Signals & Space Monthly Briefing

September 2021

Prepared by the CyberWire (Invalid Date) At a glance. Deconflicting near-earth orbit. OPIR updates. Notes on the commercial launch industry. Space Force develops its acquisition system. Training and recruiting the Guardians. International law and a new space race. Collision, deconfliction, and the potential threat of deliberate attacks on satellites. In March US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron observed the break-up of Chinese satellite Yunhai-1-02. At the time it wasn't clear whether the incident was a collision or an internal malfunction (perhaps a propellant explosion). But another object being tracked, Object 48078, a fragment left behind in orbit by a Russian Zenit-2 that carried the Tselina-2 reconnaissance satellite, was listed this month in Space-Track.org' database as having "collided with satellite." Space-Track didn't say what satellite it had hit, but Space.com reports that the likely candidate for the collision was Yunhai-1-02. Object 48078 wasn't (isn't?) very big, just a chunk of old hardware thought to be somewhere between ten and fifty centimetres wide, but that was large enough to make an impression on Yunhai-1-02, which remains in orbit, although whether it's able to function remains unknown. The collision spawned thirty-seven new "debris objects" that are now currently being tracked, with the possibility of an indeterminate number of other chunks not yet cataloged. "Collisions are proportional to the square of the number of things in orbit," Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics told Space.com. "That is to say, if you have 10 times as many satellites, you're going to get 100 times as many collisions. So, as the traffic density goes up, collisions are going to go from being a minor constituent of the space junk problem to being the major constituent. That's just math." There's concern, as low-earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded (Space.com observes that more than half of the near misses today involve Starlink satellites, and those craft are actively managed for deconfliction), that a cascade of collisions, each one spawning dozens, hundreds, or thousands of pieces of debris, could realize the Kessler syndrome. In that situation the debris fields would become so extensive as to effectively deny low-earth orbit to new spacecraft. There's also the concern that space infrastructure, particularly GPS, are also dangerously vulnerable to deliberate kinetic attack, C4ISRNet reports. The US Senate's version of the 2022 Intelligence Community authorization bill requires that the Director of National Intelligence "in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Commerce, conduct a study on the vulnerability of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to hostile actions, as well as any actions being undertaken by the intelligence community, the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, and any other elements of the Federal Government to mitigate any risks stemming from the potential unavailability of the Global 7 Positioning System." The report, due within one-hundred-eighty days of the act's passage, would have four elements: a vulnerability assessment, a study of the consequences of the loss or degradation of GPS, an inventory of alternative systems that could back up GPS, and an assessment of available risk mitigations. Missile warning satellite update. US Space Force's Space Systems Command says the first launch of the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR, Block 0 GEO) missile warning satellites remains on track for 2025. Breaking Defense reports that the announcement comes as some in Congress have expressed concern that Space Force is overly optimistic about the program's schedule. The prime contractor for the system is Lockheed Martin, as Defense News reports. Two teams, one from Raytheon Intelligence and Space, the other from Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace, are competing to provide the sensor package. Both teams passed major design milestones this month. C4ISRNet reports that the Space Development Agency on August 10th also launched an experimental sensor package aboard a Cygnus NG-16 spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Prototype Infrared Payload (PIRPL) will serve the development of the Tracking Layer, designed to detect missile launches from low-earth orbit. PIRPL's sensor package includes a multispectral sensor. Fortunes of the launch industry, and the businesses it supports. Boeing had hoped for a flight test of its Starliner spacecraft in August, but had to postpone its test indefinitely. The Wall Street Journal estimates the delay as likely to last at least several months. Boeing has removed the capsule from the launch vehicle and returned the capsule to the factory for what it calls "deeper-level troubleshooting" of stuck valves. Rival SpaceX is proceeding with its own plans for an orbital test flight of its heavy-lifting Starship, which SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweets could take place in a "matter of weeks." (Space.com has an interesting brief history of Starship's development.) TechCrunch reports that SpaceX has shipped a hundred-thousand Starlink terminals to users, and that the company intends to add more Starlink satellites to its constellation aboard future