Artykuły o Space Force

[Orionid]

SN Military.Space | What happened to Zuma? – Budget standoff continues – Big week for Orbital ATK
by Sandra Erwin — January 9, 2018 [SN]
You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.

Hot Topic: What happened to Zuma?



SpaceX Zuma launch 2018-01-07Something appears to have gone seriously wrong with the secret government mission, code-named Zuma, that SpaceX launched Sunday night.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-what-happened-to-zuma-budget-standoff-continues-big-week-for-orbital-atk/

SN Military.Space | Government shutdown watch – Senate to hear from key DoD nominees – New SBIRS satellite set for liftoff
by Sandra Erwin — January 17, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Senate to hear from key DoD nominees



On Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for a slate of Pentagon nominees. Among them: Michael Griffin, the Trump administration’s pick for undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-government-shutdown-watch-senate-to-hear-from-key-dod-nominees-new-sbirs-satellite-set-for-liftoff/

SN Military.Space | HASC chairman blasts Congress for ‘immoral’ funding process
by Sandra Erwin — January 23, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Congress reopens government for 16 more days. Funding military by CR ‘immoral’ says HASC Chair Thornberry



President TrumpThe federal government shutdown only lasted 69 hours but it was enough to stir anxiety across the defense industry. In a deal struck Monday, Congress passed its fourth continuing resolution since late September to keep the government funded at last year’s levels.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-hasc-chairman-blasts-congress-for-immoral-funding-process/

SN Military.Space | Vice Chief Selva: With no budget ‘We’re gambling’ – Why it’s hard to defend space – Space industry adapts to changing market
by Sandra Erwin — February 1, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: No budget in sight • Vice Chairman Gen. Selva: ‘We’re gambling’ • How long can defense contractors hang on?



VCJCS Nomination HearingWith still no budget four months into fiscal year 2018, the Pentagon is waiting to see where the chips fall. Defense officials are ready to take the FY19 budget proposal up to Capitol Hill but that may prove a tricky bet not knowing what Congress will appropriate for FY18.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-vice-chief-selva-with-no-budget-were-gambling-why-its-hard-to-defend-space-space-industry-adapts-to-changing-market/

Mattis incensed there’s still no budget – DepSecDef at Space Command – Military pulling for Falcon Heavy
by Sandra Erwin — February 7, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Mattis to Congress: Do your job; defense strategy, nuclear posture mean nothing if they’re not backed by resources



Defense Secretary Jim MattisU.S. government funding again expires this week and the only budget proposal in sight is one on the House floor today to fund the military for the remainder of FY-18 but only extend funding for the rest of the government for six weeks. The Senate is not expected to go along.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-mattis-incensed-theres-still-no-budget-depsecdef-shanahan-at-space-command-military-wants-falcon-heavy-to-succeed/

SN Military.Space | DoD space budget: Billions for next-gen satellites, launch vehicles; New funding lines for ‘rapid acquisitions’
by Sandra Erwin — February 13, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: New direction for DoD space investments. Pentagon 2019 budget proposal ‘pivots’ to next-generation satellites


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. (Credit: USAF)

It had been hinted for months that the Trump administration’s FY-19 defense budget would make serious investments in military space in response to growing threats from Russia and China.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-dod-space-budget-billions-for-next-gen-satellites-launch-vehicles-new-funding-lines-for-rapid-acquisitions/

Air Force space budget choices under scrutiny; SecAF Wilson explains why SBIRS and JSTARS must go
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Air Force makes bold modernization moves. Boeing, Northrop Grumman weigh whether to challenge Lockheed for GPS 3



sbirs-artFor those who have been waiting for the Air Force to shake up its space investment portfolio, the budget request for 2019 was as disruptive as can be expected from the military.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-space-budget-choices-under-scrutiny-secaf-wilson-explains-why-sbirs-and-jstars-must-go/

Massive review of the defense industry nears completion; Air Force steps up rhetoric on China’s space challenge
by Sandra Erwin — February 28, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Defense industry review near completion. Can U.S. close innovation gap? Air Force leaders tout investment and focus on space



A deep-dive analysis of the defense industrial base will be submitted to the White House in mid-April. Requested by President Trump last July, the hugely anticipated study will look at all sectors of the defense industry from a broad national security perspective.
https://spacenews.com/massive-review-of-the-defense-industry-nears-completion-air-force-steps-up-rhetoric-on-chinas-space-challenge/

SN Military.Space | Lockheed going after future SBIRS; USAF to bring warrior mentality to space; DARPA’s plan to kill Battlestar Galactica
by Sandra Erwin — March 6, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Lockheed Martin intent on winning back SBIRS. Artificial intelligence could turn satellite business on its head


SBIRS GEO Flight 3, the next satellite scheduled to join the U.S. Air Force’s Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS), in final assembly and test at Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, California. Credit: Lockheed Martin

One of Lockheed Martin’s most prized military satellite programs is being nixed by the Air Force as the military seeks to transition to more resilient, less expensive systems. The Air Force decided to stop buying SBIRS (Space-Based Infrared system) satellites after the sixth one is completed in 2020.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-lockheed-going-after-future-sbirs-usaf-to-bring-warrior-mentality-to-space-darpas-plan-to-kill-battlestar-galactica/

Air Force secretary raises space awareness inside Pentagon; Startups grab spotlight at satellite industry’s annual DC trade show
by Sandra Erwin — March 13, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: SECAF raises space awareness inside the Pentagon. Startups the stars of satellite industry’s annual DC tradeshow



Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson revealed that she is having regular private meetings with her Army and Navy counterparts.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-raises-space-awareness-inside-pentagon-startups-grab-spotlight-at-satellite-industrys-annual-dc-trade-show/

Space Force takes Capitol Hill by storm • What is the true cost of space programs? • Space budget deep dive
by Sandra Erwin — March 21, 2018 [SN]
You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.



HOT TOPIC: Trump’s space force talk takes Capitol Hill by storm. All eyes on DepSecDef Shanahan’s military space review

The internet has been having fun with President Trump’s talk of creating a military space force. The president’s riff captured the public’s imagination, spawning memes and jokes about starship ninjas gearing up to fight the nation’s wars in space.

But the reality is far more boring and complicated. Before anyone rushes to design storm trooper helmets and uniforms, there is a congressionally mandated review under way — led by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan — that will lay the groundwork for what comes next for the military’s space forces that are now part of the U.S. Air Force.

When Trump mentioned the space force in a speech last week at a Marine Corps base, people didn’t know what to make of it. But lawmakers pushing for the creation of a space corps seized on the president’s comments and pressed defense officials to explain how they would carry out Trump’s directive.



Trump’s sudden attention to space also has been read as a sign of the influence of Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the National Space Council.

But as far as reorganizing military units into a space force is concerned, no such thing will happen at least until Shanahan completes the review by year’s end and Congress agrees on legislative language that would be rolled into the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019.

Kenneth Rapuano, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security, told the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee last week that Trump is “very interested in ensuring that the department is best organized and equipped to achieve our vital missions in space,”

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) has led the congressional push to create a space corps, which would be to the Air Force what the Marine Corps is to the Navy. Given the president’s remarks, he said, “I anticipate that the department will accelerate its plans to embrace the formation of an independent space force.”



Doug Loverro, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said he is fully onboard with the concept of a dedicated space force. “It’s a question of whether you peel the band-aid off slowly or you rip it off. I am ready to rip the band-aid off,” he said. The Air Force space corps “needs an identifiable existence within the Air Force.”

Retired Gen. Robert Kehler, former commander of Air Force Space Command and U.S. Strategic Command, wondered whether a separate military branch for space would become a shiny object that distracts more than it helps.

“It may be that we need to go to a separate space corps or a space force in the future. But those are really big steps.” The Air Force has increased the space budget and tried to give space more attention, “but space has not gotten the consistent priority treatment that it needs to include the management of personnel that makes non-aviators warfighters.”

Air Force releases new report on acquisition programs



The U.S. Air Force this month dropped its annual report on weapon acquisition programs for fiscal year 2017. In three of the largest and costliest space programs — the AEHF communications satellites, the SBIRS missile-warning constellation and national security launch services — the Air Force claims to have brought prices down considerably.

The original per-unit cost of satellites 5 and 6 of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency system, which provides secure, jam-resistant communications for tactical and strategic missions, was $1.7 billion, the Air Force reported. The current cost is $1.3 billion per satellite, a 23 percent drop.

For the space-based infrared SBIRS satellites 5 and 6, the Air Force says the per-unit cost went down 12 percent — from $1.9 billion to $1.6 billion.

The Air Force reports a 23 percent price reduction for EELV launches — from $421 million in 2013 to $326 million currently. The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program provides space launch services for medium and heavy national security space missions.

The Air Force’s numbers are in sharp contrast to those of the auditors at the Government Accountability Office. In the most recent annual report on space programs, GAO Director of Acquisition and Sourcing Management Cristina Chaplain looked at the expenses in each entire program and came up with results that show soaring costs.

FY-19 budget: Air Force spending more money on space


Gen. Jay Raymond. Credit: SpaceNews/Tom Kimmell

“The Air Force’s FY-19 budget accelerates our efforts to deter, defend and prevail against anyone who seeks to deny our ability to freely operate in space,” Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, commander of Air Force Space Command, said in a statement.

The unclassified space budget the Air Force unveiled in February includes $8.5 billion for investments in new systems — $5.9 billion in the research and development accounts, and $2.6 billion for procurement of satellites and launch services, according to a service official. The 2019 request is 7.1 percent more than the Air Force sought for 2018. Over the next five years, the Air Force projects to invest $44.3 billion in space systems — $31.5 billion in research and development, and $12.8 billion in procurement. That would mark an 18-percent increase over the $37.5 billion five-year plan submitted last year.

Doug Berenson, managing director of the consulting firm Avascent, estimates unclassified space spending for 2019 total $7.3 billion, or $1.2 billion less than the Air Force’s number. Berenson said the difference is probably due to the Air Force counting ground-based equipment.

Industry consultant Mike Tierney of Jacques & Associates also crunched the numbers and came up with a lower space total than the Air Force: $7.68 billion.

Late last week, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood told Congress that a total of $12.5 billion is in the president’s 2019 budget request “to take steps to establish a more resilient, defendable space architecture.”

