Posts Tagged ‘Department of Defense’
Iran’s Recent Space Success Could Advance Nuclear Aims, Retired General Says
A Sunday launch that placed three Iranian satellites into orbit could signal the Islamic Republic’s ability to use its launch vehicles to deliver warheads to distant targets, warned retired Air Force Gen. Lance Lord, a former leader of Pentagon space efforts. Announced by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the Sunday launch was the nation’s second successful space mission in the past month and the first to deliver multiple satellites. The three satellites, Mahda, Keyhan-2, and Hatef-1, were described by Iran as research satellites designed to test a variety of technologies including communications.
Read MorePolicy Bill Offers Space Force $29 Billion for 2024, More Flexible Personnel Rules
The Space Force would get new, more flexible personnel rules under a compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets the Pentagon budget at $841 billion nest year, which was approved by lawmakers from the U.S. House and Senate. The $29 billion Space Force budget was trimmed by just over $1 billion from an earlier Pentagon request, but is boosted by $3 billion when compared to the service’s 2023 budget.
Read MoreNew Lockheed Martin Orders Spur Race for Nuclear Propulsion in Space
The Defense Department is taking a closer look at powering spacecraft with next-generation nuclear reactors with a pair of programs announced in recent months that test rival methods to unlock the potential fission-powered spaceflight.
Read MorePentagon Pivots with Big Bet on Commercial LEO Satellites
The Pentagon placed a big bet on commercial space services when it issued its first open-ended contracts worth as much as $900 million to 16 companies offering communications and remote sensing services from low-Earth orbit.
Read MoreHow Artificial Intelligence in Space will Play Key Roles for the US Space Force
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play key roles for the military, from helping humans parse through oceans of Earth observation data to maneuvering satellites as constellations grow ever larger, Space Force Lt. Gen. John Shaw predicted during an online discussion with America’s Future Series.
Read MoreSpain Signs Up as 25th Nation in Artemis Pact
Officials from NASA and the U.S. State Department gathered in Madrid Tuesday as Science and Innovation Minister Diana Morant signed off for Spanish agreement to the Artemis Accords, marking the 25th nation to join the U.S.-led treaty to govern conduct in orbit and beyond.
Read MoreSpace Force Unveils Antisatellite Weapons Program, Reserve Branch Plans at Senate Hearing
Space Force leaders pulled back the veil of secrecy on one of the service’s most-secretive programs and made a push for congressional authorization of a new part-time branch during a May 2 hearing before the Senate.
Read MoreU.S. Budget Proposals for 2024 Would Add $5 Billion in Space Spending
Unclassified federal space spending would top $60 billion in 2024 under budgets proposed by the White House March 10, with an extra $5 billion planned for civil and military programs.
Read MoreNew Congress Names Space Committee Leaders
With Republicans reclaiming a narrow majority in the U.S. House, leaders have spent January determining who will get gavels on the committees and subcommittees that set military and civil space policy and spending levels. In the Senate, Democrats kept control, leaving most of their top leaders o… Thank you for your interest in The Space…
Read MoreNew Leader Takes Space Force Helm as Dangers in Orbit Loom
Pentagon leaders emphasized the growing importance of missions in orbit Wednesday as they welcomed the second general to command the Space Force. The new chief of space operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, pledged to get his young service ready for war.
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