Starship flights. Mr. Musk has bigger plans for Starship. He told Space.com that SpaceX could mount a moon mission as early as 2024. (NASA has expressed doubts that this is feasible, with, as DefenseOne puts it, "spacesuits and lawsuits" as the big obstacles.) Space Force acquisition. On August 13th Space Force replaced the Space and Missile Systems Center it inherited from the Air Force with Space Systems Command, C4ISRNet reports. The Command's first leader, Lieutenant General Michael Guetlein, who says the new name represents more than a nominal, cosmetic change. It represents "a change in mindset, a change in culture, and driving a unity of effort across not only the Space Force but across the DoD," he told C4ISRNet. Part of that new mindset is a determination to stay close to the commercial space industry, and the reputation for rapid innovation that typically sticks to the private sector. "The commercial space sector is driving the market, and Space Systems commanders are eager to facilitate these companies and bring their unique solutions into our programs of record," Joy White, Space Systems Command's executive director, told Breaking Defense. Thus as Space Force matures as a military service, it's considering ways of managing acquisition that would escape the familiar complaints that arise elsewhere in Defense acquisition. C4ISRNet reports that Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration Shawn Barnes believes Space Force has enough flexibility in how it issues contracts to meet its operational needs. But he does think that conceiving of procurement in terms of portfolios as opposed to platforms would yield better results. Should Space Force consider adopting portfolios as a management technique, they have at least one current and proven model to consider: the US Navy's science and technology programs have long been managed and assessed as portfolios. Space Force might consider talking to program officers at the Office of Naval Research to ask them about their experience assembling, running, and defending their research portfolios. Training and recruiting the Guardians. Space Force's third and final field command, the one charged with responsibility for training the Guardians, was formally established in a ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado on August 23rd. C4ISRNet reports that the Space Training and Readiness Command, inevitably to be known as "STARCOM," will be headquartered at Vandeberg Space Force Base in California, as will all but one of the training Deltas. Brigadier General Shawn Bratton, who came from the National Guard Bureau, will be STARCOM"s first commanding general. So far Space Force has been an active duty Service, but members of Colorado's Congressional delegation are advocating giving it a National Guard component. A new recruiting campaign, with well-produced videos, has been launched to attract recruits to the ranks of the Guardians. It features General Raymond, and he challenges potential recruits with the slogan, "Space is hard." The campaign seeks to inspire potential Guardians with science, and with the highly specialized role Space Force plays in national defense. And the videos make full use of a range of appealing young Guardians who explain the Service and the role they play in it. International norms in space, and a new space race. With the US, Russia, and China all planning to establish bases on the moon, Breaking Defense suggests that it's now received wisdom in the US Congress that we're in a "new space race." This raises fresh questions of international law, DefenseOne notes: if two powers both want a base in the same location, how would the dispute be resolved? On a first-come, first-served basis? [1388]   Today's edition of the CyberWire reports events affecting . Selected Reading Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities Space collision: Chinese satellite got whacked by hunk of Russian rocket in March (Space.com) We may see more and more of these orbital smashups in the coming years. SpaceX Starlink satellites responsible for over half of close encounters in orbit, scientist says (Space.com) Starlink satellites might soon be involved in 90% of close encounters between two spacecraft in low Earth orbit. With Chinese and Russian knives at the throat of GPS, Senate calls for a study, waits for administration to follow law (C4ISRNet) The U.S. must pursue a terrestrial alternative to GPS, as required by law, as one step to protect the vulnerable system for the military and the public, an expert argues. US, UK and Israel blame Iran for ship attack; Tehran denies (Washington Post) The United States and the United Kingdom joined Israel on Sunday in alleging Iran carried out a fatal drone strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, putting further pressure on Tehran as it denied being involved in the assault. Iran faces condemnation over attack on Israeli-owned ship (TheHill) Secretary of State Antony Blinken and foreign ministers of Group of Seven (G-7) nations and the European Union on Friday issued a joint statement condemning Iran for carrying out a "deliberate and targeted attack" on an Israeli-owned shipping vess US considering 'next steps' as it warns Iran it will respond to deadly attack on oil tanker in international waters (REPORT DOOR) 'RESPONSE FORTHCOMING': The United States says "an appropriate