At a time when the Air Force is under political pressure to show it cares about space, “how you count is a non-trivial issue,” said Berenson.

LeoSat making big play for military communications business


With Sky Perfect Jsat’s financial blessing, LeoSat feels reinvigorated in pursuing the investments needed to make is LEO/HTS constellation happen. Credit: LeoSat/Thales Alenia Space

LeoSat has not even built a single satellite but has already booked $500 million worth of orders, its executives claim. In a crowded market for low-Earth-orbit satellite communications, the company believes it has found its niche marketing premium services to secrecy-obsessed clients, including the U.S. military.

“We’ve had a lot of interaction with DoD and combatant commands,” Michael Abad-Santos, senior vice president of LeoSat, told SpaceNews at the Satellite 2018 exposition. Based in Washington, LeoSat is recruiting investors with a goal to begin launching high-capacity broadband satellites in 2019 and have an operating constellation of 78 to 108 spacecraft by 2022.

What makes this system more secure than most? It’s an enterprise private network where data travels “end to end,” bypassing gateways and terrestrial infrastructure. Satellites are cross-linked in space via lasers.

LeoSat CEO Mark Rigolle said building the constellation will cost $3.6 billion, a third of which will be equity. “Toward the end of 2019 we’ll be putting the debt package together,” he said. The selection of Thales as the manufacturer means France’s export credit agency will support the project as a job creator. “If we sign up U.S. suppliers we’ll work with the Ex-Im bank as well.”

DoD, NASA, FAA examine the space industrial base

The Pentagon has been working with NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Reconnaissance Office on a review of the space industrial base, said Brennan Hogan Grignon, director of industry outreach for the secretary of defense.

The “space industrial base working group” is looking at how agencies could share technology and, more broadly, how the government buys technology from the private sector, she said last week at a House Aerospace Caucus event on Capitol Hill.

“With the innovation in space technology that is happening, there is growing interest in coordinating programs and requirements across the agencies,” Hogan Grignon said. The Pentagon could team up with NASA and the FAA on projects where technologies overlap. “Are there requirements that can be aligned with the requirements of FAA, NASA and other agencies that are trying to procure the same technology for dual-use?” One of the big topics is “how we use commercial technology, how we leverage that technology and break down the barriers from an acquisition perspective to get that technology to our warfighters.”

ICYMI: Bruno says ULA poised to step up commercial sales


ULA President and Chief Executive Tory Bruno discusses plans to increase his company’s presence on the commercial launch market during the Satellite 2018 conference March 12. Credit: Kate Patterson for SpaceNews

Amid uncertainty in the military market, United Launch Alliance wants to grow its commercial launch business using both the current Atlas and future Vulcan rockets. ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno said ULA was devoting more attention to the commercial market because the company no longer had to help the U.S. government solve a “crisis” of national security space launches. “We’ve done our duty. Our job for the first decade was to help the United States avoid a serious crisis in space,” by launching primarily national security payloads. “The assets were aging out. The replacements were late. We were asked to be able to fly with perfect reliability because you couldn’t afford to lose any.” That crisis is over. “We helped solve it,” he said. “So now we are able to shift our attention to the commercial marketplace, and we’re pretty excited to be able to do that.”

Source: https://spacenews.com/spaceforce-takes-capitol-hill-by-storm-%E2%80%A2-what-is-the-true-cost-of-space-programs-%E2%80%A2-space-budget-deep-dive/

[Orionid]

On National Security | Space Force fans, be careful what you wish for
by Sandra Erwin — March 31, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the March 12, 2018 issue.


Flanked by models of launch vehicles, President Donald Trump praised private investment in space during a brief media availability at a meeting of the Cabinet March 8. Credit: White House

A branch of the service dedicated to space warfare is a titillating prospect. And ever since the topic of a “Space Force” was brought up by President Trump, congressional hawks can’t stop talking about it.

Trump and other proponents of a stronger military posture in space argue that this is necessary to counter and deter what other countries are doing to “deny” the United States unfettered access to space and freedom to operate there.

Source: https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-space-force-fans-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/

SN Military.Space | Faster acquisitions a ‘daunting task’ for DoD; Satellite comms: What does DoD want?
by Sandra Erwin — March 31, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Speed, resilience a ‘daunting task’ for Defense. Gen. John Hyten’s list of must-do space procurement reforms


Claire Leon

Claire Leon has lived on both sides of the military space business overseeing multibillion-dollar programs. Until last December, she was the director of the launch enterprise at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles. Before joining the government, she had a long career in the private sector, culminating as vice president of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-faster-acquisitions-a-daunting-task-for-dod-satellite-comms-what-does-dod-want/

SN Military.Space | DoD elated by budget hike, but good times may not last • USAF ready to ‘go fast’ in space • Three-star space commander swearing in
by Sandra Erwin — April 5, 2018 [N]
You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.

HOT TOPIC: Pentagon elated by 2018 appropriations. Can the good times last? Military space among the budget winners



Only six months ago, everyone in the building was saying that lifting the Budget Control Act spending caps “would be extraordinarily difficult,” recalled Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. “Pretty much the consensus was that it would not happen,” he said last week at the Center for a New American Security.

Source: https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-dod-elated-by-budget-hike-but-good-times-may-not-last-%E2%80%A2-usaf-ready-to-go-fast-in-space-%E2%80%A2-three-star-space-commander-swearing-in/

SN Military.Space | Space Command No. 2 takes office • NRO leading the way in innovation • Satellite as weapons in infowars
by Sandra Erwin — April 11, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Thompson begins duties as vice space commander. Air Force looks for path to faster innovation, NRO leads the way



“Corporate advocacy and stewardship for Air Force space missions and capabilities.” That, in a nutshell, is the job description for Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson, who last Thursday became Air Force Space Command vice commander.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-space-command-no-2-takes-office-%E2%80%A2-nro-leading-the-way-in-innovation-%E2%80%A2-satellite-as-weapons-in-infowars/

34th Space Symposium: A different mood • DoD’s Kitay talks space policy • Orbital ATK’s new rocket name revealed
by Sandra Erwin — April 18, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: ‘New space’ takes center stage at 34th Space Symposium. Kitay talks space policy. Orbital ATK’s new rocket name revealed


Vice President Mike Pence delivers keynote at 34th Space Symposium. Credit: Tom Kimmell for SpaceNews.

The 34th Space Symposium is under way in Colorado Springs. Monday’s big headliner, Vice President Pence, didn’t make a lot of news but organizers and attendees said his presence alone was a huge boost to the space community. Over the next couple of days, DoD and military VIPs are expected to announce new initiatives on space as a domain of war and efforts to “go fast” in space procurement programs.
https://spacenews.com/34th-space-symposium-a-different-mood-%E2%80%A2-dods-kitay-talks-space-policy-%E2%80%A2-orbital-atks-new-rocket-name-revealed/

SN Military.Space | SecAF Wilson talks space reforms, ‘moving fast’ • SMC: Prototyping is back • GEOINT 2018 news
by Sandra Erwin — April 24, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Military space acquisition reforms underway. Prototyping is back. IC can’t get enough AI. Commercial data boom creates trust issues


U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in conversation with SpaceNews at the 34th Space Symposium on April 18, 2018. Credit: SpaceNews

WILSON SHAKES UP MILITARY SPACE. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson made news last week at the Space Symposium with major announcements on the reorganization of Space and Missile Systems Center and the standup of a new office to eliminate bottlenecks in the system. In an interview with SpaceNews, Wilson laid out the upcoming reforms and her plans to “move fast” in space.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-secaf-wilson-talks-space-reforms-moving-fast-%e2%80%a2-smc-prototyping-is-back-%e2%80%a2-geoint-2018-news/

Northrop Grumman sees big future in space • Another round of NDAA space reforms coming • New concerns about military launch costs
by Sandra Erwin — May 2, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPIC: Northrop Grumman’s space ambitions • DISA on the chopping block • EELV costs skyrocket • Military space central topic in FY-19 NDAA


 
NORTHROP SEES BIG FUTURE IN SPACE That’s one of the takeaways from last week’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2018. As industry consultant James McAleese of McAleese & Associates put it: Investors are watching Northrop’s performance in the Air Force B-21 bomber, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Meanwhile, CEO Wes Bush “hungrily eyes new cash-cow franchises” in the space sector: One is the $63 billion ground-based strategic deterrent (a new intercontinental ballistic missile to replace Minuteman 3). Another is a new Air Force “Overhead Persistent Infrared Imaging” constellation that will replace the SBIRS missile warning system.
https://spacenews.com/northrop-grumman-sees-big-future-in-space-%e2%80%a2-another-round-of-ndaa-space-reforms-coming-%e2%80%a2-new-concerns-about-military-launch-costs/

On National Security | The Air Force’s change of tone in the Space Force debate
by Sandra Erwin — May 5, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the April 23, 2018 issue.


U.S. Air Force Gen. John “Jay” Raymond.

The high-level attention being paid to space — both as an economic engine and as a national security fighting ground — seems to be reaching new heights. So much so that the idea of having a separate branch of the military dedicated to space might be losing attractiveness.

“Rather than go through the difficulty of a new organizational structure, I believe the leadership we have now can execute,” said Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Hyten has previously been critical of the Air Force for “not getting” what must done to ensure the military’s access to space is not challenged by China or Russia. He called out the Air Force for moving too slowly to modernize satellites and invest in resilient systems that can survive electronic or physical attacks.

Source: https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-the-air-forces-change-of-tone-in-the-space-force-debate/

HASC takes up defense bill packed with space provisions • New missile-warning satellite contracts go to Lockheed, Northrop
by Sandra Erwin — May 8, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPICS: House Armed Services set for NDAA markup • Space traffic management policy debate • Air Force picks contractors for SBIRS follow-on



HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MAC THORNBERRY rolled out his mark of the FY-19 National Defense Authorization Act. Subcommittee provisions will be reviewed Wednesday during the full committee markup.
https://spacenews.com/hasc-takes-up-defense-bill-packed-with-space-provisions-%e2%80%a2-new-missile-warning-satellite-contracts-go-to-lockheed-northrop/

Space acquisition reforms: What’s different this time • HASC bill lays groundwork for future space force
by Sandra Erwin — May 15, 2018 [SN]
You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.



