Vector Space Systems has secured $1.25 million in a seed funding round headed by Space Angels Network to support Vector’s development of commercial launch vehicles for low-Earth orbit microsatellites. Space Angels Network offers an online investment platform designed to help accredited investors finance aerospace companies through managed funds, Vector said Friday. Vector co-founder and CEO Jim Cantrell said the […] More

Astronics has received a 24-month, $5 million contract to supply night-vision lighting systems for the F-16 jets of an unnamed country through the U.S. foreign military sales program. The contract calls for Astronics to design and develop a complete lighting system that will work to help pilots fly F-16s with night-vision goggles, the company said Wednesday. Astronics added the system will incorporate exterior and […] More

Greg Resutek joined Bethesda, Md.-based engineering services contractor ASRC Federal in June 2014 as chief operating officer alongside his former URS Corp. colleague Mark Gray, who was named CEO. Resutek also held the role of acting chief financial officer at ASRC Federal until the company appointed former Northrop Grumman executive Gordon Foster to the CFO post. […] More

BAE Systems‘ electronic systems business will provide 22 “identification friend or foe” interrogators to the U.S. Navy under an $8.5 million contract modification, Intelligent Aerospace reported Monday. John Keller writes that the company will supply its AN/UPX-41(C) digital interrogators to help surface ships and ground installations distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft. The Navy will use 14 […] More

Lockheed Martin has received a $78.5 million contract modification to build combat avionics test equipment for the U.S. Navy, Intelligent Aerospace reported Monday. John Keller writes the company is tasked to supply 29 electronic consolidated automated support system units to the naval air warfare center aircraft division. The Navy intends for the eCASS equipment to help […] More

AE Industrial Partners recently announced the transition of Chris Emerson from operating partner to senior partner. The private equity firm specializing in aerospace, national security and industrial services also said Thursday that Emerson will head the new office in Washington, D.C., when it opens sometime in the third quarter of 2024.

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Private equity firm AE Industrial Partners has promoted five investment professionals to partner, principal and vice president positions as part of efforts to advance growth initiatives and build up capabilities across its target markets, including national security, aerospace and industrial services. Jeff Hart and Bryan McElwee will assume the role of partners, Tyler Letarte and Andrew McElhinney will serve as principals and Taylor Casey will serve as vice president, AEI said Wednesday.

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The Space Development Agency is soliciting information on approaches that could be used to develop a warfighting payload capability as part of the second tranche of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture's transport layer. SDA plans to deploy the Warlock capability as part of the PWSA T2TL Gamma satellites, according to a request for information posted Monday on SAM.gov.

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Northrop Grumman performed a ground demonstration of a laser communications system as part of a prototype satellite constellation for the first tranche of the National Defense Space Architecture’s transport layer. The company said Tuesday Mynaric supplied the laser communications in the space domain and Innoflight provided encryption, decryption and other components of its prototype architecture. […] More

CACI International has inched closer to the 2023 launch of its demonstration small satellite program into low-Earth orbit after completing the spacecraft’s critical design review. The DemoSat program will send two payloads to space to showcase alternative positioning, navigation and timing, and tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies from orbit, the company said Wednesday. The […] More

Chris Mattmann, Chuck Beames, Karen Diener, Keith Masback, Moriba Jah, Marissa Peretz and Susan Helms have joined Slingshot Aerospace's advisory board to provide insights, support and counsel in all aspects of the company's business.

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The Space Development Agency plans to release a solicitation in August to buy 150 satellites and expects those spacecraft to be in orbit by 2024 to support the development of a multilayered system designed to improve surveillance and transmit data to weapons and ground systems, Federal News Network reported Tuesday. “What our architecture is based on is proliferation and spiral development,” Derek Tournear, director of SDA and a 2021 Wash100 Award winner, said Tuesday at a Space Foundation event.

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