The U.S. Space Force is investing billions of dollars to modernize aging infrastructure at its two coastal ranges to support a growing appetite for rides to space on larger rockets from a greater number of providers. That includes facelifts to wastewater treatment facilities and HVAC systems, road expansions to support transport of larger rockets, and relocating offices to operate outside designated safety zones during launches.
Guardians are now training automated tools on their activities and processes, in order to understand and build trust for the tools and find safe applications for AI, according to Seth Whitworth, the service’s acting deputy chief of space operations for cyber and data.
Dr. Emmons is leading initiatives to expand AI’s role in decision-making and predictive analytics to enhance mission resilience and operational efficiency. Her team’s efforts include developing generative AI techniques for anomaly detection in live telemetry data, integrating retrieval-augmented generation for document analysis, and advancing reinforcement learning for autonomous spacecraft operations.
The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) is a joint effort among the U.S., U.K., and Australia to track objects up to 22,000 miles above Earth in geosynchronous orbit (GEO). The Australia facility, which Northrop Grumman built, is set to go live by 2027.
Recent missions have had the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle—a 29-foot-long experimental spacecraft that can reenter the Earth’s atmosphere autonomously—entering highly elliptical orbit (HEO) and testing a new aerobraking maneuver capability.
The U.S. Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program announced a $21.81 million award to Firefly Aerospace to launch Victus Sol, the third in the TacRS series. It will build upon the past two demonstrations of rapid satellite launch, and be the first to put an operational system in orbit.
Satellite manufacturing startup Apex Technology, which specializes in manufacturing standardized small satellite buses, secured a $45.9 million contract from the U.S. Space Forceds to deliver an unspecified number of satellites by 2032.
Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Purdy, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, wants to double down on stricter accountability for contractors and program managers.
Space Systems Command awarded a $21.81 million deal to Firefly Aerospace for “Victus Sol,” the fifth in a series of experiments designed to make contractors and USSF develop, transport, and launch satellites in record time.
The U.S. Space Force will roll out its International Partnership Strategy soon, laying out a plan to improve the interoperability of space assets and maximize information sharing with allies across classification levels.