HOT TOPICS: Air Force space acquisitions: Real change or business as usual? • NDAA provisions set stage for another round of debate on space reorganization

THE U.S. AIR FORCE has rolled out a string of reforms and policies to speed up the modernization of space systems. It designated the follow-on to the SBIRS missile warning constellation — known as next-generation overhead persistent infrared, or OPIR — as the “pacesetting” program that will guide future efforts.

I checked in with former Air Force acquisition executive William LaPlante for his take on the Air Force’s efforts so far. LaPlante is senior vice president and general manager of Mitre Corporation’s National Security Sector.

Source: https://spacenews.com/space-acquisition-reforms-whats-different-this-time-%E2%80%A2-hasc-bill-lays-groundwork-for-future-space-force/

Army weighs commercial options for battlefield comms • Space Command D.C. boss introduced • DoD eyes space-based missile defense
by Sandra Erwin — May 22, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPICS: Army weighs commercial options for battlefield communications • Space Command’s D.C. boss introduced • DoD eyes space-based missile defense



THE U.S. ARMY created six specialized brigades to work with foreign allies in what is known as “advise-and-assist” operations. Reliable and hassle-free communications systems are a must for these “security force assistance brigades” that deploy in tough terrains and need to share data with non-U.S. partners.

The Army’s battlefield communications for years has been a disappointment. The equipment is too complex to operate and doesn’t meet the needs of mobile troops. Officials have called for a reset and are considering new options, including greater use of commercial services.
https://spacenews.com/army-weighs-commercial-options-for-battlefield-comms-%e2%80%a2-space-command-d-c-boss-introduced-%e2%80%a2-dod-eyes-space-based-missile-defense/

DoD space debate headed to Senate • Mattis: ‘We have to define the problem’ • SecAF Wilson confident of 2022 RD-180 retirement
by Sandra Erwin — May 30, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPICS: DoD space debate headed to Senate • Mattis: ‘We have to define the problem’• SecAF Wilson confident on schedule for future launch vehicle



SPACE FORCE The makeover of the military’s space cadre remains a contentious issue as the FY-19 National Defense Authorization Act advances through Congress.

The House last week passed its version of the NDAA by a vote of 351 to 66. The Senate Armed Services Committee sent its bill to the Senate floor by a vote of 25 to 2, and a full Senate vote is up next. Several space-related sticking points remain.
https://spacenews.com/dod-space-debate-headed-to-senate-%e2%80%a2-mattis-we-have-to-define-the-problem-%e2%80%a2-secaf-wilson-confident-of-2022-rd-180-retirement/

Space Force? Create a “Space Guard” instead, some argue
by Jeff Foust — May 31, 2018 [SN]


George Nield, the former head of the FAA's commercial space transportation office, believes that a "Space Guard" modeled after the Coast Guard is a better approach for dealing with U.S. responsibilities in space than a military force or corps. Credit: SpaceNews/Tom Kimmell

LOS ANGELES — As the White House and Congress debate whether to establish a “Space Force” within the Defense Department, some believe a more effective approach is to develop an organization analogous to the Coast Guard.

In a panel discussion at the International Space Development Conference here May 27, former government officials and other experts suggested a “Space Guard” could be a more effective tool in dealing with space security issues in an era where there are more countries, and more companies, operating in Earth orbit.

Source: https://spacenews.com/space-force-create-a-space-guard-instead-some-argue/

How about a U.S. Space Guard? • DoD steps up AI push amid Google firestorm • DARPA lays groundwork for military LEO constellation
by Sandra Erwin — June 6, 2018 [SN]

HOT TOPICS: U.S. Space Guard • DoD steps up AI push amid Google firestorm • DARPA lays groundwork for future military LEO constellation



SPACE CORPS? SPACE FORCE? SPACE GUARD? A new twist has been added to the mix. Congress last year proposed a Space Corps, modeled after the Marine Corps. President Trump has floated a Space Force as a separate and equal branch of the military like the the Air Force. Now comes another thought: A Space Guard fashioned after the U.S. Coast Guard.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-how-about-a-u-s-space-guard-%e2%80%a2-dod-steps-up-ai-push-amid-google-firestorm-%e2%80%a2-darpa-lays-groundwork-for-military-leo-constellation/

On National Security | On matters of space, Congress keeps up pressure as it demands change
by Sandra Erwin — June 10, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the June 4, 2018 issue.


Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at U.S. Northern Command headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Credit: DoD

It could be a few more years before a resolution is reached on whether the U.S. military should have a separate Space Force.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, are not letting up on efforts to keep the Air Force and the Pentagon focused on space issues.

“Space has become so critical that I know we’re going to get more on that,” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters May 23 in Colorado Springs after delivering the commencement speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Source: https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-on-matters-of-space-congress-keeps-up-pressure-as-it-demands-change/

SN Military.Space | Space reforms near decision point • SMC Commander: Procurement slow but not broken • Mattis downplays impact of Trump trade wars
by Sandra Erwin — June 13, 2018 [SN]
You’re reading the SN Military. Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.

HOT TOPICS: Congress keeps up pressure on space reforms • SMC Commander: Procurement slow but not broken • Mattis downplays impact of Trump trade wars



SPACE FORCE NEARS CRITICAL DECISION POINT When he was secretary of defense during the Obama administration, Ash Carter was not a proponent of a separate military space service. His views on the matter have not changed. “I never recommended that and I don’t recommend that now,” Carter told a Mitre Corp. conference last week in Massachusetts. Creating an independent branch of the service for space operations would move the military “in the wrong direction” because it would segregate, rather than integrate space forces with the rest of the armed services. Carter’s remarks were webcast live by Mitre but the video was removed after the speech.

Source: https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-space-reforms-near-decision-point-%E2%80%A2-smc-commander-procurement-slow-but-not-broken-%E2%80%A2-mattis-downplays-impact-of-trump-trade-wars/

Trump wants a Space Force; will Congress oblige? • DoD: ‘This will be a deliberate process’
by Sandra Erwin — June 18, 2018 [SN]
You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays.


President Trump directs the Pentagon to create a Space Force as a “separate but equal” branch of the military.

Trump: We’ll have the Air Force, we’ll have the Space Force ‘That’s a big statement’

What happened Monday at the White House?

The National Space Council meeting at the White House on Monday was supposed to be all about the Trump administration’s new approach to managing space traffic and debris. And the president was there to kick off the meeting and sign a policy directive that officially designates the Department of Commerce as the public face of the nations space-friendly economy.

Source: https://spacenews.com/trump-wants-a-space-force-will-congress-oblige-%E2%80%A2-dod-this-will-be-a-deliberate-process/

What would the mission of the United States Space Force be?
by Mark Whittington — June 19, 2018 [SN]


“We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the Space Force. Separate but equal. It is going to be something,” President Donald Trump said during a June 18 meeting of the National Space Council. “I’m hereby directing the department of Defense and the Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. That’s a big statement.” Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

President Trump’s recent directive to the Defense Department to create a new branch of the military, a United States Space Force, was not an idle musing. Trump’s proposal derives from a growing debate inside military and political circles about how to best meet the threat posed to American space assets by potential enemies: Russia and China, to be precise.

Source: https://spacenews.com/what-would-the-mission-of-the-united-states-space-force-be/

[Orionid]

W tym wątku są zamieszczane artykuły archiwalne z l. 2018-2021 i zakresem tematycznym obejmują węższą część tematyki z wątku Military space.

                                                       

Trump’s Space Force announcement could propel us to deal with space ‘Pearl Harbor’
by Brian G. Chow — June 20, 2018 [SN]


In this European Space Agency illustration, a satellite breaks up, adding to the growing population of orbital debris. Debris-clearing spacecraft the U.S., China and others have in the works could double as anti-satellite weapons. Credit: ESA

On June 18, President Trump directed the Pentagon to create a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. This directive instantly puts the Pentagon and Congress in overdrive. Those who loathe or love a Space Force “separate but equal” to the Air Force must think and act decisively and quickly. Regardless of whether the Space Force actually materializes, the deliberation of its pros and cons alone could finally spring us into action to deal with the overlooked looming threat of space Pearl Harbor.

Source: https://spacenews.com/trumps-space-force-announcement-could-propel-us-to-deal-with-space-pearl-harbor/

Space Force: Pentagon navigates the way ahead and awaits direction from Congress
by Sandra Erwin — June 20, 2018


U.S. Department of Defense headquarters

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will turn to his own policy advisers for options that he could present to the president.

WASHINGTON — As the initial shock of the president’s order to create a Space Force wears off, the question of “what comes next” looms large for the Pentagon.

With the U.S. Air Force poised for a major breakup if and when the Space Force is formed, leaders on Tuesday moved quickly to allay fears and assure airmen that business, for now, will go on as usual.

Source: https://spacenews.com/space-force-pentagon-navigates-the-way-ahead-and-awaits-direction-from-congress/

Rep. Mike Rogers: Space Force will be done ‘responsibly’ with minimal disruption
by Sandra Erwin — June 21, 2018 [SN]


Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) speaks at a Mitchell Institute event June 21 at the Capitol Hill Club.

Only Congress has the authority to reorganize the military or create a new service, but Rogers nonetheless wants the Pentagon to come forward with a plan to help Congress prepare language for next year’s National Defense Authorization Act.

WASHINGTON — Congress’ original proponent of a separate space branch of the military expects the Pentagon to follow the president’s lead and move quickly to create a Space Force.

The next step in the process will be a report due August 1 from Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

“This is what I expect to happen,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said on Thursday at a Mitchell Institute breakfast event on Capitol Hill. His committee wants to see Shanahan’s report that is due August 1. “And I’m pretty sure it’s going to say, ‘We think we need to go past the Space Corps and have a Space Force because  the commander in chief said that’s what he wants.'”

Source: https://spacenews.com/rep-mike-rogers-space-force-will-be-done-responsibly-with-minimal-disruption/

Air Force pressing on with space programs amid uncertainty about future reorganization
by Sandra Erwin — June 24, 2018 [SN]


Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch Jr., military deputy at the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, speaks at an Air Force Association event. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Air Force officials said the service is staying focused on the space mission.

WASHINGTON — The business of developing and launching satellites to orbit is continuing apace in the Air Force even as a major reorganization looms.

