Signals & Space Monthly Briefing

March 2021

Prepared by the CyberWire (Monday, March 1, 2021) At a glance. StarLink adds to its constellation (and Russia is wary). NAVAIR looks to system cybersecurity. Launch services winners and losers. OTAs gain Pentagon favor. Explaining Space Force. Service equities: Army, Navy, and Space Force. International norms for space operations. US Space Command on mission and vision. Locations for space headquarters, from Toulouse to Huntsville. Space Force's emerging culture: with ranks decided in February, insignia come in March. StarLink adds to its constellation (and Russia is wary). SpaceX aborted a StarLink launch on February 28th, Space.com reports, but this is only a temporary blip in the company's work to put its full constellation of Internet-delivering satellites into orbit. The company intends to try again on the evening of March 1st. The prospect of widespread easy Internet access has made some governments uneasy. According to the Motley Fool, Russia's Duma is considering hefty fines for any who sign up for StarLink's service. NAVAIR looks to system cybersecurity. C4ISRNet reports that the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Cyber Warfare Detachment is actively soliciting white papers from industry on a broad range of cybersecurity capabilities. The fifth domain of cyberspace has implications for the other four operational domains (including space) and the Navy will be interested in applying new cyber capabilities across its platforms and operations. Launch services winners and losers. Space Force has, the Motley Fool reports, decided in favor of SpaceX, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin as launch service providers, bypassing Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin. OTAs grow more attractive to Pentagon buyers. Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) have, National Defense reports, grown increasingly attractive in the US Department of Defense. They're seen as vehicles for gaining quick access to rapidly advancing commercial technology that the regular acquisition systems struggle to buy. They're also regarded as means of getting advance technology into operators' hands faster than the sclerotic requirements system can manage. The Army leads in its use of OTAs, followed by the Air Force and DARPA, with the Navy bringing up the rear. International norms for space operations. An essay in the National Interest sees an opportunity for the US to encourage international consensus on norms for conduct of space operations. In this respect US policy shows a relatively long-term continuity, with little evidence that the new Administration is likely to depart from longstanding efforts to foster the development of international norms. As other nations advance proposals for such norms, the Department of Defense faces a particular challenge in defining what deterrence in space might actually look like. A US Government source told Breaking Defense that international agreement should come down to "We just need to agree to not do stupid stuff in space." Among those stupid things might be the use of antisatellite weapons whose chief effect would be, of course, primarily the destruction of an adversary's orbital platform, but secondarily (also of course) the creation of a big cloud of debris in low-earth orbit, which is something no one really wants. But if destruction of adversary satellites is out as a credible deterrent threat, military thinks with have to look elsewhither. Space Force's public explanation of its roles and missions. Chief of Space Operations, General Jay Raymond is, the Hill reports, diffident about the extent to which the public understands what it is his service actually does, largely because people don't typically see how space affects their daily lives. (GPS alone has a pervasive influence on how people go about their business, but, as General Raymond lamented, even his own mother doesn't get that.) POLITICO offers a useful overview of the new Service's roles and missions. It quotes former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, who oversaw the Service's establishment, as saying that Space Force runs satellites and buys satellites, and that both those things are done from Mother Earth. Thus, Space Force operates and defends military satellites and ground stations that deliver position location and navigation, communications, and Earth observation. Service equities: Army, Navy, and Space Force. President Biden on February 2nd expressed his "full support" for Space Force, thus quashing, Defense News reports, speculation that the new President might have no interest in continuing one of his predecessor's signature policy initiatives. The Service also seems to have retained as much bipartisan support as can reasonably be expected, as this interview with the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee suggests. Space Force's priority this year will be integration, with both sister Services and allied partners, C4ISRNet quotes General Raymond as saying. Defense & Aerospace Report argues that most of the burden of integration among US Services will fall on the Air Force, Army, and Navy. But the transition of resources to the young Service is likely to proceed with deliberate speed. No significant shift of appropriations from Army and Navy space programs is expected in the Defense budget is expected until 2023, Breaking Defense