Signals & Space Monthly Briefing

August 2021

Prepared by the CyberWire At a glance. The beginning of space tourism. What makes a commercial astronaut? Taxing commercial spaceflight. The satellite marketplace. GLONASS may amount to more than a PNT system. Space hacking worries. Notes on JEDI. Space operations and the Battle of Kasserine Pass. Space tourism begins: billionaire founders cross the Karman Line... The month of July saw two major milestones for commercial spaceflight, space tourism division. Both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin flew suborbital passengers in their respective spacecraft, Unity and New Shepard. Both Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos were aboard their companies' flights. Branson, who decided to take the ride, beat Bezos to the edge of space. Virgin Galactic flew on July 11th, New Shepard on July 20th (WIRED covered both flights). As Space.com points out, however, while the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Department of Defense regard space as beginning at an altitude of fifty miles (which is why X-15 pilots got their astronaut wings), the Kármán line, accepted by the Fédération aéronautique internationale (FAI), puts the edge of space slightly higher, at 100 kilometres (54 nautical miles, 62 miles, or 330,000 feet). Whichever you accept, congratulate those aboard SpaceShipTwo and New Shepard Line on their ride, their weightlessness, and their safe return. ..but might not necessarily qualify as astronauts... The FAA issued new guidelines on what it takes to qualify for commercial astronaut wings. "To be eligible for FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings," the FAA said on July 20th, "commercial launch crewmembers must meet the following criteria: a. "Meet the requirements for flight crew qualifications and training under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 460. b. "Demonstrated flight beyond 50 statute miles above the surface of the Earth as flight crew on an FAA/AST licensed or permitted launch or reentry vehicle. c. "Demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety." It would appear that not all members of the two commercial crews who flew in July meet the flight crew qualifications and training requirements. Still, they did ride their rockets, and so congratulations, again, to them all. ....and a member of the US House plans to introduce taxes on the young industry. Oh, and plans are afoot to tax commercial spaceflight. US Representative Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, Oregon 3rd) said he intends to introduce legislation he's calling the Securing Protections Against Carbon Emissions (SPACE) Tax Act, which would impose new excise taxes on space tourism trips. "Space exploration isn't a tax-free holiday for the wealthy," he said. "Just as normal Americans pay taxes when they buy airline tickets, billionaires who fly into space to produce nothing of scientific value should do the same, and then some." Representative Blumenauer is particularly concerned about carbon emissions from space tourism. In the case of Blue Origin's first flight, the carbon debt would have to be incurred somewhere in the supply chain. Its BE-3 motor burns liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, and that, as the Blue Origin announcers noted as they narrated New Shepard's first flight, its burn just produced steam. That's not true of Virgin Galactic or SpaceX, which use hydrocarbon fuels, but in any case calculating carbon emissions is complicated. Popular Sciencelays out the calculations. How would the tax work? Blumenauer's office explained: "Blumenauer envisions the SPACE Tax Act to include a per-passenger tax on the price of a commercial flight to space, like that for commercial aviation. "It would also include a two-tiered excise tax for each launch into space. The first tier would apply to suborbital flights exceeding 50 miles above the Earth's surface but not exceeding 80 miles above the Earth's surface. The second tier, which would levy a significantly higher excise tax, would apply for orbital flights exceeding 80 miles above the Earth's surface.  "Exemptions would be made available for NASA spaceflights for scientific research purposes. In the case of flights where some passengers are working on behalf of NASA for scientific research purposes and others are not, the launch excise tax shall be the pro rata share of the non-NASA researchers." Boeing's Starliner launch scrubbed, rescheduled. Boeing's Starliner, set for an uncrewed launch to the International Space Station this month, has seen its important flight delayed by problems with the ISS. ("Blame the Russians," as Barron's put it. Space.com says that a software error caused a thruster aboard the ISS to malfunction, causing the station to lose attitude control for about forty-five minutes.) An earlier test flight saw Starliner unable to fully complete its mission, and the upcoming run to the ISS, now planned for August 3rd, is seen, the Washington Post reports, as an important test of the aerospace giant's engineering prowess. The satellite marketplace. Amazon has acquired Facebook's satellite unit, the Information says, bringing in some two dozen engineers expected to help Amazon advance its plans to deliver broadband service from a constellation in low-earth orbit. The US National Reconnaissance Office is