response … will be forthcoming" after a drone attack on an oil tanker in the Arabian Sea Trends Small launch vehicles grow up (SpaceNews) Why Relativity Space and Rocket Lab are both developing larger rockets that could vie with Falcon 9 and Vulcan Centaur for some classes of payloads. Amid Space Race, Cybersecurity And Resiliency Remain Concerns: Experts (Breaking Defense) The space rush will result in tens of thousands of new assets launched within the decade, which will create a "truly enormous" cyber attack surface, said Sam Visner, a technical fellow at the MITRE Corporation. UFO Mania Is Out of Control. Please Stop. (Washington Post) Sorry to disappoint you, this science writer says, but there's zero evidence of aliens. We'll Have to Wait About 3,000 Years for a Reply From Intelligent Civilizations (Universe Today) According to a new study by Harvard Professor Loeb and Amir Siraj, it would around 3000 years to hear a reply from an extraterrestrial civilization. Marketplace Astra Space slides 24% after its test rocket for the US Space Force failed to reach orbit (Business Insider) The rocket manufacturer has opened a mishap investigation after Saturday's test launch. Thales to sell signalling business to Hitachi in $2 bln deal (Reuters) Thales (TCFP.PA), Europe's largest defence electronics company, said it was in advanced talks to sell its GTS railway signalling business to Japan's Hitachi (6501.T) in a deal that values the division at 1.66 billion euros ($2 billion). Richard Branson's satellite-launching company Virgin Orbit to go public (CNN) Virgin Orbit, the Richard Branson-backed startup that launches small satellites into space, will make its stock market debut later this year, adding another name to the long list of space-focused companies to go public via reverse merger. WSJ News Exclusive | Boeing Plans Investment in Virgin Orbit's $3.2 Billion SPAC Listing (Wall Street Journal) Richard Branson's satellite-launching startup said Boeing will invest in the listing later this year, a move that comes as the plane maker's own space program faces hurdles. Raytheon learning from Colorado startup it acquired to become more agile (Colorado Springs Gazette) Defense giant Raytheon Technologies is hoping to learn from a Lafayette satellite startup it acquired last year how to become more agile and quicker to adapt, a company executive said New Skunk Works Plant to Build Advanced Fighters, Other Projects (Air Force Magazine) Lockheed Martin has finished building a massive new factory for its Skunk Works division to work on advanced development projects. Lockheed Martin begins search for new CFO after Possenriede's exit (Reuters) Security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) said on Tuesday it is searching for a new chief financial officer after Kenneth Possenriede resigned from the post due to personal reasons. What Does Sudden Lockheed CFO Departure Mean For Prime? (Aviation Week) Lockheed Martin surprised stakeholders late Aug. 3 when it announced the sudden departure of its chief financial officer, the second in almost as many years, as well as lower earnings per share guidance for the year, albeit due to a one-time financial transaction. Graham Robinson Joins Northrop Grumman Board of Directors (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Aug. 12, 2021 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced it has elected Graham Robinson to its board of directors. Robinson is the senior vice president and president of STANLEY Industrial, a business segment of Stanley... Donovan named customer engagement lead of Raytheon Intelligence and Space (Inside Defense) Raytheon announced today it has named former under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness Matt Donovan as vice president of customer engagement and solutions within its intelligence and space business. Space Foundation Partners With SAIC at Space Symposium With First Inclusive Cohort for a Joint Space Commerce Entrepreneurship Program (SpaceRef) Space Foundation Partners With SAIC at Space Symposium With First Inclusive Cohort for a Joint Space Commerce Entrepreneurship Program - SpaceRef BAE Systems top IT vendor for Defense Intelligence Agency (Verdict) BAE Systems,Booz Allen Hamilton Holding and The Buffalo Group emerge as top IT vendors, bagging contracts from Defense Intelligence Agency. Products, Services, and Solutions Apple Plans to Add Satellite Features to iPhones for Emergencies (Bloomberg) Device will be able to deliver messages without cell service. Apple plans an emergency-reporting tool for future iPhones. Kuo: iPhone 13 to Feature LEO Satellite Communications to Make Calls and Texts Without Cellular Coverage (MacRumors) The iPhone 13 will feature low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication connectivity to allow users to make calls and send messages in areas without... Chinese startup iSpace fails to reach orbit again with Hyperbola-1 rocket (Space.com) It was the third launch of iSpace's Hyperbola-1 rocket and the second failure in just six months. Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet is acquiring a license to provide blanket coverage to Britain, the Telegraph says (Business Insider) SpaceX's space internet venture would reach remote and rural areas in northern Britain, providing full broadband coverage for the UK, the newspaper reports. SpaceX ships 100,000 Starlink terminals to customers, eyes future launches using Starship (TechCrunch) Elon Musk's Starlink project, which aims to provide global broadband connectivity via a constellation of satellites, has shipped 100,000 terminals to customers. 