reports. An op-ed in POLITICO outlines five recommendations for Secretary of Defense Austin on military space policy: "First, the Pentagon chief must challenge U.S. Space Command and the U.S. Space Force to provide a clear, bipartisan path forward toward mission execution that in the short, medium and eventually long-term emphasizes space as critical infrastructure that can be funded and grown beyond fiscal years and over successive presidential administrations." "Second, Austin must emphasize investments like those identified in the military's 2060 North-Star Space Vision published in 2019 that encourages an integrated approach that contemplates U.S. government coordination and consultation with private industry, scientific communities and academia. In short, the Department of Defense must look for opportunities to prioritize investment in exponential technologies that will allow the United States to qualitatively leap-frog over our rivals and ensure that we exit the current era of strategic competition on top." "Third, Austin should fully exercise his role as co-equal partner (albeit with a big budget) with the other cabinet secretaries to champion creating "whole of government" solutions to space challenges. While there are a great many space activities in this fast approaching future state that demand defense leadership, there are many that do not. Space traffic management, space debris removal, planetary protection (as distinguished from planetary defense), climate research, on-orbit satellite servicing and eventually space search and rescue need not necessarily be the mission responsibility of Space Command. Planetary defense though likely should be." "Fourth, The Space Force will no doubt help the United States confront serious challenges and threats in, to and from space, and it will also exercise "out-of-the-box" thinking to capitalize on the great opportunities space provides for the nation. Immediately, and for its own credibility, the secretary of defense must direct the Space Force to create a timeline and showcase its own projects and ways of doing business that defy the delays and procurement missteps that have plagued so many past defense activities." "Fifth, the new secretary of defense should commend President Biden for providing a statement of support and affirmation to thousands of uniformed and civilian personnel of the Space Force. The new administration's clear stance on retaining the new branch finally puts an end to conspiratorial rumors and goes a long way toward safeguarding the morale of the Guardians who have experienced the inevitable uncertainty, organizational turbulence and legacy frictions inherent in standing up the first new armed force in over 70 years." US Space Command's strategic vision. US Space Command, which as a combatant command inherently has less need to directly engage public opinion (it doesn't need to recruit, for example; the Services do that for their components) has not had a great deal of difficulty enunciating its own missions and the vision it has for accomplishing them. It is interested in directly engaging adversaries, however, and Air Force Magazine discerns in the vision statement a clear warning against attempts to interfere with US or allied space capabilities, and clear promise of countermeasures and retaliation. Locations for space centers. NATO has decided on a location for its center of excellence: the organization will be based in Toulouse, Defense News reports. In the US, headquarters for Space Command (and that's the joint combatant command, not the Space Force service) is still destined for Huntsville, Alabama, but, as the Washington Examiner notes, that decision will remain contended for some time, as other states push their claims to the HQ location. Colorado Springs is the Rocket City's principal disappointed rival. Space Force's emerging culture: more startup than blue chip, with ranks decided in February, insignia come in March. According to Space News, Space Force's senior noncommissioned officer, Chief Master Sergeant Roger Towberman, expressed the distinctive culture of his young service in business terms. Addressing the Air Force Association's Aerospace Warfare Symposium on February 25th, he characterized the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force as "blue chip organizations." Space Force, in contrast, is more like a startup: unconventional and willing to take organizational risks its older sisters would shun. Vice Chief of Space Operations General David Thompson, in an interview with National Defense, would seem to concur, pointing with satisfaction to Space Force's creation of a relatively lean organization, one that successfully cut two echelons of command from its "field structures." He also noted the Space Development Agency's commitment to using commercial services and solutions. "The Space Development Agency is highly leveraging commercial activities, commercial investment, commercial capabilities, moving quickly and rapidly adopting it to military needs," he said. "The Space and Missile Systems Center continues to provide those capabilities for the warfighter that we've needed for years — missile warning, GPS, satellite communications, our access to space through space launch with SpaceX and with ULA and that approach. They're going to keep doing that for us." One significant influx of personnel into Space Force will be the cybersecurity specialists