using bailment agreements, Federal News Network reports, as an easier means of working with smaller companies. The legal mechanism offers NRO a way of taking temporary possession of overhead imagery, and it's viewed as quicker, easier, and more desirable for the provider than more commonly used acquisition vehicles. NRO is also proposing, according to Breaking Defense, a "Civil Reserve Space Fleet" of commercial imagery satellites. The Fleet would be analogous to the Air Force's Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) or the Maritime Administration's National Defense Reserve Fleet. One distinctive feature of the proposal is a right to permanent control over imagery taken during the period when the Fleet was activated, giving NRO "shutter control" over collection. GLONASS: espionage and reconnaissance potential. Newlines anonymous NATO sources to the effect that the latest version of Russia's GLONASS position, navigation, and timing infrastructure will incorporate both military sensing and target location capabilities. Space hacking concerns. It hasn't been a major problem recently (although it has occurred, Recode says, in 2007, 2008, and 2014) but industry and Government are considering the risks that cyberattacks pose to space systems and the terrestrial infrastructure that surrounds them. US Defense Department takes another run at its cloud contract: JEDI starts over. The Department of Defense has cancelled the $10 billion JEDI cloud contract and will, the Wall Street Journal reported, rebid the work as a multi-vendor contract. It's unwelcome news for Microsoft, but a good result for Amazon, which has long contested the award. Wayne Lloyd, CTO of Federal at RedSeal, sees the outcome as effectively inevitable--it would have been hard for the Defense Department to move to what may well have become a single-cloud model: "The Pentagon's decision to scrap the JEDI contract may suggest a single-cloud model was almost in reach; however the truth is that the DoD is currently using multiple cloud vendors that could never have been easily coalesced into an overarching system, regardless of whether JEDI was implemented or not. Even organizations that have started their cloud from scratch don't have a true one-cloud system, making the choice presented by the JEDI litigation a false one.  "The single-cloud model is an ideal that cannot be achieved overnight. DoD, and any other organization that is considering a centralized cloud, should recognize how the previous use of other vendors makes the path towards a single-cloud a potential minefield of network vulnerabilities."  A novel historical analogy: how Space Force can spare the US another Kasserine Pass. An essay in C4ISRNet offers a different historical analogy, a change from the customary Pearl Harbors and 9/11s. To avoid another Kasserine Pass, the author argues, an independent space commander should be given authority over space assets and operations. The battle of Kasserine Pass, fought in Tunisia during February 1943, probably the worst defeat the US Army ever suffered in a stand-up fight, was lost, the argument runs, because limited Army Air Forces' units were parceled out to ground commanders as auxiliaries, and weren't given the central direction by a competent specialist commander that might have enabled the US to achieve at least air parity, and with it victory. The lesson applies, the essay says, to space force. Maybe. But we note one counterexample and some alternative explanation of the defeat. First, the possible counterexample: Marine Corps air-ground operations during the Second World War didn't seem to suffer from want of centralized direction, which suggests that the Army's failure in Tunisia may have had alternative explanations. The ground forces were still relatively inexperienced, and in any case American failure at Kasserine was grossly overdetermined by command and staff work so deficient that it's still used as a bad example of what not to do in US Army branch schools.     Today's edition of the CyberWire reports events affecting . Selected Reading Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities Exclusive: Western Intelligence Fears New Russian Sat-Nav's Espionage Capabilities (Newlines Magazine) GLONASS, Moscow's answer to GPS, is set to launch an upgraded satellite network later this year, which it hopes to sell to the U.S. and Europe. Space industry worried that cyberattacks could spread off Earth (Flight Global) As Earth-bound small and large businesses convulse from wave after wave of cyberattacks, the fast-growing space industry is worried that it could be next. For hackers, space is the final frontier (Vox) As the commercial space industry heats up, security experts worry about cyberattacks. US military must avoid a 'Kasserine Pass' failure for space power (C4ISRNet) A primary reason U.S. Space Command was reestablished and the U.S. Space Force created was to ensure necessary war-fighting synergies through unity of effort under an independent commander, the essay author writes. Trends The evolving world of radiation-hardened electronics for space (Intelligent Aerospace) Space electronics devices are becoming smaller and more complex, which is putting pressure on designers to move to plastic packaging, and invest in new test and upscreening technologies, John Keller reports for Military & Aerospace Electronics. Lebron