“We’re executing exactly the way we’ve been executing to try to speed up acquisition,” said Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch Jr., military deputy at the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-pressing-on-with-space-programs-amid-uncertainty-about-future-reorganization/

Why the United States needs a Space Force
by Douglas Loverro — June 25, 2018 [SN]


President Trump holds up the Space Policy Directive-3 Monday, June 18, 2018, after its signing in the East Room of the White House. Credit: White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

Space needs jealous advocacy. When the Chinese shot down their own satellite in 2007, Air Force and other DoD leaders were heard saying that there was no way to defend space.

The president got it right. We need a Space Force. Space is too critical for the nation’s defense not to have an organization that speaks for its importance, defends it against all comers, and jealously advocates for new missions and new responsibilities. Space is too crucial to national security to be stalled by a lack of focus and an unwillingness to respond until pushed.
https://spacenews.com/why-the-united-states-needs-a-space-force/

Space Force impact on investment • Air Force trying to prove critics wrong
by Sandra Erwin — June 27, 2018  You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays. [SN]


Morgan Stanley projects that the establishment of a U.S. Space Force could help boost privately held SpaceX's valuation high as $120 billion. Cowen Washington Research Group is less optimistic that Trump's call for a Space Force will dramatically boost space spending.

Wall Street analysts: Investors gravitating to space sector in wake of Trump's decree

#SpaceForce impact on business climate

Wall Street investment bank Morgan Stanley sees big money coming to the space sector following the president’s announcement that a new military branch for space will be formed. Space could become a trillion-dollar industry in the coming decade, the firm projects.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-impact-on-investment

Army troops could be headed to the Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — June 27, 2018 [SN]


Change of command ceremony at the Army 1st Space Brigade, at Fort Carson, Colorado. Credit: U.S. Army

Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Brig. Gen. Tim Lawson: “Do we want to be part of the Space Force? That is yet to be determined"

WASHINGTON — If and when a new military branch for space gets off the ground, its ranks would be dominated by airmen. But Army soldiers also would have a role by virtue of much they rely on military satellites in peacetime or in war.

More than 70 percent of the Army’s major weapons and equipment need satellites to function. About 2,220 active-duty soldiers, reservists and civilians make up the “space forces” under the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
https://spacenews.com/army-troops-could-be-headed-to-the-space-force/

On National Security | Space Force: What’s all the fuss about?
by Sandra Erwin — June 27, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the June 25, 2018 issue.


“We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the Space Force. Separate but equal. It is going to be something,” President Donald Trump said during a June 18 meeting of the National Space Council. “I’m hereby directing the department of Defense and the Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. That’s a big statement.” Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

It was the story that launched a thousand memes. President Trump last week shocked the military establishment and ordered the Pentagon to form a Space Force as a separate branch of the service.

Within seconds the news blew up the internet. Social media had a good time mocking Trump for pursuing intergalactic dominance, and posting GIFs of helmets and shiny space suits that troops will wear while shooting down asteroids and chasing aliens to the final frontier.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-space-force/

Wall Street Journal editorial shoots down Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — July 5, 2018 [SF]


President Donald Trump addresses military service members and families at the White House July 4, 2018. Credit: YouTube

A new military service requires congressional authorization but the WSJ board does not see that as a major impediment. “Members of both parties seem willing, albeit after a fight over whose district will host the space cadets.”

WASHINGTON — President Trump has become “fixated” on the idea of a new military branch for space and appears to be ignoring legitimate arguments for why the plan should not move forward at this time, the Wall Street Journal editorial board cautioned in its July 4 editorial titled, “Houston, We Have a Space Force.”

“This plan is not ready for the launchpad, even if Mr. Trump is right about the threat,” the board wrote.
https://spacenews.com/wall-street-journal-editorial-shoots-down-space-force/

SN Military.Space | AI race moves to space • China’s heavy rockets a concern for U.S. • Soldiers learn to operate satellites
by Sandra Erwin — July 11, 2018

Artificial intelligence race moving to space, AI boom underway ‘just the tip of the iceberg’



Using free data from the European Space Agency, a startup in Finland created a geospatial information service that is entirely enabled by artificial intelligence. AI algorithms are used to remove clouds and track changes in structures on the ground. The service, targeted at government agencies and industries like agriculture and infrastructure, costs about $4,000 a year. It is free to researchers studying the impact of natural disasters.

Joni Norppa, CEO and co-founder of the startup, named Terramonitor, says the current AI boom is only the tip of the iceberg. “We’re just beginning our mission to democratize space data,” he tells SpaceNews.

“There is lot of interest in remote-sensing data for operational use,” Norppa said. “With machine learning and AI, you don’t need any human labor to do that.”
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-ai-race-moves-to-space-%e2%80%a2-chinas-heavy-rockets-a-concern-for-u-s-%e2%80%a2-soldiers-learn-to-operate-satellites/

SN Military.Space | Selling U.S. aerospace overseas amid trade tensions • U.S. Air Force excited about U.K. space • Quantum computing as space weapon
by Sandra Erwin — July 18, 2018 [SN]

U.S. officials on a mission to sell American products. It has been awkward



Trump administration officials — including representatives from Defense, State, Commerce and NASA, as well as governors from several U.S. states — are at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom this week on a mission to sell American aerospace and weapons. This is routine during major international gatherings like this one. But this time they are having to walk a delicate line as they are trying to persuade longtime allies to buy American products and invest in the United States while the president continues to wage a trade war, repeatedly slams NATO allies for not spending enough on defense, bashes the U.K. prime minister for being soft on Brexit, calls the European Union a “foe” and sides with Europe’s enemy Vladimir Putin.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-selling-u-s-aerospace-overseas-amid-trade-tensions-%e2%80%a2-u-s-air-force-excited-about-u-k-space-%e2%80%a2-quantum-computing-as-space-weapon/

SN Military.Space | Airbus to build ‘combat cloud’ • Major developments in strategic nuclear systems • Senate panel targets EELV
by Sandra Erwin — July 25, 2018 You’re reading the SN Military.Space newsletter we publish Tuesdays. [SN]

The holy grail of military communications networks? Airbus says it’s working on it



A cyber-secure network of air, space and ground communications systems that delivers huge amounts of bandwidth anywhere in the world has been a long and frustrating pursuit of the U.S. military.

Defense contractors for years have floated ideas for how to build the elusive “combat cloud” bringing together the latest and greatest communications technology. But the challenge has been tougher than imagined. Airbus says it is a few steps closer to making it happen.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-airbus-to-build-combat-cloud-%E2%80%A2-major-developments-in-strategic-nuclear-systems-%E2%80%A2-senate-panel-targets-eelv/

Air Force Secretary: Space Force debate “tremendously helpful”
by Sandra Erwin — July 25, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. Credit: Washington Post

Air Force Secretary Wilson: “The chief of staff and I are actually very glad that people are becoming more aware and having a debate."

WASHINGTON — In an interview Wednesday, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius pressed Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to explain how the service is preparing to carry out President Donald Trump’s order to create a separate military service for space.

What transition issues are you concerned about? Could administrative costs cause delays in creating a Space Force? Do you agree with the president? As everyone in government knows, transitions can be bumpy, Ignatius asked.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-space-force-debate-tremendously-helpful/

National security experts throw cold water on Space Force euphoria
by Sandra Erwin — July 30, 2018 [SN]


Michael O'Hanlon, Deborah Lee James, Brian Weeden, Frank Rose and Steve Jacques (from left to right) speak at The Brookings Institution on the pros and cons of having a space force. Credit: Brookings

Brian Weeden: “At this moment I don’t know what a space force is, it doesn’t have a lot of definition to it."

WASHINGTON — A military branch for space might indeed be necessary for the United States to maintain its superpower status in the final frontier. But the Pentagon and Congress should not rush to create a Space Force without at least weighing the downsides, experts caution.

President Trump on June 18 ordered the Pentagon to form a sixth branch of the military dedicated to space, and Congress is poised to back that request with legislation that would be included in the 2020 defense policy bill.
https://spacenews.com/national-security-experts-throw-cold-water-on-space-force-euphoria/

On National Security | Bring sanity to the Space Force debate? That would be boring
by Sandra Erwin — August 5, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the July 30, 2018 issue.


Neil deGrasse Tyson

Celebrity astrophysicist (and member of the Defense Innovation Board) Neil deGrasse Tyson recently told TMZ.com that the idea of a U.S. Space Force isn’t crazy or particularly new. It does generate a strong reaction, however, because people associate it with President Trump.

Tyson supports having a separate military branch for space. Among other reasons, a Space Force one day might be needed to save the planet. “What happens when the next asteroid comes to take us out? I want the Space Force to bat that thing out of harm’s way.”

So this is what it’s come to.

Since Trump ordered the Pentagon to create a Space Force, the topic has captured the public’s imagination while Washington policy wonks and defense insiders struggle to explain exactly what a space force is or what it will do.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-bring-sanity-to-the-space-force-debate-that-would-be-boring/

Space Force: Pentagon moving closer to Trump’s vision
by Sandra Erwin — August 7, 2018 [SN]

Officials agree that space has to be treated as a warfighting domain. But how exactly to do that is still under debate.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — President Trump is all-in on having a separate military service for space. The Pentagon has been working on a study on different paths to get there. There are still many disagreements and details to be worked out. “But all that says is that we have a threat in space,” said Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

“We’re working all those issues,” Hyten said of the upcoming reforms. The important thing to keep in mind is that “we have to treat space like a warfighting domain,” he said. “It’s about speed, about dealing with the adversary.”
https://spacenews.com/space-force-pentagon-moving-closer-to-trumps-vision/

[Orionid]

SN Military.Space | Space reorganization: Reform fatigue already? • SMD Symposium underway in Huntsville • DARPA soon to announce Blackjack winners
by Sandra Erwin — August 7, 2018 [SN]

Reform fatigue? Space procurement overhaul underway as another reorganization looms

These are uncertain times for many of the agencies and offices in the military-space-industrial landscape. Change is in the air as the Pentagon and Congress embark on an arduous journey to reorganize the space components of the Defense Department. An area that has commanded great attention is what should be done to speed up the modernization of space technologies.

