Former President Trump came away Tuesday night with a decisive Electoral College victory to return to the White House next year. With this being his second term, how could these next four years look for NASA, the Space Force, and commercial companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin?
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Boeing wants out of space… mostly
Boeing, the once esteemed aerospace contractor has had its hands in almost every national space program since Apollo. However, it seems likely that the company wants to divest itself of almost all of its space programs.
Expand Expanding CloseAgile Space Industries expands propulsion capabilities with new investments, groundbreaking facilities
Agile Space Industries is making strides in the space propulsion sector, securing a new round of investment led by Lockheed Martin Ventures. The funds are set to fuel the expansion and development of Agile’s Mobile Payload Processing Center, with the potential for additional matching support from the Air Force Work Project, which if granted could further accelerate the development of these mobile processing units.
Expand Expanding CloseU.S. Army considers dedicated space career field for enlisted soldiers
The U.S. Army is exploring the establishment of a specialized space career field for enlisted soldiers, a move that could significantly enhance national security by bolstering the military’s space expertise. This initiative, endorsed by Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commander of the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, was highlighted during the Space and Missile Defense Conference in Huntsville, Alabama.
Expand Expanding CloseAgile Space Industries, True Anomaly collaborate on Victus Haze mission
Agile Space Industries is set to deliver advanced propulsion technologies to True Anomaly, enhancing the capabilities of the Jackal autonomous orbital vehicle (AOV) for the U.S. Space Systems Command’s Victus Haze demonstration. Slated for 2025, the Victus Haze mission’s objective is to showcase the potential of commercial technologies to support future tactically responsive space operations.
Expand Expanding CloseUS Defense Department cultivates new solid rocket motor suppliers
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and escalating global tensions, the U.S. Department of Defense is strategically diversifying its solid rocket motor suppliers to mitigate risks associated with a concentrated supply chain. This move aims to revitalize domestic production capabilities for solid rocket motors, essential components in the arsenal of hypersonic weapons, conventional weapons, and nuclear missiles.
Expand Expanding CloseFirst Lady Jill Biden visits the Space Coast
On Monday, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of the VA Denis McDonough visited the Space Coast as part of her Joining Forces initiative to support military families. The two started with a tour of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station facilities before returning to Patrick Space Force Base to visit a Starbase classroom and hold a round-table with military spouses.
Expand Expanding CloseSpace Force modernizing training with mixed reality for the competitive space domain
In an era where space has become a fiercely contested domain, the U.S. Space Force faces the formidable challenge of training its personnel to excel in an environment where real-world experience is limited. As such, the military branch is leveraging advanced technologies to revolutionize its training methods, preparing guardians for the intricacies of space operations in the face of evolving threats while their expanding role.
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX receives first Starshield contract from the US Space Force
According to a statement given to CNBC, earlier this month the Space Force purchased services on SpaceX’s new Starshield constellation. This is the first contract SpaceX has gotten for its government focused service it has yet to share much about publicly.
Expand Expanding CloseWhite House reverts Space Command HQ move to Alabama
After years of debate and division, Space Command finally has a decision on where it will be headquartered at. The decision came straight from the top and like all moves in DC is filled with more political divide.
Expand Expanding CloseAerojet Rocketdyne acquired by L3Harris Technologies
The Federal Trade Commission has granted approval for L3Harris Technologies to complete its acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Expand Expanding CloseDefense Department funding bolsters The Spaceport Company’s mobile sea-based launch platforms
The Spaceport Company, a pioneering player in the space industry composed of launch system and maritime experts, has received a significant boost in funding from the Department of Defense to develop mobile sea-based launch platforms.
Expand Expanding CloseSpace Force readiness could be at risk due to rising anti-LGBTQ+ laws
Two high-ranking Department of Defense officials have stated the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ laws like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill has put the Air Force and Space Force readiness at risk due to the need to relocate families of bullied children.