the Service began onboarding in significant numbers during February. CyberScoop reports that 2400 of the 6400 cyber personnel Space Force eventually plans to bring in have arrived, most of them from the Air Force. As Military Times notes, however, both the Army and Navy are expected to contribute a non-negligible share of personnel to Space Force. Some but not all will come from cyber-related career fields. Air Force Magazine reports that Space Force is also trying to evolve a new model for a balanced force of active and reserve components. Having in January decided on its rank structure (mostly Air Force inspired, but with a little Army and Navy thrown in, for savor), Space Force is expected to unveil the insignia its Guardians will wear as badges of rank sometime during March. Any departures from its Air Force heritage are thought most likely to appear in the enlisted and noncommissioned ranks: Air Force Magazine writes that Space Force intends "to shake up the traditional chevron design it inherited from the Air Force." The official Space Force song remains to be determined. Some reports from late 2020 say that John Phillip Sousa's 1901 march The Invincible Eagle has made an appearance as an interim musical motif in the Armed Services Medley. But that's an interim and uncertain note. Still, they could certainly do worse than Sousa. [1834]   Today's edition of the CyberWire reports events affecting China, France, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Selected Reading Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities (2) Trends (1) Marketplace (25) Products, Services, and Solutions (17) Technologies, Techniques, and Standards (14) Design and Innovation (10) Research and Development (12) Legislation, Policy, and Regulation (44) Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement (7) Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities Biden administration won't rule out retaliation for rocket attack in Iraq (CNBC) The White House, State Department and Department of Defense left the door open to a response to the deadly rocket attack in Iraq. U.S., Kurds Blame Iran for Deadly Irbil Attack Despite Tehran's Denials: Sources (US News and World Report) Tehran on Tuesday denied any involvement in the deadly attack on an airport housing U.S. forces in northern Iraq, despite a new assessment from U.S. and Kurdish authorities. Trends Kill the Homothetic Army: Gen. Guy Hubin's Vision of the Future Battlefield (War on the Rocks) No one wants to show up at the next war prepared for the wrong war. The mistake can be catastrophic. The Great Powers marched confidently into battle in Marketplace Space Force chief sees larger role for commercial industry in its missions (C4ISRNET) In year two, the U.S. Space Force wants to build deeper connections with commercial industry, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said Thursday. SingTel Innov8 finances Australian space ambitions (Intelligence Online) In addition to backing US cyber and Chinese artificial intelligence, SingTel Innov8, the venture capital arm of the Singaporean telecoms operator SingTel, is investing in key strategic sectors in Australia. DIA updates Threat Systems Analysis RFP (Intelligence Community News) The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) posted updated information for its Threat Systems Analysis solicitation (HHM402-20-R-0011). Proposals are due on March 11. Bill would cut over 100,000 DoD jobs (Federal Times) Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., introduced the Rebalance for an Effective Defense Uniform and Civilian Employees Act, which mandates a 15 percent reduction in civilian Defense Department employees. Enthusiasm Growing at Pentagon for OTAs (National Defense) The Pentagon is using special contracting mechanisms to try to promote innovation and bring nontraditional partners into the acquisition fold. The report card is in for the US defense industry's health (Defense News) The National Defense Industrial Association has released its annual Pentagon urged to work with industry on 5G network development (C4ISRNET) The U.S. Department of Defense has reviewed responses to a controversial RFI that some interpreted as a move to build a national 5G network. NAVAIR looking for emerging cyber research and development (C4ISRNET) Naval Air Systems Command looks to industry to fill gaps in cyber warfare weapon systems. Marine Corps posts Integrated Information Intelligence RFI (Intelligence Community News) U.S. Marine Corps posted a request for information (RFI) and an industry day notice for the Integrated Information Intelligence (I3P) requirement. NASA hits pause on its Artemis moon lander competition (Space.com) NASA has put its plan to choose which companies will continue to develop lunar landers for the Artemis program on hold. SpaceX secures contract to launch NASA's SPHEREx astrophysics mission (Space.com) The science-heavy probe is set to launch as early as 2024. Air Force Awards $95M For Cyber Intelligence (Breaking Defense) The investment is a sign of the Air Force's commitment to fighting war effectively across all domains, including cyber and its electronic warfare cousin. Space Operations Command taps LinQuest for support (C4ISRNET) Under the $200 million contract, LinQuest will provide support for Space Operations Command, which oversees the operations of military constellations like the Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellites. Northrop, Lockheed shortlisted for US Air Force contract (Defense Connect) The prime is the running to secure a software development contract from the US Air Force. The US Air Force has selected Northrop Grumman as one of multiple companies competing for task orders under a Why Russia Is Terrified of SpaceX -- and Starlink (The Motley Fool) If you try to use Starlink in Russia, expect to pay a big fine. U.S. Space Force Dumps Northrop and Blue Origin in Favor of Boeing, Lockheed, and SpaceX (The Motley Fool) The government turned off the money spigot, and now OmegA will never see the light of day. Analytical Space wins Space Force contract | Intelligence Community News (Intelligence Community News) Analytical Space, Inc. (ASI) announced on February 10 that it has been awarded a $26.4 million, three-year contract by the Department of the Air Force's commercial investment arm. DISA awards managed services contract to Perspecta (Defense News) The company will provide content delivery, network optimization and information assurance services. Lockheed Martin joins U.S. DoD's Platform One DevSecOps software initiative (Intelligent Aerospace) Platform One is a standardized and widely-mandated Department of Defense (DoD) DevSecOps Infrastructure program used for future software development. Former Boeing CEO's start-up aims to invest in advanced aerospace technology (Flight Global) A new aerospace company led by former Boeing head Dennis Muilenburg has assembled an experienced management team and aims to advance technologies such as alternative propulsion, automation and manufacturing. Virgin Galactic Forms Advisory Board With NASA, Boeing Vets (Yahoo) Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) announced the creation of a Virgin Galactic Space Advisory Board on Tuesday. Thales wins prime contract for French Army's SATCOM project (Defence Connect) The global defence contractor has secured a deal to enhance the French Armed Forces satellite communications capabilities. The French Ministry for the Armed Forces has awarded a contract to Thales Thales and Airbus Selected by DGA to Upgrade France's Joint Electronic Warfare Capabilities (Aviation Pros) The French defense procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales and Airbus a contract for the new joint tactical signals intelligence (SIGINT) system to upgrade the French forces' critical signals monitoring, direction finding and spectrum analysis capabilities. Virgin Galactic Announces Legendary Former Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde as Experience Architect (Virgin Galactic) With preparations underway for the first Future Astronauts to arrive at Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic has brought in Joe Rohde as a strategic advisor. Israel's IAI and Matrix partner for AI center focused on automatic target detection (C4ISRNET) Israel supports open innovation to help operators who grapple with massive amounts of information. Products, Services, and Solutions Northrop Grumman Communications Systems Provide Foundational Elements for JADC2 (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Anticipating how adversaries are likely to employ new operational concepts and systems has always been important, but in an era of rapid digital transformation, it's fundamental and critical to all U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) efforts. Understanding... Viasat authorized to use U.S. government provided classified cyber threat intelligence (Help Net Security) Viasat named one of four companies authorized to use U.S. government provided classified cyber threat intelligence. Northrop Grumman Cygnus Resupply Ship Bolted to Space Station's Unity Module (Space Coast Daily) The Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft was berthed to the International Space Station's Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 7:16 a.m. EST Monday morning and subsequently bolted into place. Connecting Azure to the International Space Station with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Microsoft Azure) Today we are announcing our partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to connect Azure directly to space using HPE's upcoming launch of its Spaceborne Computer-2 (SBC-2), which will deliver edge computing and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in space for the first time on the ... SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites on record-setting used rocket, nails landing (Space.com) This Falcon 9 first stage last flew just 27 days ago. SpaceX plans Starlink phone service, emergency backup, and low-income access (Ars Technica) SpaceX's latest petition to the FCC details some of its Starlink plans. SpaceX, NASA target April 20 for next Crew Dragon launch to space station (Space.com) Mark your calendar! SpaceX will launch billionaire Jared Isaacman on a private spaceflight this year (Space.com) Isaacman chartered a Crew Dragon flight and is donating the other three seats. MontaVista Partners with Mercury Systems Inc. to Provide Hardened Linux support for the Aerospace & Defense Market (PR Newswire) MontaVista® Software, LLC, a leader in commercial Embedded Linux® products and services, today announced the availability of MontaVista's... New High-Performance Rugged Server Bolsters Cybersecurity for Multi-Domain Operations (GlobeNewswire) Delivers data center-level