James' 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' swaps outer space for cyberspace (review) (Space.com) Warner Bros.' "Space Jam: A New Legacy" brings a fun-but-bloated basketball game into the digital realm of cyberspace starring NBA star Lebron James. Marketplace UNITED KINGDOM : Space industry awaits British contracts with bated breath (Intelligence Online) The British parliament, in the throes of an overhaul of the country's space strategy, is being bombarded with advice from defence industry players keen to press home their respective advantages. The The German 'new space' industry is booming. So why isn't Berlin buying in? (Defense News) The government has articulated the importance of space, but has yet to put many actual euros behind the statement, according to analysts. AFRL releases MUSTER BAA (Intelligence Community News) The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) released the broad agency announcement (BAA) for Multi-Spectral Sensing Technologies Research and Development (MUSTER). NGA looks to test drive commercial space capabilities with new agreement scheme (Federal News Network) The space agency is using temporary agreements to test out satellite imagery and other products with a view toward working more closely with start-up companies. EXCLUSIVE: NRO Space 'Civil Reserve' Includes Shutter Control Option (Breaking Defense) "Frankly, this is an area where the United States can't control what happens anymore," said Secure World's Brian Weeden. Northrop Grumman Moon Station Contract Passes $1 Billion in Value (The Motley Fool) Sole-source contracts mean big money for Northrop. Amazon Acquires Facebook's Satellite Internet Group (The Information) Amazon has acquired a team of more than a dozen wireless internet experts from Facebook in an effort to boost its multibillion-dollar effort to launch thousands of satellites and offer broadband service in the U.S. and abroad, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed. The Facebook employees moved to ... Alpha Space and MEI Technologies to Merge (SpaceRef) Alpha Space and MEI Technologies to Merge As space billionaires take flight, 'the right stuff' for space travel enters a new era (Space.com) Billionaires are going to space. What does that mean for astronauts, and for the rest of us? It's been a long road to passenger spaceflight for Virgin Galactic and rival Blue Origin (Space.com) The companies backed by Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos are ready to launch astronauts. Richard Branson Reaches Space on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity (Wired) The historic flight is only the second time that the rocket plane has carried people. Richard Branson Completes Successful Virgin Galactic Space Flight (Wall Street Journal) The billionaire entrepreneur reached the edge of space and returned successfully after a flight that traveled more than 50 miles above Earth, in a venture expected to spur development of a space-tourism industry. In photos: Virgin Galactic's 1st fully crewed spaceflight with billionaire Richard Branson (Space.com) The space tourism company Virgin Galactic successfully launched its founder Richard Branson and five other crewmembers into suborbital space on July 11, 2021 in a milestone mission that marked the first fully crewed flight of its VSS Unity space plane. See photos of the mission preparations in this Space.com gallery as it happened in this exciting gallery. Main story: Virgin Galactic launches Richard Branson to space in 1st fully crewed flight of VSS Unity Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew are safely back from space, ushering in a new era (Washington Post) Richard Branson completed a daring, barnstorming flight to edge of space Sunday, rocketing through the atmosphere in the spaceplane he'd been yearning to ride for nearly 20 years. SpaceX's Elon Musk and celebrities cheer on Virgin Galactic's Unity 22 launch (video) (Space.com) "Go forth and conquer," actor Kate Winslet says. Richard Branson just flew to the edge of space. Here's what it means for space travel. (MIT Technology Review) Can anything worthwhile come out of the childish race among billionaires to be first? Richard Branson Reaches Space on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity (Wired) The historic flight is the first time the rocket plane has carried a full crew. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson says 'honestly, there isn't' any competition between him and Jeff Bezos on upcoming spaceflights (Business Insider) Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson said during a "Today" show interview that he's not competing with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to get to space first. Richard Branson says he isn't racing Jeff Bezos into space with Virgin Galactic launch (Space.com) Branson's SpaceShipTwo will launch on July 11. Bezos' Blue Origin flight is July 20. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin throws shade at Virgin Galactic ahead of Richard Branson's launch (Space.com) The battle of which billionaire-backed space companies flies higher is on. Why Richard Branson is going to space today (Quartz) The billionaire is fulfilling a lifelong dream —but also testing out the viability for space tourism. The 82-year-old passenger on Jeff Bezos' spaceflight still plans to take the Virgin Galactic trip she paid $200,000 for over a decade ago (Business Insider) Wally Funk is one of 600 people — including Elon Musk — who reserved a seat on one of Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceflights. Meet the crew launching on Blue Origin's 1st astronaut flight on July 20 (Space.com) Yes, Jeff Bezos is on board. Blue Origin will break records for oldest and youngest astronaut with July 20 launch (Space.com) An 82-year-old Mercury 13 aviator and an 18-year-old physics student will fly on the all-civilian crew A lifelong dream and 20 years of work: How Blue Origin and Jeff Bezos arrived at their 1st astronaut launch (Space.com) For Blue Origin, this coming moment has been more than two decades in the making. The scene as Jeff Bezos rides Blue Origin rocket to the edge of space and returns to Earth (Washington Post) Jeff Bezos and three others successfully take the first crewed flight of Blue Origin's reusable New Shepard craft. Jeff Bezos launches into space on Blue Origin's 1st astronaut flight (Space.com) Bezos and three others launched on a suborbital trip aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard. What Bezos' Big Day Means for Commercial Spaceflight (Wired) This week, Steven Levy fills us in on the Blue Origin launch, its implications, and why so many billionaires are obsessed with space travel. Jeff Bezos Goes to Space. Day One: Countdown (Wired) WIRED is reporting daily from Van Horn, Texas, where the Amazon founder will be among the first passengers aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket system. Jeff Bezos Goes to Space. Day Two: Blastoff (Wired) The day was a career highlight for the Amazon and Blue Origin founder. But the real star of the show was Wally Funk. Jeff Bezos Goes to Space. Day Three: Reentry (Wired) For the Amazon and Blue Origin founder, suborbital space tourism is just the first step toward something much bigger. Jeff Bezos Touches Space Aboard Blue Origin Rocket (Wired) The Amazon founder, his brother, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and a paying passenger were the first to test out the New Shepard suborbital rocket system. Virgin Galactic teams with Omaze to raffle off 2 tickets to space to the public (Space.com) Virgin Galactic will partner with a charity fundraising platform to offer the out-of-this-world opportunity. Blue Origin reveals runner-up in $28 million auction will fly with Jeff Bezos to space next week (CNBC) Jeff Bezos' space venture Blue Origin on Thursday revealed that 18-year-old Oliver Daemen will fly in place of the still-anonymous auction winner. Quiet and secretive Blue Origin hopes to start new chapter with Jeff Bezos's space flight (Washington Post) On Tuesday, 11 days after Richard Branson flew to space on Virgin Galactic's rocket plane, Bezos is set to blast off through the atmosphere on his company's rocket from his remote ranch in West Texas. What will space tourists get when they fly with SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic? Spacesuits, sleeping bags ... and Jeff Bezos (Business Insider) Here's everything included in the price of a space ticket with SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, from hygiene products to office supplies. The Rocket Billionaire Who Hated Space Tourism (WIRED) HI, EVERYONE. IN space, no one can hear you scream. Good thing, because you'll certainly shriek at your bank account after the suborbital ticket price is deducted. Billionaires' Ego-Driven Space Adventures Help Everyone (Foreign Policy) Progress doesn't happen unless the ambitious get it off the ground. Bezos blasted for traveling to space while Amazon workers toil on planet Earth (the Guardian) Space-obsessed billionaires come under fire with the Amazon founder declaring the critics 'largely right' Blue Origin takes its first passengers to space (MIT Technology Review) Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have very different approaches to the same business. Despite Tuesday's flight, Jeff Bezos is running out of time to save Blue Origin (Ars Technica) "What we know about Jeff Bezos is that he doesn't like losing." Blue Origin will launch 2 more passenger spaceflights this year after 1st astronaut launch success (Space.com) "Sales are open, everybody!" Jeff Bezos said Blue Origin has sold nearly $100 million worth of tickets for future tourist trips to space (Business Insider) Jeff Bezos, having returned from the edge of space Tuesday, said the demand for tickets on Blue Origin's ship was "very, very high." Bezos' $2bn offer to get back in race to the Moon (BBC News) The billionaire offers to cover $2bn in Nasa costs to be reconsidered for a Moon lander contract. Expensive trips to the edge of space could have big effects on the atmosphere (Business Insider) Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson traveled to the edge of space and hope more people will do the same. It could mean huge carbon emissions. ManTech Books $475M Space Force Launch Systems Engineering Follow-On Contract (GovCon Wire) Looking for the latest GovCon News? Check out our story: ManTech Books $475M Space Force Launch Systems Engineering Follow-On Contract. Click to read more! Satellite imagery provider Planet to go public (C4ISRNet) The company expects to merge with a special purpose acquisition company by the end of the year. Satellite imagery company Planet Labs is going public, backed by