100k terminals shipped!https://t.co/Q1VvqVmJ2i — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2021 It's a jaw-dropping pace for the capital-intensive … Mynaric : Signs Multi-Million Dollar Deal with Spacelink (MarketScreener) SpaceLink is building an information superhighway for the space economy that will help advance humanity to a new age of space commerce, exploration, environmental awareness, and security. SpaceX's Starship could be ready for 1st orbital test flight 'in a few weeks,' Elon Musk says (Space.com) But don't expect it to actually launch so soon. SpaceX Starship: Key milestones for the world's most powerful rocket (Space.com) The next space shot for Starship is an orbital flight. SpaceX installs 29 engines on giant Super Heavy Mars rocket (photos) (Space.com) The company is gearing up for the first orbital test flight of its Starship system. SpaceX rolls 29-engine Super Heavy rocket to launch site (video) (Space.com) The booster will launch on an orbital test flight in the coming months, if all goes according to plan. Elon Musk's SpaceX may launch a tiny Canadian satellite that will livestream ads from space: report (Space.com) Yes, eventually it will take Dogecoin. SpaceX stacks Starship atop massive booster for 1st time to make the world's tallest rocket (Space.com) It's taller than NASA's Saturn V moon rocket. Elon Musk says SpaceX could launch a Starship to the moon 'probably sooner' than 2024: report (Space.com) This comment came after NASA's implementation of the contract was delayed again this month. SpaceX faces possible liquid oxygen shortage for rocket fuel amid pandemic (Space.com) Liquid oxygen is in high demand. The launch of NASA's new Landsat 9 satellite has been delayed by a liquid nitrogen shortage (Space.com) Landsat 9 will launch a week late on Sept. 23. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin targeting Aug. 25 for next spaceflight (Space.com) Unlike Blue Origin's last flight, this one will be uncrewed. Boeing's Starliner Spacecraft to Return to Factory Over Stuck Valves (Wall Street Journal) The decision to remove the Starliner from the rocket that was supposed to propel it into space is expected to delay its launch by several months. Boeing's Starliner still hoping for August launch despite technical troubles (Space.com) Boeing is still hoping to achieve an August launch date for its Starliner capsule amid continuing technical problems with the spacecraft. The Starliner Launch Was Called Off Again. This Time It Was Boeing's Fault. (Barron's) A test flight of Boeing's autonomous, reusable space capsule was called off for a second time on Tuesday. Boeing to return Starliner to factory, launch delayed (Reuters) Boeing Co (BA.N) will return its CST-100 Starliner to the factory to resolve a valve issue, the company said on Friday, delaying the launch date of the space capsule to the International Space Station until at least mid-October if not later. Launch of Boeing's Starliner capsule delayed indefinitely (Space.com) It's unclear when Starliner will get off the ground. Mercury Systems receives $17M order for advanced data transfer systems (GlobeNewswire News Room) Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical... Arianespace Launches Pléiades Neo 4 Satellite for Airbus (Via Satellite) Arianespace launched the second high-resolution satellite in the new Airbus Defence and Space constellation on Monday on a Vega rocket, along with four rideshare cubesats. The Vega launch vehicle took off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on Monday at 10:47 p.m. Kourou time. The Airbus satellite, Pléiades Neo Northrop Grumman has not ruled out another try at national security space launch (SpaceNews) A year after discontinuing the development of its OmegA rocket, Northrop Grumman is not completely ruling out a future attempt to get back in the national security launch market. Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Open Architecture High-Speed Connectivity (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has validated the open architecture nature of its advanced gateway system offering by successfully integrating and demonstrating a new High Capacity Backbone (HCB) capability provided... Indian rocket suffers catastrophic failure during launch, Earth-watching satellite lost (Space.com) It was India's first launch of 2021. Antares rocket launches heaviest Cygnus cargo ship ever to space station for NASA (Space.com) The Northrop Grumman rocket and spacecraft are packed with more than 4 tons of supplies. Microsoft touts top secret cloud ATO (FCW) Azure Government Top Secret is now 'generally available' for national security workloads, Microsoft announced in a blog post. Microsoft Expands Its Space Cloud With New SES-Boeing MEOsats (Breaking Defense) The full constellation of next-gen O3b mPower satellites is expected to be on-orbit by 2023, said SES CEO Steve Collar. A New Laser-Like System Could Put 5G in Your Home (Interesting Engineering) A new system could place reliable and strong 5G signals in your home! The trick lies in splitting up the singular millimeter wave into several. Sandy