It’s in that vein that the commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center Lt. Gen. John Thompson hosted industry executives last week in Los Angeles to update them for the first time on “SMC 2.0” — an effort that Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson kicked off earlier this year to reorganize a bureaucracy of 5,000 that oversees a $6 billion space portfolio.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-space-reorganization-reform-fatigue-already

Vice President Pence announces first steps towards creating a new military branch for space
by Sandra Erwin — August 9, 2018 [SN]

WASHINGTON — The debate is over. The United States will have a Space Force as a separate branch of the military.

In a joint appearance at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence laid out the Trump administration’s plan to create a U.S. Space Force. It was only seven weeks ago that President Trump directed DoD to begin the process.
https://spacenews.com/vice-president-pence-announces-first-steps-towards-creating-a-new-military-branch-for-space/

A key White House demand in DoD’s Space Force plan: An “accountable civilian” to oversee the process
by Sandra Erwin — August 9, 2018 [SN]

Pence said the administration is keen on “accountability” and will create a single civilian position reporting to the secretary of defense to oversee the growth and expansion of the new branch.

WASHINGTON — A much anticipated Pentagon report on the reorganization of the space components of the Defense Department was scheduled to be submitted to Congress on August 1 but was more than a week late, according to a spokesman, to allow more time for additional coordination.

There was much speculation about what prompted the delay. An earlier draft of that report, dated July 30, was obtained by Defense One, which reported on the contents July 31. The final report, dated August 9, was released by DoD on Thursday after Vice President Mike Pence previewed its contents in a speech at the Pentagon.
https://spacenews.com/a-key-white-house-demand-in-dods-space-force-plan-an-accountable-civilian-to-oversee-the-process/

As the Pentagon moves to stand up a Space Force, budget fight looms
by Sandra Erwin — August 11, 2018 [SN]

Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: “I think we have to be wide-eyed about the kind of resources” that would be needed to support a sixth branch of the military.

WASHINGTON — There are no estimates yet for what it will cost to stand up a Space Force as a separate military service. The Pentagon will request funds in next year’s budget to get the process started but Congress will want to know the full costs.

Some proponents of the Space Force have argued that if portions of the Air Force or the intelligence community are carved out to form a new service that there should be no significant added costs. But that would be a fantasy, said Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
https://spacenews.com/as-the-pentagon-moves-to-stand-up-a-space-force-budget-fight-looms/

SN Military.Space | Space Force a political football • The next big thing in space missile defense • How to make satellites ‘defendable’
by Sandra Erwin — August 14, 2018 [SN]

The next big thing in missile defense: sensors on satellites in lower orbits
SN Military.Space Sandra Erwin

The Pentagon’s panel of four-star generals known as the Joint Oversight Requirements Council will be briefed this fall on potential solutions to a major national security vulnerability: hypersonic weapons that fly into space at supersonic speeds and descend back down to Earth directly on top of targets. Current sensors could track some portions of the flight but more coverage is needed for the midcourse.

SENSE OF URGENCY China has been testing hypersonic glide vehicles successfully, and is advancing the technology at an alarming pace, warned Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin. The hypersonic threat brings a “new urgency” that the United States has not seen since the Cold War. A defensive shield would require global coverage and the cost of doing that with ground radars would be prohibitive so this has to be done in space, Griffin said.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-space-force-a-political-football

Space Force talk drawing attention to the need for international norms
by Sandra Erwin — August 15, 2018 [SN]

The announcement by Vice President Mike Pence last week that the Pentagon will stand up a Space Force suddenly has drawn attention to the issue of international space security.

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over the past few days traveling in Latin America was asked on several occasions to comment on the militarization of space. In public appearances and press gaggles, Mattis insisted that the United States does not want to fight wars in space and has no plans to deploy lethal weapons in orbit even as it is moving to create a new branch of the military dedicated to space.

The announcement by Vice President Mike Pence last week that the Pentagon will stand up a Space Force suddenly has drawn attention to the issue of international space security and to an accelerating arms race that, the Trump administration argues, requires a strong posture in space.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-talk-drawing-attention-to-the-need-for-international-norms/

On National Security | Space Force is a huge meme but it’s no joke
by Sandra Erwin — August 16, 2018 [SN]

“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Aug. 13, 2018 issue.

Vice President Mike Pence last week thrust the Space Force into the spotlight in a big way. Speaking at the Pentagon to an audience packed with military officials, he laid out the plan for how the Defense Department will begin the process of creating a sixth branch of the military dedicated to space.

The Trump administration is on a mission to make this happen within a few years. The Space Force is being cast as a necessary measure to fight back Russia and China who are threatening to take down or jam U.S. satellites. It also has become a “legacy” issue as President Trump wants to be forever remembered as the commander in chief who led the creation of the Space Force. Pence rolled out the plan only seven weeks after Trump directed the Pentagon to begin the process.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-space-force-is-a-huge-meme-but-its-no-joke/

Concerns grow about Space Force diverting funds from other military priorities
by Sandra Erwin — August 19, 2018 [SN]

Experts warn that if the Space Force is set up as an independent service, its substantial administrative costs could eat up funds that might otherwise be spent training and equipping forces with next-generation space technology.

WASHINGTON — Political disagreements aside, the Trump administration’s push to create a separate branch of the military for space is being challenged on grounds that an expensive bureaucracy could undermine the central goal of boosting military capabilities to defend satellites and the nation’s access to space.
https://spacenews.com/concerns-grow-about-space-force-diverting-funds-from-other-military-priorities/

Analysts: Space Force will test constitutional separation of powers
by Sandra Erwin — August 21, 2018 [SN]

Congressional Research Service report: “The role of establishing, organizing, regulating, and providing resources for the armed forces belongs to Congress, while the president is in charge of commanding the forces Congress has established using the funds Congress has provided.”

WASHINGTON — However Congress responds to the Trump administration’s proposal to create a Space Force, the upcoming deliberations over the reorganization of the U.S. military will put on display the principles of separation of powers.
https://spacenews.com/analysts-space-force-will-test-constitutional-separation-of-powers/

SN Military.Space | Who’s who in the national security space workforce • Doubts raised about cost of Space Force • U.S., Brazil to share space data
by Sandra Erwin — August 23, 2018 [SN]

Who does what? A closer look at the ‘National Security Space Workforce’

Outside the national security space community, few people grasp the breadth of activities and missions that might one day transition to a Space Force, if and when Congress votes to create one. To better understand who the nation’s space warriors are, a helpful primer can be found in the 2018 annual report of the nonprofit Space Foundation, which analyzes government and industry trends in space activity.

HOW BIG IS THE SPACE WORKFORCE? The U.S. national security space workforce, based on Space Foundation numbers for 2017, is made up of more than 27,500 civilian and military professionals from the Defense Department and the intelligence community. By comparison, the NASA civil servant workforce at the start of fiscal year 2018 was 17,324. And the entire U.S. space workforce has more than 173,000 workers across the commercial, civil, and national security sectors.
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-whos-who-in-the-national-security-space-workforce

Defining the job duties of the Space Force will be a knotty task
by Sandra Erwin — August 26, 2018 [SN]

There are internal disagreements in the military space community over what takes precedence: war fighting or providing services to the rest of the armed forces.

WASHINGTON — In future deliberations over the Trump administration’s Space Force plan, the mission of the new branch could become a debate far more contentious than picking the logo or the color of the uniforms.
https://spacenews.com/defining-the-job-duties-of-the-space-force-will-be-a-knotty-task/

Mattis: Reorganization of military space forces already in motion
by Sandra Erwin — August 28, 2018 [SN]

Mattis: DoD has been working with Congress “on the way ahead with regard to needed legislation for a separate department."

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is moving ahead with previously announced plans to stand up a four-star U.S. Space Command as part of a broader effort to reorganize military space forces, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday at a joint news conference at the Pentagon with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford.
https://spacenews.com/mattis-reorganization-of-military-space-forces-already-in-motion/

SN Military.Space | Air Force wants new GPS in orbit before year’s end • DoD big on OTAs • Space Force by 2020 a long shot
by Sandra Erwin — August 29, 2018 [SN]

Countdown is on for GPS 3 launch. Stakes high for U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX

The United States did not launch any new Global Positioning System satellites in 2017. If all goes as planned, the Air Force should have one new GPS 3 satellite in orbit before the end of 2018.

The first vehicle of the GPS 3 constellation arrived at Cape Canaveral on Aug. 20 in anticipation of a Dec. 15 launch. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin shipped the satellite from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, to the Cape on a massive Air Force C-17 aircraft.

ROCKET DELAYS The launch date for the first GPS 3 already has slipped several months to allow more time to test SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 Block 5. The date was moved “by mutual agreement” to Dec. 15, a spokesman for the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center said in a statement, confirming what Bloomberg News reported earlier this month.

“Qualification testing of Falcon 9 Block 5 for this mission is nearly complete,” said the spokesman. The Air Force and SpaceX agreed that a Dec. 15 target date was sufficient time to “accommodate finishing qualification testing, late-breaking requirement changes and to complete independent verification and validation activities.”
https://spacenews.com/sn-military-space-air-force-wants-new-gps-in-orbit-before-years-end

On National Security | Pentagon hopes new space shop will help recapture old magic
by Sandra Erwin — August 30, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks with staff members before a National Space Council meeting at the John F. Kennedy Space Center Feb. 21, 2018. Credit: DoD

“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Aug. 27, 2018 issue.

One central piece of a future Space Force would be a Space Development Agency. So says a Pentagon report that lays out several options for reorganizing military space forces. The creation of a Space Development Agency is listed as a crucial first step toward establishing an independent service for space.

The Pentagon’s top leaders have been very much in favor of overhauling the procurement structure and the space reorganization is an opportunity to break some china. In fact, even before Trump publicly mentioned the Space Force, the Pentagon had pushed for a shake-up of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center that oversees about 85 percent of the military’s space acquisitions.

The Space Development Agency would not replace SMC but likely would step on some toes. According to the DoD report, the new agency would be tasked to “develop and field space capabilities at speed and scale.” That may not have been meant as a direct dig at SMC but it certainly sounds like one.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-pentagon-hopes-new-space-shop-will-help-recapture-old-magic/

Air Force Secretary affirms support for Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — September 5, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson: “We support the president's proposal."

WASHINGTON — Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson asserted on Wednesday that the service is not pushing back on President Trump’s idea to create a Space Force. She offered no new details on how the process of forming a new service might unfold but insisted that this “has to be done the right way.”

