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 finished a critical design review of a heavy-lift rocket designed to carry the Orion crew capsule to deep space destinations such as Mars. The assessment was for Space Launch System Block 1 configuration and marked the first time that NASA has completed a rocket CDR since it launched the Saturn V mission almost four […] More

Carl Marchetto, formerly president and CEO of business development consulting firm Polaris Associates, has been appointed vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin‘s commercial satellite business, Denver Business Journal reported Tuesday. Marchetto succeeds Mike Hamel, who will oversee a joint venture between Lockheed and telecommunications firms in Saudi Arabia, Greg Avery writes. Marchetto is a […] More

The U.S. Air Force has launched a Boeing-built Wideband Global SATCOM 7 military communications satellite into space. Boeing said Thursday the satellite onboard a United Launch Alliance-made Delta IV rocket lifted off from a launch complex at Florida-based Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Wednesday. The company said the WGS-7 satellite has a digital payload component designed to improve […] More

Iridium Communications has completed the integration of communication and surveillance payloads with the Iridium NEXT satellite. The company said Monday it will send the satellite with the integrated Aireon-hosted tracking payload for aircraft surveillance to Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France for final qualification testing. The integrated module is part of the 66 low-Earth orbit satellites that will […] More

Northrop Grumman has received Milestone C approval for the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system it built for the U.S. Air Force. The approval from the Milestone Decision Authority is part of the Defense Department‘s acquisition process and paves the way for the Global Hawk to move into the production phase, the company said Tuesday. “The most important date in any […] More

Boeing Co. has received the first signals of its ninth global positioning system IIF satellite from space. Boeing said the GPS IIF took off Wednesday aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and reached the orbit after more than three hours. Aerojet Rocketdyne supplied the propulsion system […] More

Lockheed Martin is developing a new spaceflight system consisting of the Jupiter space tug and Exoliner disposable supply module that the company hopes will support future cargo missions beyond low Earth orbit, Space.com reported Thursday. Mike Wall writes that Lockheed presented a concept video of the new system to show how it could be used for NASA missions to the International […] More

At least five companies have submitted bids to NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station through a second round of commercial resupply services competition, the Washington Post reported Monday. Christian Davenport writes NASA’s decision to partner with industry for ISS cargo resupply missions has drawn interest from bigger contractors and encouraged investor-backed startup […] More

The U.S. Air Force‘s Space and Missile Systems Center may open competition this spring for 28 commercial launches of military and intelligence satellites to bolster the use of U.S.-made rocket engines, Reuters reported Saturday. Andrea Shalal writes that both the government and private sector will fund the potential program, which aims to launch the first satellite by 2022. The effort […] More

A new PwC report on the mergers and acquisitions in aerospace-and-defense industry says deal activities increased in 2014 compared to 2013 and the number of transactions worth at least $1 billion doubled from the prior year. The firm’s Mission Control report, authored by PwC Global A&D Leader Guillaume Rochard and U.S. A&D Leader Chuck Marx, says the total deal value reached $22.3 billion in 2014, up from the $14.3 […] More

NASA intends to issue sole-source awards to extend the delivery of cargo and scientific experiments to the International Space Station under the Cargo Resupply Services 2 contracts awarded in 2016. The agency’s Johnson Space Center plans to continue acquiring ISS cargo delivery and ground support services through the CRS-2 contracts from Jan. 1, 2027, through […] More