Intel hosted the closing event of NASA‘s eight-week artificial intelligence research and development program at the company’s Santa Clara, California facility. Intel said Thursday it supported research on how artificial intelligence can help address challenges in the areas of space weather, space resources and planetary defense as a partner in NASA’s Frontier Development Lab program. As part […] More

NASA has posted a request for information on power and propulsion concepts that can help the agency meet deep space exploration objectives. The space agency said Tuesday seeks information on conceptual designs; current industry capabilities and development methods; and potential commercial applications of deep space power and solar electric propulsion technologies. “Through the RFI, we hope to better understand […] More

Lockheed Martin has begun to develop a prototype of a deep space habitat for NASA designed to provide navigation support and ensure safety of astronauts during long-duration missions. Lockheed is one of the six companies that received Phase II contracts in August 2016 to further develop the design concept in the initial phase for the […] More

Joe Cassady, executive director for space programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne, has said the use of solar electric propulsion (SEP) systems for in-space transportation can help the U.S. government build a sustainable deep space architecture. Cassady told the House of Representatives’ subcommittee on space that SEP platforms can transfer cargo, habitats and payloads to deep space locations ahead […] More

NASA has awarded three teams slots to launch their small satellites aboard the first integrated flight of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft dubbed Exploration Mission-1. Winners of the Cube Quest Challenge include Cislunar Explorers from Cornell University, CU-E3 from the University of Colorado and Team Miles from Tampa, Florida-based company Fluid & Reason, NASA said Friday. […] More

Lockheed Martin has introduced a space-focused curriculum and a new application that seeks to simulate the surface of Mars as part of the Generation Beyond program. Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed’s space systems segment, said Tuesday the Generation Beyond program seeks to stimulate students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math by linking […] More

NASA plans to launch a competition for the development of science instruments that would fly aboard a surface probe to Jupiter’s moon Europa. The space agency said Wednesday it looks to evaluate and select proposed investigations from the scientific community for a planned Europa lander mission via a two-step competitive process. “We want the community to be prepared for this announcement […] More

Julie Mehan, former Femme Comp Inc. principal cybersecurity analyst, has been appointed as MetroStar Systems‘ new director of cybersecurity strategy and alignment as part of that company’s push to expand its cybersecurity capacity and thought leadership. MetroStar Systems said Tuesday Mehan, a 35-year cybersecurity veteran, will oversee the company’s efforts to boost its service portfolio as well […] More

Five university teams will submit concepts for in-space spacecraft assembly as part of a challenge sponsored by the Game-Changing Development Program of NASA‘s space technology mission directorate. NASA said Dec. 16 one team each from Tulane University and University of Colorado Boulder, two from University of Maryland and one combined team from Georgia Institute of Technology, University of […] More

NASA has begun to solicit proposals for a robotic planetary mission that the space agency aims to launch by the mid-2020s. The agency said Friday the future program will serve as the fourth mission under NASA’s New Frontiers portfolio that includes the New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt; the Juno mission to Jupiter; and the […] More

Bill Birkhofer leads the aerospace and defense portfolios of Jacobs Engineering Group as a senior vice president with additional responsibilities over the Pasadena, Calif.-based contractor’s global infrastructure and telecommunications The two-time inductee into Executive Mosaic’s Wash100 group holds four decades of experience in the engineering and construction fields and participates in GovCon industry trade associations such as […] More

NASA wants ideas from teams of undergraduate and graduate students in fields related to human space exploration as part of the agency’s 2017 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing Idea challenge. The agency said the competition seeks concepts on how to assemble spacecraft as they are in space and in particular tugs that use solar electric propulsion to transfer payloads from low-earth orbit to […] More