Brown: Raytheon Seeks to Transform GPS Satellite Ground Control Through Software Update, Cybersecurity (ExecutiveBiz) Sandy Brown, a vice president at Raytheon Technologies' intelligence and space business, said the company aims to help the U.S. Space Force revolutionize mission management and data processing of Global Positioning System III Follow-On satellites by updating the ground control segment for the GPS constellation.She told Breaking Defense that the Next Generation Operational Control System Technologies, Techniques, and Standards Northrop Grumman, Ball Aerospace clear milestone for missile warning payload (C4ISRNet) The payload will fly on one of the first geostationary Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites. Raytheon Intelligence and Space completes Next Gen OPIR Block 0 Milestone (Space War) Raytheon Intelligence and Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, completed a Critical Design Review of its competitive sensor payload design for the U.S. Space Force's Next-Generation Overhead Per Next-Gen OPIR Missile Warning On Schedule For 2025 Launch (Breaking Defense) "At this point, we do not assess any impact to the schedule but continue to evaluate that day by day," said Col. Brian Denaro, SSC's program manager for Next Gen OPIR. Space Development Agency launches experimental infrared sensor into orbit (C4ISRNet) The demonstration will help the agency reduce background noise and detect hypersonic weapons from space. Northrop Grumman Completes Critical Design Review for Next-Gen OPIR Missile Warning Mission Payload (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Ball Aerospace successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) Geosynchronous (GEO) mission payload.... Space Force's next generation of missile warning satellites passes major design milestone (Defense News) With critical design review complete, Lockheed Martin can move forward with fabrication and integration of the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared GEO satellites. Iran Planning to Launch 5 New Satellites by 2021 (Defense World) Iran Planning to Launch 5 New Satellites by 2021 Space station situation with Russian module misfire more serious than stated: report (Space.com) The space station spun far more than the reported 45 degrees, according to NASA flight director Zebulon Scoville. Russia's Latest Space Station Incident Points to Larger Issues (Wired) Nauka's errant firings were likely the result of human error—and they raise concerns about the future of the country's space program and its partnership with NASA. Russian cosmonauts find new cracks in ISS module (Reuters) Russian cosmonauts have discovered new cracks in a segment of the International Space Station that could widen, a senior space official said on Monday, the latest in a series of setbacks. Small cracks found in International Space Station module: report (Space.com) It's unclear whether the cracks are causing any air to leak from the orbiting lab. US Navy Will Upgrade Warships to Add Unnamed Space Capabilities (Defense One) "Everything is classified" when it comes to space, one admiral complained. Pentagon Poised To Unveil, Demonstrate Classified Space Weapon (Breaking Defense) The push to declassify an existing space weapon is being spearheaded by Gen. John Hyten, the vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Brazilian IFF programme makes cyber progress (Shephard Media) Important data encryption elements are falling into place in the Brazilian Air Force IFF programme. Space solar power project got off the ground with billionaire's $100 million donation (Space.com) Real estate mogul Donald Bren's donation could help seed an energy revolution. A Malaysian satellite has died in space and will meet a fiery doom (Space.com) An anomaly struck Measat-3 in June, its owners say. New Army tactical network leadership will try to stop frontline frustrations with data (C4ISRNet) The new leader of the Army's Network Cross-Functional Team has a unique understanding of soldiers' network needs in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. NORTHCOM Needs Help In Space For Arctic Communications (Breaking Defense) Eliminating stovepipes that prevent sharing information about threats and responses is crucial to defense of the homeland, says Gen. Glen VanHerck, NORTHCOM head. What 'Digital Force' Really Means—and How to Build One (Air Force Magazine) The Space Force says it wants to be the first truly "digital service." Members of the military and defense industry officials defined what that means. Design and Innovation Spire Pivots Weather CubeSats To SIGINT Missions (Breaking Defense) Detecting interference with Global Positioning System sat signals in conflict zones actually is "low hanging fruit," says Spire's Conor Brown. "We're picking them up accidentally with our weather satellites." SDA Opens Contest For First Operational Constellation (Breaking Defense) SDA intends to choose three contractors next year to design and build up to 144 new satellites. Lockheed Martin LINUSS smallsats ready for 2021 launch (Intelligent Aerospace) LINUSS is a pair of LM 50 12U CubeSats -- each about the size of a four-slice toaster -- designed to demonstrate how small satellites can serve an essential role in sustaining critical space architectures in any orbit. Sierra Nevada and General Dynamics to design updated cryptographic key loaders with network connectivity (Military & Aerospace Electronics) NGLD-Medium provides the same functionality as legacy fill devices while adding network connectivity to support over-the-network-key distribution. Hacking space on the horizon for 2023 (Medium) U.S. Space Force is working on a plan for security researchers to attempt to pwn a live satellite orbiting earth in Hack-A-Sat 4. 