U.S. Air Force crews set up satellite communications equipment at Yokota Air Base, Japan. Credit: U.S. Air Force By Sandra Erwin, Published by SpaceNews, 7 September 2023 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force should overhaul its current approach to procuring commercial satellite communications services, the RAND Corp. recommends in a
By Paula Thornhill, Published by Defense One, 5 September 2023 It doesn’t do organized violence—and shouldn’t pretend that it does. The nearly-four-year-old Space Force has taken pains to emphasize its uniqueness as a military service, especially vis-à-vis the Air Force. Leaders have introduced new uniforms, organizational structure, fitness test, enlisted
5G connectivity will allow forward-positioned ground troops to communicate information more quickly. Image courtesy of Raytheon. By Andrew Salerno-Garthwaite, Published by Army Technology, 25 August 2023 5G networks available to commercial users will be used for military communications, within a new capability being developed by Raytheon. Rapid data transfer is
By Sandra Erwin, Published by SpaceNews, 24 August 2023 Under a program called ‘Tactically Responsive Space Challenge’ the selected proposals can win awards of up to $1.7 million WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is kicking off a new initiative focused on the rapid deployment of satellites during conflicts or
By Patrick Tucker, Published by Defense One, 14 August 2023 As space debris proliferates and new weapons appear, a new market is rising to document it all. Satellite images, long used by militaries to track developments on Earth, are increasingly being used to keep tabs on the proliferating objects in
By Cortney Albon, Published by Defense News, 7 August 2023 WASHINGTON — When Joe Laurienti founded space propulsion company Ursa Major in 2015, he didn’t expect its first contract would come from a Pentagon hypersonics program. It was a pivotal year for the commercial space industry as private funders flocked
By Chris Riotta, Published by Defense One, 13 July 2023 The service's weeks-old Commercial Space Office serves as a hub for several efforts to accelerate acquisition of next-gen tech. The federal government is using innovative procurement techniques to equip NASA, the Space Force, and other agencies with the next generation of
By Patrick Tucker, Published by Defense One, 4 July 2023 Officials worry China may do for commercial-space capabilities what it did for cheap telecom equipment. China has ramped up its space mission, with plans to surpass 70 launches—commercial and military—this year. And while the Pentagon has been vocal about the
