The Canadian military plans to solicit ideas from industry on a satellite communications infrastructure dedicated to the Arctic region, Space News reported Thursday. Mike Gruss reports Col. Jeff Dooling, director of space requirements for the Canadian Department for National Defense, told the MilSatCom conference in Virginia that the Enhanced Satcom project is estimated to cost $1.8 billion […] More

Total federal contract spending declined for the sixth consecutive year in the government’s 2016 fiscal year but the team of analysts at Bloomberg Government predict that negative trend to reverse in the current FY 2016. In its BGOV 200 study released Tuesday, Bloomberg Government said federal unclassified contract spend for fiscal year 2015 fell nearly 1.5 percent to a […] More

Iridium Communications has introduced a technology platform the company designed to help users access satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing data in locations where GPS services are limited or unavailable. The Satellite Time and Location system will work to verify GPS, Galileo and Glonass navigation signals when deployed through Iridium’s constellation of cross-linked satellites in low-Earth orbit, the company said Monday. Matt Desch, Iridium CEO, […] More

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and its industry partners will transition into the second phase of a program to build a reusable unmanned spaceplane that can carry satellites into space. DARPA said Thursday it will hold a proposers day April 29 in Arlington, Virginia for phase two of Experimental Spaceplane-1, a program to develop a spaceplane that can carry payloads […] More

NASA has awarded $100,000 Phase 1 contracts for 13 selected proposals under its Innovative Advanced Concepts program that works to invest in the development of innovative aerospace technologies. The selected Phase 1 projects seek to develop technology for future aerospace missions and address requirements for priority areas that aim to explore beyond low-Earth orbit, Mars and asteroids, NASA said Saturday. […] More

Airbus’ defense and space business has teamed up with satellite Internet provider OneWeb to launch a new joint venture that will work to develop a constellation of 900 satellites designed to provide Internet communications services worldwide. Brian Holz, vice president of space systems at OneWeb, will serve as CEO of OneWeb Satellites joint venture, Airbus said […] More

NASA has formed public-private partnerships with 19 companies for 22 research projects under two solicitations that seek to advance the development of new space platforms intended for human and robotic exploration missions. “These awards enable us to continue to foster partnerships with the commercial space sector that not only leverage capabilities to meet NASA’s strategic […] More

NASA has awarded approximately $17.1 million in contracts to Firefly Space Systems, Rocket Lab USA and Virgin Galactic to launch small satellites — or CubeSats — to low-Earth orbit. Jim Norman, director of launch services at NASA, said Oct. 14 the space agency’s launch services program aims to help transport smaller payloads into orbit through commercial […] More

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Masten Space Systems around $19.5 million in contract funds to continue building prototype robotic spaceplanes, Space.com reported Friday. Mike Wall writes the three companies moved into phase 1B of the agency’s Experimental Spaceplane-1 development initiative. Boeing and Northrop received $4 million each […] More

NASA took the first step Friday in what it hopes to be a new era for human space exploration as the agency sent the Orion capsule into a nearly four-hour orbit to evaluate its potential for future missions via Boeing‘s Space Launch System. Engineers for NASA and Orion constructor Lockheed Martin focused much of their attention […] More

Alex Heidt serves as a senior vice president and general manager at Alion Science and Technology, which he joined in March 2013 after service as SVP and GM at Harris Corp.’s information technology services business. Heidt has also served as a VP of Air Force programs at Harris and was responsible for profit-and-loss management, program execution, and business […] More

A U.S. military satellite carrying United Aerospace Systems-built intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors has completed four years in orbit. The Operationally Responsive Space-1 satellite works to provide the U.S. Central Command with imagery and data to help increase warfighters’ battlefield awarenesss, UTC Aerospace Systems said Monday. ORS-1 launched aboard a Minotaur I rocket from NASA’s […] More