'What Do You Need Humans For?' Space Command Deputy Says AI The Future (Breaking Defense) Being able to provide space domain awareness about the cislunar environment is one mission for which robust AI/ML capabilities will be critical, said Lt. Gen. John Shaw. CROWS partners with industry to bring focus to cyber resiliency (U.S. Air Force) The virtual discussion featured a program overview, a discussion of their Systems Security Engineering Cyber Guidebook, and a cyber resiliency roundtable between government and industry experts, which Raytheon Helps Space Force Design Data Analysis Tool via Digital Engineering Method (ExecutiveBiz) Raytheon Technologies has applied a digital engineering approach to help the U.S. Space Force design a ground system for processing and analyzing military satellite data.The company said its intelligence and space business developed virtual models using a digital thread to understand small design changes as the team worked on the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution General: Key components missing to bring JADC2 to contested battlefields (C4ISRNet) The Defense Department needs industry to build resilient tools that can survive in contested environments. Research and Development LG Achieves a 6G THz Band Milestone (TVTechnology) LG reports that its 6G test successfully transferred data over 100 meters on the 6G THz band AFRL posts S&T protection RFI | Intelligence Community News (Intelligence Community News) On August 16, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) posted a request for information (RFI) for Science and Technology Protection. Responses are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on September 20. NASA's Lucy Mission Gets Ready to Fly by the Trojan Asteroids (Wired) The spacecraft will provide the first up-close look at these building blocks of the early solar system. US astronaut moon landing 'not feasible,' by 2024, NASA's inspector general finds (Space.com) Elon Musk has offered to help. Spacesuits and Lawsuits Put 2024 Moon Landing in Jeopardy (Defense One) Two lunar-exploration spacesuits won't be ready, a new report says, while bid protests have held up work on the lander. Ball Aerospace completes preliminary design review of NOAA's space weather satellite (Intelligent Aerospace) Ball is building the spacecraft for NOAA's Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 mission. Legislation, Policy, and Regulation 'We've Now Entered A New Space Race' As PRC, Russia Plan Moon Base: Sen. Moran (Breaking Defense) "I do not believe that our astronauts, upon returning to the Moon, will want to be welcomed by the Chinese and the Russians. Instead, we should be there to meet them whenever they arrive," Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas says. A Weapons Test Is The Wrong Way To Advance Norms On Responsible Behavior In Space (Breaking Defense) If the US goes ahead with testing an anti-satellite system, it risks derailing what little progress has been made to develop international military and security-related norms for outer space, warns Jessica West. US and Canada want to collaborate on NORAD modernization (C4ISRNet) In a joint statement, the nations pledged to upgrade NORAD's sensors and modernize the data infrastructure needed to detect more threats faster. SPACECOM Head Touts Space, High Seas Parallels (Breaking Defense) "The behavior of some of our adversaries in space is surprising. If similar actions had been taken in other domains, they'd likely be considered provocative, aggressive, or maybe even irresponsible," said SPACECOM Commander Gen. Jim Dickinson. Cyberspace and outer space are new frontiers for national security, according to an expert report (The Conversation) The growth of online and space activity make traditional ideas of national security increasingly outdated. Do Not Forget U.S. Missile Defense Gaps in This Year's NDAA (Real Clear Defense) The United States is facing one of the most complex security environments in our history, and at the forefront of threats we face is the increasingly sophisticated missile capabilities of our adversaries. Defense research forms the foundation for national security. Funding cuts crack it. (Defense News) As global threats become more complex and frequent, so does our reliance on science and technology to keep them at bay. NASA, Russia stress that space partnership remains strong after Nauka incident at space station (Space.com) Following a serious incident at the International Space Station last Thursday (July 29), Russia and the U.S. have reaffirmed their partnership and shared next steps to move forward. Jumper: Time for 'a New Reckoning' on Air and Space Power (Air Force Magazine) The U.S. must reflect on the expanding scope of threats that blur distinctions between the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of combat. The Space Force met its 18-month deadline to get up and running. Here's what's next. (Air Force Times) Space