Google, BlackRock and Marc Benioff (CNBC) Satellite imagery and data specialist Planet Labs is preparing to go public, merging with a SPAC to list on the NYSE. Navy asks ViaSat for secure data capability, Link 16, and cryptography for MIDS-LVT communications terminals (Military & Aerospace Electronics) MIDS-LVT provides high-capacity, jam-resistant digital data and voice secure communications capability for aircraft, ships, and ground applications. Serco wins spot on $400M C5ISR MAC (Intelligence Community News) Serco Inc. announced that it has been awarded a re-compete contract with the U.S. Navy to provide engineering and technical support for aviation C5ISR electronic systems. Rocket Startup Could Get Huge Boost from Lockheed Martin Buying Aerojet Rocketdyne (Defense One) Ursa Major is developing a family of rocket engines for commercial and defense customers. Leidos' latest exec realignment includes new space leader (Washington Technology) Leidos is undertaking a series of changes and realignments in its senior leadership team including one appointment from within to lead the national security space market strategy. Leidos appoints new VP and MD (SHD Logistics) Leidos UK appoints Lieutenant General Darrell K. Williams (Ret.) to Vice President and Managing Director, LCST and Logistics UK Former Northrop Exec Tom Vice Named Sierra Space CEO (GovCon Wire) Looking for the latest GovCon News? Check out our story: Former Northrop Exec Tom Vice Named Sierra Space CEO. Click to read more! Northrop Grumman Names Michael Witt as Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) FALLS CHURCH, Va. – July 22, 2021 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has named Michael Witt as vice president and chief sustainability officer, effective August 9. Witt will report to Kathy Warden, chairman, chief executive officer and president,... Products, Services, and Solutions All eyes on weather as Boeing looks to Starliner launch on Tuesday (Space.com) Weather concerns continue as NASA and Boeing look to launch the Starliner capsule on a vital uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station on Tuesday (Aug. 3). NASA chief excited for Starliner launch, touts importance of competition (Space.com) "The only thing I'm really concerned about is the weather," Nelson said. Boeing's second Starliner mission to the ISS is a make-or-break moment (MIT Technology Review) Reeling from a failed December 2019 test flight, Boeing is pinning its commercial space ambitions on a do-over. Boeing's engineering prowess faces a test: Its Starliner do-over launch (Washington Post) The legacy aerospace giant, crippled by years of bad news, has a chance to rewrite the narrative. Boeing Scrubs Its Space Capsule Launch. Blame the Russians. (Barron's) Otherworldly investors will have to wait a little longer for the next dramatic step in commercial space travel. Russia says 'software failure' caused thruster misfire at space station (Space.com) The issue caused the space station to lose 'attitude control' for about 45 minutes. Ariane 5 rocket launches 2 communications satellites to orbit (Space.com) It was the first Ariane 5 liftoff in nearly a year. SpaceX rolls giant Super Heavy rocket to launch pad for testing (video) (Space.com) This Super Heavy won't fly — but the next one will. Elon Musk unveils SpaceX's newest drone ship for rocket landings at sea (Space.com) Meet 'A Shortfall of Gravitas.' Inmarsat Takes on Musk and OneWeb With New Satellite Network (Bloomberg) Operator reveals plan to add 5G and at least 150 satellites. Joins wave of investment in 5G and low-earth orbit spacecraft. Mercury introduces industry-first heterogeneous processing module with integrated artificial intelligence functionality (GlobeNewswire News Room) Ruggedized board leverages Versal adaptive compute technology for dramatically increased compute performance, efficiency and customization... Nexus Inc. Successfully Launches Bitcoin Multisignature Wallet On YAM-2 Satellite Via SpaceX's Reusable Falcon 9 Rocket (Parabolic Arc) In another strategic move to further aid cryptocurrency trading platforms circumvent land-based cybercrime, Nexus Inc., the world's leading digital finance asset custodian company, has successfully launched its bitcoin multisignature wallet in space. Airbus completes integration of 3rd Copernicus Sentinel-2 (Geospatial World) Airbus has finished the integration of the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite. It is the third of its kind and will now be shipped to Munich to undergo extensive environmental tests to prove its readiness for Space. The test campaign will last until March 2022. The data gathered by Sentinel-2 satellites are used for monitoring land use [ …] Technologies, Techniques, and Standards The Joint Warfighting Concept Failed, Until It Focused On Space And Cyber (Breaking Defense) The new Joint Warfighting Concept to guide military operations for the next 30 years is "aspirational," and now must be fleshed out as best the Pentagon can with the resources available, says Gen. John Hyten, vice JCS chair. 