Expand Expanding CloseSTAR Command is a thing, and it’s coming to Florida
If you went back five years to when I saw my first rocket launch and tried to convince me that I would write an article about how STAR Command was a real thing now, I would probably tell you to get away from my cameras and beer. But here we are, and guess what? It’s real, well, in a way.
Expand Expanding CloseSpace Force’s top secret spaceplane returns from orbit after a 908-day mission
It seems to be a news story that takes place every couple of years, but early Saturday morning, sonic booms were heard across Florida Space Coast. Those rather iconic booms could only mean one thing, the arrival of NASA’s Space Shuttle or the Space Force’s classified X37-B spaceplane. Since all of NASA’s shuttles have been collecting dust in museums for the past decade, it must be that pesky X37-B.
Expand Expanding CloseGovernment agencies are finally taking UFOs seriously
UFOs, which are more commonly referred to as UAPs these days, have been in the media quite a bit since 2017. This is due to a piece written by the New York Times, which was credited with starting up the UFO curiosity machine for the first time in decades. Since then, the stigma that has notoriously surrounded the topic has finally begun to wane, and various governments have become publically interested in the subject.
Expand Expanding CloseFalcon Heavy flies again; Dual-booster landing from USSF-44 sends sonic booms across the space coast
Three years after its last flight, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has returned to flight on this cloudy Florida morning. The primary payload of this launch is the classified USSF-44 satellite, with two other satellites co-manifested. The launch occurred on November 1 at 9:41 a.m. Eastern Time, successfully delivering the satellites to their targeted geosynchronous orbit.
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX launched four classified payloads on Globalstar mission according to tracking data
Over the weekend, SpaceX conducted its fastest quick fire of rockets from its three Falcon 9 launch sites across the country. The final launch was a mission for Globalstar, however, it wasn’t alone. In total, SpaceX launched five payloads on that mission, but it only talked about one.
Expand Expanding CloseWhite House commits to no more destructive anti-satellite tests
During remarks at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Vice President Kamala Harris said that the US would take a stance and no longer conduct destructive anti-satellite tests and hopes to lead the globe on the “rules and norms” of space.
Expand Expanding CloseVideo shows how to keep Starlink terminals running in Ukraine w/ mobile Tesla Powerwall
On March 9, we learned that in addition to the Starlink terminals SpaceX has been sending to help keep Ukraine online, another Elon Musk company, Tesla, has been fabricating cables and shipping out Tesla Powerwall units to help keep the terminals powered. Now, a video sent to our sister-site Electrek shows how the units can be set up to provide a more mobile power solution.
Expand Expanding CloseElon Musk sends second batch of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, with Tesla Powerwalls and off-the-grid power solutions
Upon request, SpaceX quickly took action to help Ukraine stay online during Russia’s invasion. In late February, SpaceX sent the first batch of Starlink user terminals to help keep the country online through infrastructure outages. The terminals have already helped keep the country connected and emergency services online, but Elon Musk’s company is not done helping in ways that governments around the world cannot.
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX Starlink terminals in Ukraine keeping cities, emergency services connected
SpaceX’s Starlink internet service takes a different approach than most other internet services, one that allows it to operate in remote areas, disconnected from the grid, all around the world. That’s why it has so quickly become a part of aid efforts, be it in Fiji after a volcano eruption, Washington state after wildfires, or Ukraine, in the midst of a Russian invasion.
Expand Expanding CloseUkraine Minister pleads for Starlink equipment from Elon Musk to help in fight against Russia [U]
Over the past few days, Ukraine has been under attack by Russian forces, who are now battling to control the nation’s capital. As a result, top government officials have been begging for help from other countries as they fight for their freedom, the most recent is a need for Starlink internet service.
Update: The terminals have arrived in Ukraine.
Expand Expanding CloseWill Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect its cooperation with NASA on the ISS?
On Wednesday night, Russian forces began their attack on Ukraine, starting what many viewed as an inevitable invasion of the once soviet country. Once again, we find Russia and the United States on the brink of conflict, but their cooperation in space shows hope.
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