At the 2024 SmallSat Symposium, venture investors urged technology startups to carefully weigh the risks and rewards, when bidding on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) government contracts.
Office of Space Commerce Urges Industry to Take a Broader Examination of Sustainability
At the SmallSat Symposium, Richard DalBello, director of the Office of Space Commerce in the Commerce Department, said there is a need to define a set of “internationally accepted” actions to address issues that range from orbital debris to protecting night skies from satellite interference.
NASA Administrator Announces New Marshall Space Flight Center Director
Joseph Pelfrey will lead a workforce of nearly 7,000 employees and a $5 billion portfolio comprised of human spaceflight, science, and technology development efforts.
Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant Takes Command of SSC, Pledging to Focus on ‘Culture, Speed’
Garrant, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Space Operations for strategy, plans, programs, and requirements, hinted that SSC may expand its “Integrated Mission Delta” and “System Deltas” prototypes.
Firefly Aerospace to continue responsive launch operations for future Alpha missions
Firefly Aerospace plans to make the responsive launch operations it demonstrated for the U.S. Space Force last year the norm for upcoming launches of its Alpha rocket.
Office of Space Commerce seeks SpaceX’s constellation coordination expertise
The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) has entered into a research partnership to explore how SpaceX’s automated satellite collision avoidance software could support plans for a civil space traffic coordination system. The partnership is structured as a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
DoD and industry look to each other for investment in space mobility
Industry officials see the Defense Department, primarily via the Space Force, as the primary customer whose requirements and needs are driving innovation but also financially sustain the “nascent” commercial market.
Space Systems Command weather group to review requirements and long-term plans
“We’re going back to our user community to make sure that we have the right prioritization,” Col. Daniel Visosky, senior material leader for the Space Systems Command’s Environmental and Tactical Surveillance Delta, said Jan. 29 at the American Meteorological Society conference.
Northrop Grumman’s orbital refueling port selected for U.S. military satellites
The company’s Passive Refueling Module is the first to be officially adopted as an interface standard for military satellites. The Space Force also will support Northrop Grumman’s development of an orbital refueling tanker.
Space Force’s Orbital Prime program looking to turn R&D into commercial products
Over 40 companies work under Orbital Prime small business innovation research contracts. The Aerospace Corporation helps to assess companies and their projects.