'It Failed Miserably': After Wargaming Loss, Joint Chiefs Are Overhauling How the US Military Will Fight (Defense One) In a fake battle for Taiwan, U.S. forces lost network access almost immediately. Hyten has issued four directives to help change that. Using satellites and AI, space-based technology is shaping the future of firefighting (NBC News) New programs are being developed by startups and research institutions to predict fire behavior, monitor drought and even detect fires when they first start. Space Force delivers software upgrades to satellite communications system (C4ISRNet) The Advanced Extremely High Frequency system provides survivable, anti-jam satellite communications that can allow secure communications through a nuclear conflict. US Army matures tactical tools for trustworthy data, cyber op action plans (C4ISRNet) The service sought to improve two technologies at this year's NetModX event focused on cyber defense of the network and integrity of soldier data. US wants giant radar in UK to track space objects (BBC News) It comes amid growing concern about congestion, competition and even an arms race in space. Space Force declares operational acceptance of fifth anti-jamming GPS III satellite (C4ISRNet) The satellite completes the baseline for worldwide coverage of the Space Force's new M-code signal. Exclusive: NORTHCOM Head To Press DoD Leaders For AI Tools (Breaking Defense) NORTHCOM's GIDE experiments are aimed at applying AI decision-making tools to realistic scenarios "to show what's available now, and to change culture," Gen. Glen VanHerck, NORTHCOM commander, said. The U.S. Navy Has a New Weapon to Defeat Killer Drone Swarms (19FortyFive) The United States Navy is testing out a device made by a company called DroneShield that could offer serious protection from drones — and not just single quadcopters either, but from swarms of drones. But first a bit on the boat in question. The Navy tested the DroneShield on their one-of-a-kind M80 Stiletto. It's a [ …] How the US Space Force plans to improve Arctic communication (C4ISRNet) Timing is critical as the mineral-rich Arctic becomes a new frontier in national security and economic pursuits. The Army is training the first batch of Space Marines (Task & Purpose) This is how baby Space Marines are made. With all three Gunsmoke-J satellites on orbit, the Army is ready to test space-based targeting (C4ISRNet) While satellite imagery has traditionally been a product of the intelligence community, the development of relatively affordable yet highly capable small satellites that can operate in low Earth orbit has convinced military leaders that they can play a tactical role on the battlefield. Space Force opens facility to improve war-fighting capabilities (C4ISRNet) The new Rendezvous and Proximity Satellite Operations Center will conduct on-orbit experiments and demonstrations for the youngest branch of the military. Navy greenlights production of PAX River-tested electronic attack system (The Southern Maryland Chronicle) El Segundo, Calif., (June 29, 2021) — Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business (NYSE: RTX), has completed Milestone C for the U.S. Navy's Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, or NGJ-MB. "We're well into development testing. It's time to move towards production," said Annabel Flores, vice president of Electronic Warfare Systems at Raytheon Intelligence & [ …] Army to set in stone the importance of information advantage, with new capabilities on deck (C4ISRNet) One of the biggest undertakings for the Army's cyber operational and training arms in the last two years is shifting the service's thinking and approach to the broader concept of information advantage. Now, the service is on the heels of making that concept official doctrine. SMC Eyes MEO Sats For Missile Tracking (Breaking Defense) Space Force is actively considering whether its future missile warning and tracking satellites should be stationed in a wider range of orbits than in the past to improve the network's accuracy and resiliency, an SMC official says. A Raytheon Coyote just defeated a drone swarm (Asia Times) On Thursday night, a "kamikaze suicide drone" appeared from nowhere, and attacked an oil tanker off Oman, in the Arabian Sea. According to a report in the UK's The Sun, the blast … Design and Innovation To Transform Tech, DoD Must Stop Being An 'Innovation Tourist:' Report (Breaking Defense) The current approach "is more akin to innovation tourism —with the DoD sampling the local fare of the United States' various tech hubs —than a bona fide strategy for bringing emerging technologies into the department," the report notes. New NDIA Spin-Off Focuses On Building Next-Gen Tech Base For DoD (Breaking Defense) The institute will concentrate on artificial intelligence; autonomy; biotechnology; cyber; directed energy; command, control and communications; hypersonics; microelectronics; quantum science; space; and '5G to Next G.' Planning for a rainy day in space: How America can build a resilient space future (C4ISRNet) The U.S. does not need to further expand a cumbersome military industry to address the Achilles' heel of space system cybersecurity, a small satellite industry representative says. In a couple years, soldiers in Strykers can learn enemy locations before exiting the vehicles (C4ISRNet) Future tactical network tools for Stryker brigades will connect soldiers inside vehicles to their dismounted teammates across the battlefield. Plywood Satellite Cleared for Space Launch (Defense One) The WISA Woodsat could reduce space debris by using materials that will burn as they fall back into Earth's atmosphere. Maneuver warfare in