After four years of growth amid a steadily rising operational tempo, Space Force leaders say it’s time to improve on what they’ve built. The Space Force is the Pentagon’s hub for organizing, training and equipping the units that provide satellite communications to the joint force, track missile launches, catalog debris that could damage spacecraft, take images of troop movements and wildfires from orbit, and more.
NASA raised the number of its active duty astronauts eligible for missions from 38 to 48 on March 5 with the graduation of its 2021 class of 10 candidates during ceremonies at Johnson Space Center (JSC).
NASA expects to have a better understanding by this summer of potential commercial partnerships to support future Mars science missions. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued a request for proposals Jan. 29 for “commercial service studies” for future robotic Mars mission concepts.
The military is interested in a “rapidly prototyped Global Positioning System navigation satellite with an objective to significantly reduce size, weight, power and cost”. The U.S. Space Force is reviewing ideas from the private sector on how to augment the Global Positioning System constellation with smaller, lower-cost satellites.
A Crew Dragon spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station with four Americans and Russians on board after a launch March 3. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 10:53 p.m. Eastern on NASA’s Crew-8 mission. The Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour separated from the upper stage 12 minutes after liftoff.
Ronald Birk’s biggest recent achievement was accelerating the deployment of innovative commercial capabilities by building confidence using in-space testbeds and proving grounds.
The inaugural event invited senior leaders across DoD space offices to see some of Aerospace’s research and development portfolio firsthand, and to discuss future priorities and partnerships.
A two-ton defunct Soviet spy satellite and a decades-old NASA spacecraft studying the upper atmosphere came within 20 meters of each other this week, sounding alarms at the Pentagon and NASA.
Aerospace’s Office of DEI and Executive Diversity Council established a new strategic framework to augment and reinforce our efforts in creating long-lasting impact for a diverse and inclusive workplace where our people are empowered to bring their best selves to collaborate and create the best solutions for our customers.
The Aerospace Committee for Equality (ACE) is leading our holistic effort that spans across the enterprise to address six critical Focus Areas: Recruitment, Representation, Retention, Education and Training, K-12 STEM Outreach and Community Outreach.