Wilson opposed past congressional efforts to carve out portions of the Air Force to create a separate service. Along with Defense Secretary James Mattis and the rest of the Pentagon, she is now following the president’s orders.

“We expect to put forward a proposal with the president’s budget for fiscal year 2020 that includes a Department of Space that the president has outlined,” Wilson said at a conference hosted by Defense News in Arlington, Virginia.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-affirms-support-for-space-force/

Army soldiers on the front lines of space wars
by Sandra Erwin — September 6, 2018 [SN]


Colorado Army National Guard Sgt. Maj. Fred Korb (left) and Staff Sgt. Joseph Fauskee, of the 117th Space Battalion brief reporters at the Pentagon Sept. 5 Credit: SpaceNews

Warnings from military and intelligence agencies about Russia and China threatening to take down or jam U.S. satellites are taken seriously by the Army as forces have grown heavily dependent on satellites.

WASHINGTON — Soldiers from a Colorado National Guard space battalion who visited the Pentagon on Wednesday said they have no idea what role, if any, they would have in the Space Force that President Trump has proposed.

But they did provide a glimpse into the daily grind of space warfare.
https://spacenews.com/army-soldiers-on-the-front-lines-of-space-wars/

Experts: A separate military service for space may be too much too soon
by Sandra Erwin — September 10, 2018 [SN]


Former deputy defense secretary Bob Work speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Credit: YouTube

“Whether we get to a separate space force I think is an open question,” former Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work said on Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon should create a U.S. Space Command, it should do more to protect satellites from attacks and it should change how it buys space technology, a panel of former defense officials said. They are not convinced that a separate military branch dedicated to space is needed, however. And they warned that rushing to set up a Space Force could create more problems than it solves.
https://spacenews.com/experts-a-separate-military-service-for-space-may-be-too-much-too-soon/

Defense contractors step up investments in commercial space companies
by Sandra Erwin — September 11, 2018 [SN]


Artist's rendition of a BridgeSat optical satellite ground station. Credit: BridgeSat

CORRECTION: This story was updated at 4:31 p.m. Eastern to clarify that Boeing led BridgeSat’s $10 million investment round; Boeing did not directly invest $10 million in the company.

WASHINGTON — Established military contractors with extra cash frequently invest in companies and technologies they see as key to their future. Space startups with products and services that have national security applications have become especially attractive opportunities.
https://spacenews.com/defense-contractors-step-up-investments-in-commercial-space-companies/

[Orionid]

New Pentagon memo lays out action plan to establish Space Force by 2020
by Sandra Erwin — September 13, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks with Air Force Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center Aug. 27, 2018. Credit: DoD

The Sept. 10 space reorganization memo includes specific actions and assigns responsibilities. Deputy Secretary Shanahan is overseeing the entire effort, but the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the undersecretary of defense for policy also have significant roles.

WASHINGTON — Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan this week issued a detailed plan for how the Pentagon will move forward to create a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces by fiscal year 2020.
https://spacenews.com/new-pentagon-memo-lays-out-action-plan-to-establish-space-force-by-2020/

Space Force in for a rough ride
by Sandra Erwin — September 16, 2018 [SN]
This article originally appeared in the Sept. 10, 2018 issue of SpaceNews magazine.


U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, take reporters' questions Aug. 28 at the Pentagon. Credit: DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando

Space Development Agency a big flashpoint in DoD reorganization

As the White House forges on with plans to create a new military branch for space, political and bureaucratic headwinds appear to be gaining strength.

A key hurdle is the chaotic fashion in which the reorganization is proceeding. U.S. President Donald Trump caught the Pentagon off guard when he ordered the standup of a Space Force during a June 18 meeting of the National Space Council. “We are going to have the Air Force and we are going to have the Space Force. Separate but equal. It is going to be something. So important,” Trump said.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-in-for-a-rough-ride/

Air Force Secretary lays roadmap to a new space force
by Sandra Erwin — September 17, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks Sept. 17 at the Air Space Cyber 2018 symposium in National Harbor, Md. Credit: USAF

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson submitted the most detailed plan seen to date on how the military's space forces would transition to a new branch. She proposes a force of 13,000 people with an initial budget of about $3.3 billion.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. —  Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Friday delivered a proposal that details the responsibilities and structure of a future Space Force. In a speech on Monday at the Air Force Association’s annual symposium, Wilson called the proposal “bold” and one that “carries out the president’s vision.”

Wilson’s speech focused on the future of air warfare and did not discuss details of her Space Force recommendations. SpaceNews obtained a copy of the proposal.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-lays-roadmap-to-a-new-space-force/

Air Force Association opposes establishment of a Space Force, says air and space are ‘indivisible’
by Sandra Erwin — September 18, 2018 [SN]



The basic argument laid out by AFA is that while there might be a need for a Space Force, now is not the time to break up the Air Force. "The question of standing up a new armed service for space is not ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ and the ‘when is the time all the conditions for creating a separate armed force for space are met.”

WASHINGTON — The Air Force Association is taking a strong position against the proposed establishment of a Space as a separate branch of the U.S. military, arguing that it would do “more harm than good.” It suggests a more reasonable compromise would be to combine Air Force and Space Force into a “U.S. Aerospace Force.”
https://spacenews.com/air-force-association-opposes-establishment-of-a-space-force-says-air-and-space-are-indivisible/

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s Space Force proposal has people buzzing
by Sandra Erwin — September 18, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s Space Force proposal dropped on the first day of the Air Force Association’s Air Space Cyber symposium, and it took the community by storm. An earlier critic of a separate service for space, she now says DoD should put forth a proposal to Congress to stand up a Space Force “the right way,” and not with “half-measures.”

On Monday we finally understood what she was talking about.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-heather-wilsons-space-force-proposal-has-people-buzzing/

Wilson: $13 billion Space Force cost estimate is ‘conservative’
by Sandra Erwin — September 18, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks at Air Space Cyber 2018. Credit: Air Force

If Congress moves to create a Space Force, the additional billions of dollars needed to stand up a new service would have to be funded at the same time the Air Force is seeking a significant increase to the size of its combat force in response to growing demands.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said her initial $13 billion cost estimate to stand up a Space Force and sustain it for five years is likely to be revised upward as more data is crunched.

In a detailed memo submitted on Friday to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Wilson provided the first glimpse into the potential cost, size and makeup of a military branch for space. The $13 billion projected cost over five years is based on a force of 13,000 people, including a headquarters of about 2,400.
https://spacenews.com/wilson-13-billion-space-force-cost-estimate-is-conservative/

What are people talking about at Air Force Association’s Air Space Cyber symposium?
by Sandra Erwin — September 18, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Air Force’s advocacy group, the Air Force Association, is taking off the gloves and pointedly voicing opposition to separating space out of the Air Force.

“The U.S. Air Force has led the armed forces in establishing America’s space capability such that it is unrivaled in the world,” the association says in a position paper. “Today, to split up the well-integrated set of air and space capabilities that have been organized to seamlessly contribute to America’s military capabilities would result in more harm than good.”

      Air Force Association
https://spacenews.com/what-are-people-talking-about-at-air-force-associations-air-space-cyber-symposium/

Shanahan: A lot of ‘arm wrestling’ in the Pentagon on how to set up a space force
by Sandra Erwin — September 19, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks at Air Space Cyber 2018. Credit: AFA

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan: “Together we are working to create a space force, which as you might imagine, is a complicated process."

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan was empowered by Congress to lead the process of creating a separate branch of the military for space. As a former corporate CEO, Shanahan is known to have little tolerance for bureaucratic inertia, but on Wednesday he acknowledged that the path to a Space Force has more twists and complexities than he would like.

“Together we are working to create a space force, which as you might imagine, is a complicated process,” Shanahan told a room packed with Air Force officials at the Air Force Association’s annual symposium.
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-a-lot-of-arm-wresting-in-the-pentagon-on-how-to-set-up-a-space-force/

Budget analysts challenge Air Force cost estimates for creating a space force
by Sandra Erwin — September 20, 2018 [SN]


Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Air Force Assocation's Air Space Cyber symposium Sept. 17. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Todd Harrison on Air Force secretary's budget estimate. "The methodology is not very sophisticated. They’re giving no indication of where they got the numbers from. I don’t give this a lot of credibility.”

WASHINGTON — Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s estimate of what it will cost to stand up a new military service for space is not credible and the numbers appear inflated, defense budget analyst Todd Harrison said on Thursday.

Harrison, director of defense budget analysis and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Wilson’s $13 billion estimate — which includes setting up a Department of the Space Force, a U.S. Space Command, a Space Development Agency and sustaining them over five years — is grossly inflated because it includes thousands of additional personnel that might not be needed and a billion-dollar construction project that seems questionable.
https://spacenews.com/budget-analysts-challenge-air-force-cost-estimates-for-creating-a-space-force/

House Armed Services chairman not taking sides on Space Force disputes
by Sandra Erwin — September 25, 2018 [SN]


House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas. Credit: U.S. House of Representatives

HASC Chairman Mac Thornberry said his committee will want to hear more details from the Pentagon and the White House before any decisions are made on standing up a Space Force as a separate military branch.
WASHINGTON — House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry said he is not yet ready to weigh in on how a Space Force should be organized or how much it should cost.

Thornberry’s committee has been a dynamic proponent of a reorganization of military space forces, and that push will continue into the next legislative season, he told reporters on Tuesday on Capitol Hill. But Thornberry suggested that the scope and pace of the reorganization is still up for discussion.
https://spacenews.com/house-armed-services-chairman-not-taking-sides-on-space-force-disputes/

Inside the Pentagon, disagreements deepen over how to create a Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — September 26, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.



A December deadline looms for the Pentagon to submit a legislative proposal to the White House on how to organize an independent military service for space. And internal battles are heating up.

That reality was made clear last week by the Pentagon’s space reorganization boss Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. Speaking at the Air Force Association’s annual symposium in front of a huge audience of service officials, Shanahan did not sugarcoat the challenge: “We’re working to create a Space Force which, as you might imagine, is a complicated process.”
https://spacenews.com/inside-the-pentagon-disagreements-deepen-over-how-to-create-a-space-force/

Pentagon to start drilling into the details of establishing a U.S. Space Command
by Sandra Erwin — September 26, 2018 [SN]


Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford brief reporters at the Pentagon. Credit: DOD

In a Sept. 24 memo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford said the "war fighting attributes of U.S. Space Command will be explored in tabletop exercises this fall.”