space: The strategic imperative for nuclear thermal propulsion (Defense News) Achieving space superiority will require the capability to maneuver satellites in a quick, agile and sustained fashion. Repurposed communications satellites could help save humanity from an asteroid impact (Space.com) What do you do if you discover a big rock on a collision course with Earth and have very little time to take action? The Space Development Agency now has demo satellites on orbit. Here's what they'll do. (C4ISRNet) The experiments will test out technologies for the Space Development Agency's planned proliferated constellation. A look into the secret world of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Federal News Network) The office plans to award its 55th contract by the end of the year. Research and Development Space Force launches small satellite to test new sensor possibilities (C4ISRNet) The Air Force Research Laboratory satellite was launched into orbit aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket taking off from New Zealand. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency opens new lab for unclassified collaboration (C4ISRNet) The new space continues NGA's investment in St. Louis as a GEOINT hub. Scientists want to build a new, very different Arecibo Telescope to replace fallen icon (Space.com) Scientists with ties to Arecibo Observatory have designed what could become an ambitious replacement for the lost telescope, which collapsed in December. NASA revives ailing Hubble Space Telescope with switch to backup computer (Space.com) Hubble is back! NTS-3, Aiming To Improve On GPS, Starts Integration Tests In August (Breaking Defense) WASHINGTON: Ground integration tests of the experimental NTS-3 satellite, designed to demonstrate alternate positioning, navigation and timing capabilities to those now provided by GPS, will begin next month, an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) official tells Breaking Defense. "We're just getting into what we call the 'end-to-end system integration' test. We're kicking that off in … NASA, DOE fund three nuclear thermal space propulsion concepts (Space.com) The 12-month contracts are worth up to $5 million apiece. Dozens of starless 'rogue' alien planets possibly spotted (Space.com) Astronomers have spotted more strange "free-floating" planets that could roam deep space untethered to any star. Why Aren't Astronomers Paying More Attention To UFOs? (Forbes) Even the ones hunting for aliens aren't excited. Here's the reason why. Legislation, Policy, and Regulation Can the World Avoid War in Cyberspace —and in Space? (Foreign Policy) Billionaire rocket launches and ongoing cyberattacks reveal that, without norms governing conflict, there could be chaos. Aerospace: More Questions Than Answers For Milspace Norms (Breaking Defense) "I was a little surprised that the common thread wasn't the solutions, it was the questions," author Robin Dickey told Breaking Defense. "No one agrees on the solutions yet." Germany establishes new military space command (Defense News) The German military has announced the creation of a separate command dedicated to space, becoming the latest of a handful of nations prioritizing more resources and missions among the stars. FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program (FAA) This Order provides guidelines, eligibility, and criteria for the administration of the FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program. Senate defense policy bill looks to bolster DoD information warfare (Defense News) The Senate Armed Services Committee finalized its version of the National Defense Authorization Act with several provisions dedicated to trying to improve cyberspace activities, information operations and electronic warfare. Work on Pentagon budget begins in earnest as Senate committee begins markup of defense policy bill (Washington Examiner) SASC MARKS UP NDAA: The Senate Armed Services Committee begins the process of taking President Joe Biden's proposed $715 billion Pentagon budget and turning it into legislation that will shape how the U.S. military will be funded for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Biden's First Budget Tries 'Too Much With Too Little,' New Wargame Finds - Breaking Defense (Breaking Defense) "Our analysis of the FY22 budget and the strategy that we think the Biden administration is going in, it is trying to do too much with too little," says Becca Wasser of CNAS. Exclusive: NRO Erects Buy American Barriers Against Allied Satellite Data (Breaking Defense) The new policy is inconsistent with efforts by DoD and NGA to expand the trusted supplier base by better integrating allied firms into their acquisition chains, critics say. Proposed 'Air and Space Guard' Would Stop Space Force from Getting its Own Component (Military.com) The Senate Armed Services Committee put forward a proposal to change the name of the Air National Guard to the "Air and Space National Guard." House lawmakers call out lack of progress with Space Force acquisition reforms (C4ISRNet) The U.S. Space Force was set up to unify the military's space efforts and reform the way it buys space systems. Lawmakers aren't convinced that's what's happening. Lawmakers pan Biden's first Space Force budget (Roll Call) Lawmakers criticized President Biden's budget proposal for the Space Force, arguing it risks wasting