performance while maintaining data integrity at the edge With Deepwave Digital, Northrop Grumman is pushing processing to the edge (C4ISRNET) Northrop Grumman wants to use artificial intelligence to process data on orbit. Northrop Grumman and Transbit Demonstrate Integration of Polish Radio Communications with IBCS (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Polish firm Transbit Sp. z o.o. have completed a joint effort to integrate and test the Transbit R-460A Radio Relay High-Capacity Line-Of-Sight (HCLOS) radio communications... MilCloud adds Amazon Web Services (Defense Systems) The Defense Department's MilCloud 2.0 contract now gives Defense Information Services Agency and other non-combat DOD agencies access to cloud services from Amazon Web Services. Northrop Grumman's SharkSat Payload Showcases Agility from the Ground to Orbit (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) A shark moves through the water with speed and agility, always focused on moving forward. It is in this same vein that Northrop Grumman recently developed SharkSat, a pioneering payload to demonstrate on-orbit mission agility and meet demands for rapid... L-com Launches New Omni, Yagi, Panel and Portable Antennas (Yahoo) L-com, an Infinite Electronics brand and a preferred manufacturer of wired and wireless connectivity products, announced today that it has just launched a new series of antennas that cover frequencies ranging from 824 MHz to 5.8 GHz and are designed to address a wide range of wireless connectivity applications. Northrop Grumman Antares rocket launches Cygnus cargo ship to space station for NASA (Space.com) It's headed to the International Space Station. New radar environment simulator simplifies system testing (GlobeNewswire) Modular design with easy-to-use graphical interface minimizes radar testing time and cost Technologies, Techniques, and Standards Russia launches satellite to monitor climate in Arctic (Reuters) Russia launched its space satellite Arktika-M on Sunday on a mission to monitor the climate and environment in the Arctic amid a push by the Kremlin to expand the country's activities in the region. Network Architecture For The Great Power Competition (Breaking Defense) Peer/near-peer threats demand that military services, allies and partners connect networks, share information and respond to adversaries in real-time. Army Research Aims at Broad MDO Achievements (SIGNAL Magazine) The U.S. Army's PEO IEW&S is developing new technological capabilities that will operate collaboratively to achieve multidomain operations. NIST finalizes cybersecurity guidance for positioning, navigation and timing systems (Security Magazine) As part of an effort to help users apply its well-known Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) as broadly and effectively as possible, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released finalized cybersecurity guidance for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. SDA to launch several demonstration satellites in 2021 (C4ISRNET) The agency is slated to begin launching its satellites in 2022, but first it plans to send up several demonstration satellites to pave the way for various technologies. China's first space station module is ready for flight (Space.com) Tianzhou cargo spacecraft to visit module also passes review USAF's Red Flag 21-1 exercise involves space, cyberspace elements (Space War) A 19-day combat training exercise is underway at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., emphasizing space and cyberspace integration, the Air Force said on Monday. SpaceX's Crew-1 capsule breaks US spacecraft record set in 1974 (Space.com) SpaceX's Crew-1 space capsule has just broken a U.S. spaceflight record set in 1974 by NASA's Skylab 4 mission. French military orders first sigint suite to work across all services (C4ISRNET) Early capabilities of the new system will be delivered in 2023, and full capabilities by 2025, officials said. China's iSpace fails to reach orbit in 2nd launch attempt (Space.com) It was the first failure of iSpace's Hyperbola-1 rocket. British military's space campaign picks up steam with 'Skynet' upgrade (C4ISRNET) Space programs are expected to be among the winners as the UK government plans to pump additional money into the defense budget in 2021 and beyond. Object Management Group Adopts Open Architecture Radar Interface Standard (OARIS) 2.0 Spec, Issues RFP for OARIS 3.0 Plot Sharing (Object Management Group) Press Release: Enhanced spec to enable comprehensive air/surface pictures and shorter air-defense timelines. Pentagon to field low-collateral, counter-drone interceptors in FY22 (Defense News) The Pentagon is looking to field a low-collateral effects interceptor as part of its counter-small unmanned aircraft systems capability. US Army Europe Wants New Hub for Artillery Fire (Defense One) A new targeting center and mobile artillery-and-cyber teams will dominate the way the Army conducts operations, says Gen. Cavoli. Design and Innovation Can Computer Algorithms Learn to Fight Wars Ethically? (Washington Post) Maybe the autonomous weapons being developed by the Pentagon will be better than humans at making moral decisions. Or maybe they'll be a nightmare come to life. Industry, Federal Executives to Discuss U.S. Navy IT Transformation (GovCon Wire) The U.S. Navy has continually worked to decentralize, differentialize and digitize the