI contract until further notice. As key JEDI court decision looms, Pentagon warns of national security concerns (Federal News Network) In declarations to the Court of Federal Claims, several Defense officials say DoD’s JEDI program can’t afford more setbacks. Amazon Seeks to Question Trump Over Pentagon Contract (Wall Street Journal) Amazon.com asked a judge to allow it to depose President Trump in the company’s legal battle to overturn a Pentagon decision awarding a cloud-computing contract to Microsoft. SEC Probes Raytheon Over Potentially Improper Payments (Wall Street Journal) The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened an inquiry into whether defense contractor Raytheon Co. or its partners made improper payments in the Middle East.

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