Force leadership expects to take on wideband satellite communications in the Army and narrowband SATCOM operations in the Navy this fall. Space Force standing up STARCOM to train guardians (C4ISRNet) The Space Training and Readiness Command will be the third and final field command established under the U.S. Space Force. Space Force Launches New Recruiting Commercial in Push for Young, Diverse Talent (Air Force Magazine) The Space Force debuted its newest recruiting commercial, featuring clips of space operators responding to cosmic challenges, to inspire future Guardians. Colorado congressmen push measure to give Space Force part-time troops (Stars and Stripes) While every other service branch has a reserve component, the Space Force was created with only full-time troops on its roster. Space Force should make its case for legal changes to help launch ranges: lawmakers (Air Force Times) The Space Force may need legal changes to pursue its "Range of the Future." Space Force establishes Space Systems Command (C4ISRNet) Space Systems Command is the second of three planned field commands, and it will be in charge of acquiring most of the Space Force's systems. Space Systems Command is more than a name change, says new commander (C4ISRNet) The organization is set to design and implement a new architecture for America's military satellites. New Space Systems Command Gears Up Commercial Engagement (Breaking Defense) "The commercial space sector is driving the market, and "Space Systems commanders are eager to facilitate these companies and bring their unique solutions into our programs of record," says Joy White, executive director of the new Space Systems Command. Defense supply chains should support allies, but favor domestic producers (Defense News) The concept is simple: buy American when you can, buy from trusted allies when you must. How Air Force Materiel Command will help the Space Force (C4ISRNet) As leadership had suggested over the past two years, the Space Force will lean heavily on the Air Force for base support. The Space Force wants to manage acquisitions by portfolio (C4ISRNet) Changing the service's budget practices could enable more flexibility to shift funding among programs. Space Force chief defends service's short track record (C4ISRNet) Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond explained what he sees as progress in reforming space acquisitions. Dickinson: US Space Command is on 'good glide path' to full operational capability (Defense News) In an exclusive interview at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium, Gen. James Dickinson, the first commander of U.S. Space Command, talks about where he is in a drive toward full operational capability and the challenges he faces in establishing the new organization. DIU's Butow Pushes Space Force Case On 'Tactical ISR' Mission (Breaking Defense) Space Force is not a voting member of the new(ish) IC Commercial Space Council to improve coordination on commercial space policy -- but NRO and NGA are. SPACECOM declares initial operational capability two years after launch (C4ISRNet) Now the 11th combatant command will shift toward acheiving full operational capability. Army Says It Wants Space Capabilities, Not Sats (Breaking Defense) "We do not intend to fly satellites in the Army," said Rick De Fatta, director of the Army's Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence. Space Force planning for new component in the Middle East alongside AFCENT (Air Force Times) Space Force leaders are hashing out a plan to create a new group under U.S. Central Command to coordinate what military space assets to use in the region. Microsoft director with intelligence background will lead the White House's space council (The Verge) A director at Microsoft's Azure returns to the White House. Commentary: The Army Can Lead Into the New Military Age if Given the Chance (SIGNAL Magazine) Absent a strategic vision and refreshed or rewritten doctrine, the Army could find itself struggling to explain and defend its value in a rapidly changing strategic environment. On National Security | How Space Force learned to worry about its culture of secrecy (SpaceNews) A famous line from the movie "Dr. Strangelove" nicely sums up the challenge the U.S. military faces trying to deter China and Russia from initiating attacks against U.S. satellites. Senate confirms Del Toro as 78th SECNAV (Navy Times) The retired Navy officer and businessman has cited China and climate change as the predominant threats facing the force. Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement If China and the US Claim the Same Moon-Base Site, Who Wins? (Defense One) Relatively few craters are attractive, and there's no consensus about avoiding conflict over them. Russian space officials try to blame NASA astronaut for Soyuz air leak in 2018: report (Space.com) NASA says the accusations are baseless. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin sues NASA, escalating its fight for a Moon lander contract (The Verge) The suit presages more delays for NASA's Moon program. Space Travel Is Taking Off, But Companies Also Want To Sell Things From Outer Space (NPR.org) Who owns the moon? Space travel is getting easier and cheaper and now companies and NASA are trying to establish a market for things from outer space.

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