service branc Space Lasers Will Revolutionize Military Communications, If They Work (Defense One) The Pentagon has ambitious plans to launch hundreds of communications satellites in the years ahead. But getting them to talk to one another isn't easy. The Navy's top data official wants to incentivize interoperability (C4ISRNET) In a recent webinar with C4ISRNET, the U.S. Navy's chief data officer discussed how industry can help enable Joint All-Domain Command and Control and the state of play on data standards. Army looks beyond land targets with new electronic warfare system (C4ISRNET) The Army's forthcoming corps-level electronic warfare tool will focus on maritime targets, especially in the important Pacific theater. How a Technology Called FeatureTrace Will Automate Military Surveillance (The National Interest) The technology gathers and anaylizes images that are then checked over by a human intelligence analyst. HawkEye 360 Engineer Earns INSA Achievement Award (INSIDENOVA.COM) HawkEye 360 Inc., the first commercial company to use formation-flying satellites to create a new class of radio frequency (RF) data and data U.S., U.K. Navies Establish London Tech Bridge (National Defense) The United Kingdom's Royal Navy is teaming with the U.S. Navy in a new international Tech Bridge partnership in London in hopes of accelerating the adoption of innovative ideas and technologies. A Better Bureaucracy Can Close the Gap Between Defense and Commercial Technology (War on the Rocks) As it is currently organized, the U.S. government is ill-equipped to deal with the growing number of national security challenges that exist at the For US and allies, prepping for AI warfare starts with the data (C4ISRNET) To interconnect in future fights, the 13 friendly nations are talking now about how to collect and prepare data for artificial intelligence that will drive those battles. Research and Development CNN exclusive: A solar panel in space is collecting energy that could one day be beamed to anywhere on Earth (CNN) Scientists working for the Pentagon have successfully tested a solar panel the size of a pizza box in space, designed as a prototype for a future system to send electricity from space back to any point on Earth. Raytheon Teams With Space Force to Study Ground System for New Satellites; Bob Canty Quoted (ExecutiveBiz) Raytheon Technologies' intelligence and space business will help the U.S. Space Force study a ne Boeing Starliner crew capsule test delayed after damage during testing (SlashGear) Boeing has been dealt another setback in its path towards using Starliner to put humans into space. The next test flight for the Starliner crew capsule has been delayed no earlier than April 2. The… What's next for NASA's Perseverance Mars rover after its landing success? (Space.com) It'll take a little while for the rover to start rolling. NASA rover Perseverance lands on Mars in mission to search for past life (Washington Post) NASA rover Perseverance landed safely Thursday on Mars to begin an ambitious mission to search for signs of past Martian life and obtain samples of soil and rock that could someday be hauled back to Earth for study in laboratories. NAVWAR looking for emerging cyber research and development (C4ISRNET) Naval Information Warfare Systems Command looks to industry to fill gaps in cyber warfare weapon systems. China's first Mars mission, Tianwen-1, successfully enters orbit around Red Planet (Space.com) China has joined the ranks of the Mars-exploring nations. Army Creates Quantum Sensor That Detects Entire Radio-Frequency Spectrum (Defense One) Breakthrough could help the military fight in the electronic spectrum. DARPA to survey private sector capabilities to build factories on the moon (SpaceNews) DARPA is looking to develop materials, processes and designs needed for in-space manufacturing of large structures. The Navy Finally Speaks Up About Its Bizarre "UFO Patent" Experiments (The Drive) The Naval Air Warfare Center has finally given a statement to The War Zone about the patents and experiments of Dr. Salvatore Pais. Watch live today: SpaceX to attempt Starship SN9 launch from Texas (Space.com) The launch time is TBD. February's Gonna Be a Big Month for Mars (Wired) On the 9th, the first of three spacecraft will arrive at the Red Planet and inaugurate a new era of Martian exploration. Legislation, Policy, and Regulation Semiconductors, minerals: Supply chain review to cover key military tech (C4ISRNET) If product supplies are disrupted or compromised, the military could fall behind adversaries in developing key capabilities including 5G, artificial intelligence and more. America Needs a Supercharged Space Program (Foreign Policy) It could build entire industries, create new jobs, green the economy—and unite the country behind a common purpose. The Dangers of Nuclear Virtue Signaling (Defense One) A no-first-use policy would reduce deterrence. To End the Forever Wars, Rein in the Drones (Just Security) The Biden Administration should follow these even steps to ensure new standards for lethal action are consistent with U.S. values and strengthen the rule of law. Navigating Norms for the New Space Era (The National Interest) The United States is at the forefront of the global effort to establish space norms for the new space era. DoD Faces Tough Decisions On Space Rules (Breaking Defense) "The understanding of what deterrence is has been