money on flawed purchasing decisions. Government's 'Critical Software' Rules Could Drive Away Industry (Breaking Defense) "It's quite possible that if [the government] doesn't get this right, then none of those companies will want to do business with government," defense acquisition expert Bill Greenwalt told Breaking Defense. "That's extremely problematic." Senators Fret Shift Of Civil Space Tracking From DoD Lagging (Breaking Defense) "Right now we're on track to have a major collision in Low Earth Orbit roughly every 10 years. And that problem is only getting worse and worse," said AGI CEO Paul Graziani. MDA Director Sees New Space Investment (Breaking Defense) "What we don't want to do is launch a weapon that then opens a seeker and there's nothing there, because the target has maneuvered," Vice Adm. Jon Hill, said. No Plans for Space Force PT Test Yet (Military.com) Space Force guardians must wait a little longer for physical training standards unique to their service as it figures out what requirements best match its needs. Biden nominates deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office to lead new Space Systems Command (C4ISRNet) If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the nominee will take over Space Systems Command — a new field command that will develop, acquire, field and sustain space capabilities for the Space Force. Biden's nominee for Pentagon weapons chief withdraws (Defense News) President Joe Biden's nominee to be the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, Mike Brown, withdrew from consideration on July 14, Defense News has confirmed. Oregon congressman proposes new space tourism tax (Space.com) U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) plans to introduce legislation called the Securing Protections Against Carbon Emissions Tax Act, which would impose new excise taxes on space tourism trips. Buckley Space Force Base prepares for the next frontier (Air Force Times) Originally named Buckley Field after a Colorado pilot killed in France in the waning months of World War I, Buckley officially became a Space Force Base on June 4. Commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center retires (C4ISRNet) Lt. Gen. John Thompson retires after four years in charge of the Space Force's main acquisitions organization. Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement Blue Origin protest of NASA moon lander choice nixed by government agency (Space.com) Blue Origin's protest against NASA's decision to not hire the company to build its next human moon lander has been shut down by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). SpaceX Challenged on Broadband Subsidies for Parking Lots (Bloomberg) Company is among 197 winning bidders to get letters from FCC. Agency says it's cleaning up results from auction last year. Pentagon Cancels JEDI Cloud Contract in Setback for Microsoft, Likely Win for Amazon (Wall Street Journal) The Pentagon said it would move to a new multi-vendor approach after the massive contract was mired in litigation from Amazon and criticism from lawmakers. Pentagon cancels $10 billion JEDI cloud contract delayed by Microsoft, Amazon feud (C4ISRNet) The Defense Department announced a new enterprise solution called the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability. Pentagon hits reset on Trump's $10 bln cloud deal, welcoming new players (Reuters) The U.S. Defense Department canceled its $10 billion JEDI cloud-computing project on Tuesday, reversing the Trump-era award to Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and announcing a new contract expected to include its rival Amazon.com (AMZN.O) and possibly other cloud players. Pentagon cancels JEDI Cloud contract after years of contentious litigation (Federal News Network) Defense officials said Tuesday they were cancelling the multibillion dollar sole-source contract. DOD cancels $10 billion JEDI cloud contract after two-year legal battle (Washington Business Journal) After prevailing time and again through numerous court battles to secure its single-vendor cloud infrastructure megacontract, the Department of Defense said Tuesday it decided to cancel the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure in favor of a new approach. DoD sticks the (inevitable) fork in JEDI (Federal News Network) DoD decides the one-cloud approach for its tactical requirements needs revision. How JEDI's Ghost Will Bring Bitter Rivals Together (Defense One) The death of the Pentagon's controversial cloud computing mega-contract likely puts Amazon and Microsoft in a new sort of partnership. Amazon faces questions from lawmakers over Pentagon connections, pursuit of JEDI contract (Washington Business Journal) The GOP lawmakers reference previously unreleased emails from before the contract was launched. Momentus' founder plans to fight the fraud charges levied against him by the SEC while working on yet another space startup (Silicon Valley Business Journal) Unlike his former company and its merger partners, Momentus co-founder Mikhail Kokorich is still fighting the SEC's fraud charges. Meanwhile, he's working on a new startup in Switzerland. A space company CEO accused of fraud is fighting to clear his name (Quartz) The first interview with Kokorich about the charges and his new space company in Switzerland

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