WASHINGTON — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford is pushing ahead with plans to establish a U.S. Space Command. He will schedule a series of tabletop exercises this fall to help hash out specific details on the mission and the structure of the new combatant command, he said in a Sept. 24 memo to Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-to-start-drilling-into-the-details-of-establishing-a-u-s-space-command/

Air Force could assume bigger role in DARPA’s Blackjack program
by Sandra Erwin — September 26, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Blackjack is small compared to traditional military space procurements but it is one of the most talked about space projects. Blackjack is a dramatic departure from the conventional ways of doing business in the Defense Department. It wants to buy small satellites from commercial vendors, equip them with military sensor payloads and deploy a small constellation in low-Earth orbit to see how they perform in real military operations.

Congress has been a huge supporter and added more than $100 million above DARPA’s request. But as the program matures, lawmakers have raised questions about its management. DARPA’s plan all along was to conduct a demonstration and then turn the program over to the Air Force. But the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center already is taking on an active role. Lawmakers want to see Blackjack accelerated and some have suggested it should move to SMC sooner rather than letter. “There’s a management issue brewing,” said an industry source.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-could-assume-bigger-role-in-darpas-blackjack-program/

Lockheed Martin strengthens position in military satellite market
by Sandra Erwin — September 26, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has made “go fast” the bumper sticker for space programs. The thinking is that, should a military conflict extend into space, the Air Force would be positioned to protect the nation’s satellites from attacks and also quickly launch new ones into orbit to beef up existing constellations.

So far the company that has most benefitted from the push for faster acquisitions and more security is Lockheed Martin. Its advantage comes from being a trusted supplier with a hot production line for military satellites. Over the past several months, the company received a $2.9 billion contract to build three strategic missile-warning satellites, known as next-generation OPIR — and a $7.2 billion deal to produce up to 22 jam-resistant GPS 3 satellites.

The Air Force decided to award Lockheed next-gen OPIR because it was the only way to get this capability in five years or less, according to Air Force procurement chief Will Roper. “We had to go to vendors that are able to make the buses that are able to survive,” he said.
https://spacenews.com/lockheed-martin-strengthens-position-in-military-satellite-market/

Lawmakers irked by political gamesmanship over Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — September 27, 2018 [SN]


Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. (left) and Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., speak at an Aspen Institute forum. Credit: SpaceNews

Chairman Mike Rogers: “A lot of folks are making fun of this because President Trump got behind it. They don’t understand that what we’re talking about is national security satellites.”

WASHINGTON — Congress’ staunchest proponents of creating a separate military branch for space voiced frustration on Thursday over the politicization of what they consider a major national security issue.

In a joint appearance at the Aspen Institute, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the strategic forces subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, and Ranking Democrat Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), said they are disappointed by the “games” that are being played inside the Pentagon. Rogers and Cooper spent three years working on legislation to create a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force, a bill that cleared the House last year but was defeated in the Senate.
https://spacenews.com/lawmakers-irked-by-political-gamesmanship-over-space-force/

On National Security | Space Force seizes high ground at Air Force annual gathering
by Sandra Erwin — September 28, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Sept. 24, 2018 issue.


Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson delivers her the “Air Force We Need,” address during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 17, 2018. During her remarks, Wilson stressed the Air Force will need more active, guard and reserve Airmen to fully enable the service’s operational squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rusty Frank)

The Air Force Association held its annual symposium last week near Washington. It had shaped up to be, as in years past, three days of high-level speeches about Air Force strategic priorities, fiscal challenges and opportunities.

President Trump’s directive to create a Space Force, however, hung like a dark cloud over the event, creating an awkward climate at what’s normally a celebration of Air Force space prowess. It also made for a delicate situation for military contractors that that didn’t want to be caught in the middle of a political brawl.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-space-force-seizes-high-ground-at-air-force-annual-gathering/

[Orionid]

New version of Aerojet’s RL10 upper-stage engine to be almost entirely 3D printed
by Sandra Erwin — October 3, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Years of Pentagon and NASA investments in nontraditional manufacturing technology appear to be paying off as government contractors step up the use of 3D printed components in space systems. One company actively promoting its use of 3D printing in rocket engines is Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Aerojet now projects to hit a new record in its use of additive manufacturing. “Our trade studies have concluded that about 95 percent of the components that make up an RL10 could ultimately be built using additive manufacturing technology,” Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Nicholas Mulé told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/new-version-of-aerojets-rl10-upper-stage-engine-to-be-almost-entirely-3d-printed/

Senate Armed Services Committee still not sold on a separate military service for space
by Sandra Erwin — October 4, 2018 [SN]


Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) speaks with reporters at the Heritage Foundation Oct. 4. Credit: SpaceNews

Sen. Joni Ernst: “I think we need to keep an open mind and figure out what really makes the most sense, and where can we leverage those dollars."

WASHINGTON — The fate of President Trump’s plan to stand up a Space Force lies with Congress. Like other lawmakers, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Thursday that she is “open to a debate.”

During a Heritage Foundation media roundtable on Capitol Hill, Ernst said it remains a wide open question for her committee whether a Space Force should be a “separate stand-alone force or if it can be better maximized as part of the existing Air Force.”
https://spacenews.com/senate-armed-services-committee-still-not-sold-on-a-separate-military-service-for-space/

Big money in small satellites: Space RCO selects three companies to compete for future contracts
by Sandra Erwin — October 5, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Maxar Technologies’ SSL, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems were selected to compete for future small satellite development contracts that could be worth up to $750 million.

The contracts were awarded last month by NASA Ames Research Center. The three companies will form a pool of prequalified candidates that will compete under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract called Small Spacecraft Prototyping Engineering Development and Integration – Space Solutions.

The program will help the military’s Space Rapid Capabilities Office expedite the procurement of commercially developed small to medium spacecraft. Each company will be eligible to compete for multiple future awards over five years.
https://spacenews.com/big-money-in-small-satellites-space-rco-selects-three-companies-to-compete-for-future-contracts/

Pentagon denies report that Air Force Secretary Wilson may be on her way out
by Sandra Erwin — October 5, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks at an Air Force Association symposium. Credit: Air Force

Defense Department spokesperson Dana White called the report 'nonsense.'

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department on Friday dismissed a news report that says President Trump is considering removing Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.

“This is nonsense,” Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana White said in a statement in response to a story published on Thursday by Foreign Policy. White did not elaborate. “The Department of Defense leadership team is focused on defending our great nation and working together,” she added.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-denies-report-that-air-force-secretary-wilson-may-be-on-her-way-out/

Top Pentagon official Mike Griffin proposes new space agency that ‘disrupts’ traditional procurement
by Sandra Erwin — October 7, 2018 [SN]


Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON — Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin is recommending that the Pentagon create a Space Development Agency to take over next-generation space programs and transform how the military acquires space technologies.

Griffin’s recommendations were in response to a Sept. 10 memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan in which he requested that Griffin and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson submit separate proposals for how to create a Space Development Agency. The standup of a Space Development Agency is one piece of a broader effort to form a new military service for space.
https://spacenews.com/top-pentagon-official-mike-griffin-proposes-new-space-agency-that-disrupts-traditional-procurement/

Army Secretary: Still unclear what portions of the Army would move to the Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — October 8, 2018 [SN]


Army Secretary Mark Esper and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley brief reporters at the Association of the U.S. Army annual symposium. Credit. AUSA

Army Secretary Mark Esper: “There are ongoing discussions on how the Army would support the Space Force."

WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Mark Esper said no decisions have yet been made on what parts of the Army would move to a Space Force if the new service were created.

“There are ongoing discussions on how the Army would support the Space  Force,” Esper told reporters on Monday at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual symposium. “Over time those details will be worked out. We’ll see what parts move where,” he said.
https://spacenews.com/army-secretary-still-unclear-what-portions-of-the-army-would-move-to-the-space-force/

Deputy Defense Secretary Shanahan hints at future shifts in space investments
by Sandra Erwin — October 10, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual symposium. Credit: AUSA

Shanahan: “As we build out the budget, where would you plug the space money? Would you plug it into the Army, or do you plug into the Air Force, or into a Space Development Agency?”

WASHINGTON — Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said discussions are underway on how DoD should budget funds for space technologies as the Pentagon embarks on a reorganization of space forces.
https://spacenews.com/deputy-defense-secretary-shanahan-hints-at-future-shifts-in-space-investments/

Space Force to be the topic of next National Space Council meeting
by Jeff Foust — October 15, 2018 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump at a National Space Council meeting in June where Trump announced his intent to establish a Space Force. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

WASHINGTON — The status of proposals to create a separate branch of the U.S. military devoted to space will be the subject of the next meeting of the National Space Council on Oct. 23.

Vice President Mike Pence, in an Oct. 12 tweet, said that the interagency group will discuss “progress made and next steps” on the formation of a Space Force, a plan formally announced by President Trump at the council’s last meeting in June.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-to-be-the-topic-of-next-national-space-council-meeting/

The next battleground: What do we really know about what adversaries do in space?
by Sandra Erwin — October 17, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



As the Pentagon moves to stand up a U.S. Space Command and Congress debates whether it makes sense to create a Space Force, a central focus is to defend satellites from orbital weapons that would seek to damage or destroy U.S. assets in space.

Washington policymakers are gripped by the prospect of enemies shooting missiles or lasers at U.S. systems. But that is only a small piece of the puzzle, says Jeffrey Gossel, senior intelligence engineer at the Space and Missile Analysis Group of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.
https://spacenews.com/the-next-battleground-what-do-we-really-know-about-what-adversaries-do-in-space/

Intelligence official: ‘Incredibly powerful insight’ drawn from open source data
by Sandra Erwin — October 17, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Information of great value to the intelligence community doesn’t have to be “something that comes off of a pristine satellite” with multiple layers of classification, said Army Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Answers to some of the toughest problems that intelligence agencies are trying to solve today come from open source data, Ashley said last week at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual symposium. “As long as you have a trained analyst that understands the source of the information, you can tip and cue it with other classified information,” he said. “That’s an incredibly powerful insight we are just starting to tap into.”
https://spacenews.com/intelligence-official-incredibly-powerful-insight-drawn-from-open-source-data/

House Armed Services Committee exploring several paths to a Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — October 19, 2018 [SN]


Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) Credit: CSIS

HASC Chairman Thornberry is seeking data from the Pentagon to better understand the consequences of different approaches to creating a Space Force.