misinterpreted, reinterpreted, run through a ringer, chopped up and turned into a hamburger. I mean, it's just that nobody there [at DoD] seems to understand what it means exactly," one former government official said. NATO names location for new military space center (Defense News) The new center will be NATO's 27th center of excellence. Iran's Satellite Program is All About Missiles (19FortyFive) Iran's missile technology is getting with the passage of time. Now it seems Tehran is not trying to hide what its satellite tests are for. U.S.'s Blinken: 'The path to diplomacy is open right now' with Iran (Reuters) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday "the path to diplomacy is open right now" with Iran over its 2015 nuclear deal but would not address whether the Biden administration has had any direct engagement with Iranian officials. Geospatial intelligence could offer blueprint for protecting national security through technological leadership (C4ISRNET) The U.S. commercial GEOINT industry is being outstripped by investments and innovations from foreign companies and providers. NSC Memo May Spell End Of National Space Council (Breaking Defense) "What happens to the funds that were authorized and appropriated by Congress for the NSpC?," a former space official wonders. US still committed to landing Artemis astronauts on the moon, White House says (Space.com) But whether NASA's 2024 moon landing goal still holds remains to be seen. Naval Academy grads hope to walk on the moon with NASA team (Navy Times) Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kayla Barron and Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicole Mann are among the 18 members of NASA's Artemis Team, and could be one of the first women to step on the moon. US extends sole remaining nuclear arms treaty with Russia (Military Times) Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the U.S. would use the five years of the New START treaty's renewal to pursue limits on all of Russia's nuclear weapons. Moon, Biden agree to boost US-South Korean alliance (Military Times) South Korea's leader said Thursday he and President Joe Biden have agreed to further bolster their countries' alliance and work together to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. White House confirms Space Force will continue under Biden administration (Washington Examiner) The White House confirmed it will continue Space Force, the military's newest branch, which was formed under former President Donald Trump's administration. With Biden's 'full support,' the Space Force is officially here to stay (Defense News) The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden will not seek to dissolve the new service. Don't Downgrade Space (Defense One) Moves and hints portend a worrying shifting of priorities under the Biden administration. Opinion | A Pentagon strategy for elevating the space mission (POLITICO) Five ways that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin can power up the space mission — and the economy — for decades to come. Governor urges Biden administration to keep Space Command, US lands agency in Colorado (Air Force Times) Gov. Jared Polis is urging the Biden administration to keep the headquarters of two key U.S. government agencies in Colorado. Politics should not determine location for US Space Command (C4ISRNET) A former U.S. senator says Air Force leaders have chosen command locations without the mission, war fighter and taxpayer in mind. Decision to award military's new space headquarters to Alabama likely to be reviewed (Washington Examiner) One of the most ardent supporters of last month's surprise Air Force decision to award the future permanent headquarters of the U.S. Space Command to Alabama admits there's going to be a political battle royal to keep it there. HASC's new lead Republican on making Space Force permanent and budget fights to come (Defense News) 'We cannot cut defense spending. We've got to keep it at minimum level, and hopefully increase it.' Army, Navy Funds Unlikely For Space Force Until 2023 (Breaking Defense) "The last thing Congress intended when creating the Space Force was to end up with four different space forces," says CSIS's Todd Harrison in a new analysis promoting a roles and missions review. In year two, the Space Force is focused on international partnerships (C4ISRNET) Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said the service will work on integrating with allies and establishing norms for behavior for space. Commander's Strategic Vision: Never a Day without Space (US Space Command) For over half a century, space power has provided the United States with an important strategic advantage. SPACECOM Warns Adversaries in New Strategy Overview (Air Force Magazine) U.S. Space Command in its new strategy paper warns of a future with "increasingly capable competitors" and a "long-term security threat" posed by Russia and China. We hold these Space Truths to be self-evident (C4ISRNET) U.S. Space Command head Gen. James Dickinson's new strategic vision outlines the principles informing his efforts to maintain space supremacy. When it Comes to Space Force Integration, Burden is on the Other Services - Defense & Aerospace Report (Defense & Aerospace Report) The US Air Force, Army, and Navy are currently debating the importance of integrating the US Space Force into the structure of the armed forces. But the current debate belies a crucial point. For decades, those same services have starved space of required resources and talent. Making up for this deficit, and responding to the new directives of the president and Congress, will consume most of the Space Force's efforts for years. The service is going to start small and undermanned. The Space Force considers a new mission: tactical satellite imagery (C4ISRNET) The head of the Space Force says the service is studying whether it should take up the mission of providing beyond-line-of-sight targeting with satellites. Q&A with Gen. Thompson, Vice Chief of Space Operations (National Defense) Gen. David "DT" Thompson serves as the first vice chief of space operations for the Space Force, the military's newest armed service. Space Force begins onboarding cyber specialists (FCW) The U.S. Space Force has begun transferring more than a thousand cyber professionals into its ranks as of Feb. 1 with plans to start recruiting talent for multiple career fields from across the military branches this year. Space Force starts transitioning cybersecurity professionals into its ranks (FedScoop) Space Force is onboarding its first Cyber Guardians to better protect satellites and space assets from hacking. Space Force Building Plan to Combine Active-Duty and Reserve Service (Air Force Magazine) Space Force officials are fleshing out the details of a unique approach to military service that combines Active-duty and Reserve commitments. Space Force is looking for a few good soldiers, sailors (Military Times) Space Force is looking to recruit hundreds of young people, as well as a few dozen soldiers and sailors. Space Force to Test New Insignia Next Month (Air Force Magazine) Space Force troops will try out new rank insignia for the first time next month, in a potential departure from the longtime chevrons. What Space Force should have called its members instead of 'guardians' (Military Times) Wookies, trekkies, rocketman? Yes please. Top Space Force general acknowledges service's PR problem (TheHill) The Space Force's top general said Wednesday that the newest military arm may have a PR problem. What the Space Force is, and isn't (POLITICO) The newest branch of the military is still mired in explaining to the public what it does. The Cyber Maritime Environment: A Shared Critical Infrastructure and Trump's Maritime Cyber Security Plan (War on the Rocks) Last month, the unclassified version of the Donald Trump administration's Maritime Cybersecurity Plan was published to the White House website … and then Pentagon acting CIO pushes on with cybersecurity, software development (C4ISRNET) Cloud, zero trust, remote work: Acting CIO outlines priorities for his tenure as the Pentagon's top IT official. DoD fires hundreds of advisory board members, will conduct a review on effectiveness (Federal News Network) After a fair amount of drama over Defense advisory boards in the past few months, the Pentagon is starting completely fresh by relieving hundreds of board members. Pentagon chief purges defense boards; Trump loyalists out (Defense News) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered hundreds of Pentagon advisory board members to resign this month as part of a broad review of the panels, essentially purging several dozen last-minute appointments under the Trump administration. Senate confirms Hicks as DoD's No. 2 (Defense News) The Senate confirmed Kathleen Hicks as deputy defense secretary on Monday evening, making her the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the position. Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement FAA closes investigation of SpaceX's Starship SN9's test-flight crash (Space.com) The milestone helps clear the way for SN10's upcoming flight. Raytheon to Challenge Lockheed's $4.4 Billion Aerojet Buyout (Bloomberg) Deal would affect supply of rocket engines, says Raytheon CEO. Merger, projected to close in second half, is under FTC review. US FTC takes second look at Lockheed acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne (Electronics Weekly) At the start of the year Lockheed Martin announced its intention to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne, the aerospace and defence rocket engine manufacturer, in a tran FTC Seeks Additional Info on Lockheed's $4.4B Deal for Aerojet Rocketdyne (GovCon Wire) Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has received from the Federal Trade Commission a second request for addi Court Can't Hear DynCorp Protest Over $717M Army Deal (Law360) A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge has dismissed DynCorp's protest alleging CACI Technologies shouldn't have been eligible for a $717.5 million U.S. Army intelligence support order after changing corporate structure, saying she lacked authority to decide the case. DOD inspector general to probe selection of Space Command headquarters (Omaha.com) The complaint from Nebraska and Colorado that politics tainted the selection of Alabama as the preferred site for the U.S. Space Command's permanent headquarters is about to get a hearing. Mattel, American Girl Must Face Astronomer's TM Claim (Law360) A Wisconsin federal judge ruled Thursday that Mattel and its American Girl brand must face a trimmed trademark suit claiming the companies stole astronomer Lucianne Walkowicz's likeness to create an astronaut doll called "Luciana Vega."

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