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to provide more precise details on how it would organize and fund a new military service for space. In an Oct. 4 letter, Chairman Mac Thornberry asks Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul Selva to deliver the data by Nov. 16.
https://spacenews.com/house-armed-services-committee-exploring-several-paths-to-a-space-force/

Space Force policy memo being drafted to establish new military branch
by Sandra Erwin — October 22, 2018 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence addresses the National Space Council. Credit: NASA

The Defense Department is expected to submit a legislative proposal to the White House Office of Management and Budget by Dec. 1 recommending that a Space Force be formed as a separate branch of the armed forces.

WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday will hold a meeting of the National Space Council at the National Defense University to discuss the next steps toward creating a Space Force as a new branch of the U.S. military.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-policy-memo-being-drafted-to-establish-new-military-branch/

Pence: Trump determined to get Space Force authorized by Congress next year
by Sandra Erwin — October 23, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Vice President Mike Pence insisted Tuesday that President Trump will make it a priority to ensure a new military branch for space is authorized by Congress next year. The administration believes there is enough bipartisan support for a Space Force that it will be authorized regardless of who wins the majority in November, Pence said at a Washington Post “Transformers Space” event.
https://spacenews.com/pence-trump-determined-to-get-space-force-authorized-by-congress-next-year/

Space-based missile defense: Is it better to spend money on weapons or sensors?
by Sandra Erwin — October 23, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Pentagon is expected to reveal in next year’s budget its plans to move forward to deploy new missile defense systems in space. Military contractors in the space sector view this program as a major business opportunity.

Although the Missile Defense Agency has said the plan for now is to focus on sensors in space, there is speculation that the Pentagon might also consider investments in orbiting interceptor missiles to be aimed at enemy ICBMs or hypersonic vehicles.
https://spacenews.com/space-based-missile-defense-is-it-better-to-spend-money-on-weapons-or-sensors/

National Space Council votes unanimously to send Space Force proposal to Trump
by Sandra Erwin — October 23, 2018 [SN]



The recommendations will be part of a new space policy directive, SPD-4, that will be sent to Trump’s desk for approval in the coming weeks.

WASHINGTON — At the conclusion of its last meeting of 2018, the National Space Council agreed to send President Trump a set of six recommended actions to initiate the process of establishing a new military branch for space.
https://spacenews.com/national-space-council-votes-unanimously-to-send-space-force-proposal-to-trump/

Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office awards contract to Sierra Nevada for weather satellite
by Sandra Erwin — October 24, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Civilian satellite operators work in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s satellite operations facility Sept. 25, 2014, in Suitland, Md. Detachment 1 of the 50th Space Operations Group, a small unit of four Air Force officers, works with NOAA civilians on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program – the only weather satellite system in the DOD. The seven-satellite constellation supplies weather data and imagery to the Air Force Weather agency as well as military and civilian organizations around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Alexander W. Riedel)

A new office created to accelerate the acquisition of military space technologies awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. a $119 million contract last month to develop a weather satellite.

The Space Rapid Capabilities Office, which reports to the Air Force Space Command, said the award is for the continuation of a program known as ORS-8 — a satellite requested by U.S. Strategic Command to provide “cloud characterization and theater weather imagery,” an Air Force spokesman told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-rapid-capabilities-office-awards-contract-to-sierra-nevada-for-weather-satellite/

Analyst predicts Space Force will fuel infighting among military services
by Sandra Erwin — October 24, 2018 [SN]


Dan Grazier, Project on Government Oversight: An independent service dedicated to space will quickly forge its own bureaucratic path separate from the existing military forces.

WASHINGTON — More than 70 years after the U.S. Air Force split off from the Army, disagreements linger over whether air forces do enough to support troops on the ground.

With plans now underway to create an independent service for space, it would be useful to look back at the history of the Air Force and make sure mistakes are not repeated, cautions Dan Grazier, military fellow at the Center for Defense Information at the Project on Government Oversight.
https://spacenews.com/analyst-predicts-space-force-will-fuel-infighting-among-military-services/

Op-ed | The legal mandate for a U.S. Space Force
by Mike Lorrey — October 26, 2018 [SN]
This op-ed originally appeared in the Oct. 8, 2018 issue of SpaceNews magazine.


The former German battleship Ostfriesland was sunk July 21, 1921 off the coast of Virginia by bombs dropped by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell’s airplanes. In 1947, the U.S. Air Force was formally established as a separate branch of the armed forces. Credit: U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia

Mitchell is now considered the father of the U.S. Air Force, but the Air Force has forgotten the lessons of his experience when it comes to the new combat domain of space

Since President Trump announced he would form the U.S. Space Force, there has been a lot of debate over the validity, possibility, and even sanity of his proposal. Existing military services deny the need while they persist in stultifying US space utilization to only providing services to existing fighting forces on the ground, in the air and on the seas, while ignoring the growing space industry and work by some, like SpaceX, intent on settling Mars.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-the-legal-mandate-for-a-u-s-space-force/

On National Security | Space Force invades the midterms
by Sandra Erwin — October 26, 2018 [SN]

If Democrats make big gains, does Trump's proposal to create a new military service stand a chance?

“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Oct. 22, 2018 issue.

The Space Force that U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to set up — a fully loaded new military department — could be a dim prospect if Republicans lose control of either the House or Senate when voters go to the polls Nov. 6 for the midterm elections.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-space-force-invades-the-midterms/

[Orionid]

Pentagon official predicts “exciting and interesting” congressional debate on Space Force in 2019
by Jeff Foust — October 26, 2018 [SN]


Stephen Kitay, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said there's a need to educate both Congress and the general public about the importance of space to national security and the threats posed to it. Credit: SpaceNews/Jeff Foust

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Pentagon official responsible for space policy says he expects an “exciting and interesting discussion” in Congress next year when the House and Senate take up the administration’s proposal to establish a Space Force.

In a speech at the American Astronautical Society’s Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium here Oct. 25, Stephen Kitay, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said the administration would submit a legislative proposal in February, as part of the fiscal year 2020 budget request, to authorize creation of the Space Force as a separate branch of the military.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-official-predicts-exciting-and-interesting-congressional-debate-on-space-force-in-2019/

As Space Force proposal moves forward, Shanahan hints at major changes in space procurements
by Sandra Erwin — October 26, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks at the 2018 Military Reporters & Editors conference. Credit: SpaceNews

Deputy Defense Secretary Shanahan: “The Space Development Agency gets after how we, as a government, develop and field capability more quickly.”

WASHINGTON — Much of the criticism aimed at the Trump administration’s Space Force plan is that it creates an expensive new bureaucracy that the Pentagon does not need.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan agrees that the Space Force overhead is a concern, but it’s a relatively easier problem to solve than figuring out a new model for developing and procuring space technologies.
https://spacenews.com/as-space-force-proposal-moves-forward-shanahan-hints-at-major-changes-in-space-procurements/

Here’s a rundown of the latest Space Force developments
by Sandra Erwin — October 31, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



BIG PUSH BY VP PENCE At the National Space Council meeting last week, Vice President Mike Pence made an impassioned case for the establishment of a Space Force. But no matter how much President Trump wants it, congressional authorization by law is required to form a new military branch. Pence said Trump will work tirelessly to make sure the legislative language to create a Space Force makes it into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The council endorsed the Pentagon’s recommendations and a policy directive is being drafted for Trump’s signature.
https://spacenews.com/heres-a-rundown-of-the-latest-space-force-developments/

Air Force leaders more vocal about their support for Trump’s Space Force proposal
by Sandra Erwin — October 31, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Top leaders of the U.S. Air Force are doing their best to counter the narrative that they oppose President Trump’s plan to establish a Space Force.

“The United States Air Force is all in on Space Force and we’ve been contributing input to making the President’s vision a reality,” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, told the MILCOM technology conference yesterday in Los Angeles. (h/t Kim Underwood of Signal Magazine)
https://spacenews.com/air-force-leaders-more-vocal-about-their-support-for-trumps-space-force-proposal/

Space Force discussions increasingly blur the line between military and civilian space
by Sandra Erwin — October 31, 2018 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence. Credit: Politico

Pence says space exploration is a civilian operation done by NASA and “that's what we want it to be.” But the president also believes that “making sure that we have the security in space to advance human space exploration is the underpinning of the Space Force.”

WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence recently was asked by Washington Post reporter Robert Costa: “What will the Space Force do?”

In his response, Pence did not run down a list of duties that might be assigned to the new military branch. But he did comment extensively on why he and the president feel strongly that a Space Force should be established.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-discussions-increasingly-blur-the-line-between-military-and-civilian-space/

Navy’s 3D printing project promises big payoffs for aerospace and defense manufacturing
by Sandra Erwin — October 31, 2018
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Lockheed Martin this month won a two-year, $5.8 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to investigate ways to apply artificial intelligence so robots can be trained to oversee the 3D printing of complex parts such as those used in military aircraft and satellites.

The aerospace industry is making huge investments in additive manufacturing but producing parts that can pass quality tests in government programs, for instance, remains a challenge. The quality control today “requires a lot of babysitting,” said Brian Griffith, project manager at Lockheed Martin. “High-value and intricate parts sometimes require constant monitoring by specialists to get them right,” he said. “Furthermore, if any one section of a part is below par, it can render the whole part unusable.”
https://spacenews.com/navys-3d-printing-project-promises-big-payoffs-for-aerospace-and-defense-manufacturing/

Musk backs Space Force proposal
by Jeff Foust — November 3, 2018 [SN]


Musk, seen here speaking at South By Southwest in March, said he supports the idea of a separate Space Force that could also support space exploration activities. Credit: SXSW

LOS ANGELES — SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk says he supports the concept of establishing a separate Space Force, using an argument that mirrors statements made by administration officials.

In an extended interview with the technology site Recode published Nov. 2, Musk drew parallels between the Space Force and the creation of the U.S. Air Force more than 70 years ago.
https://spacenews.com/musk-backs-space-force-proposal/

Space Force reorganization could raise profile of DARPA’s space missions
by Sandra Erwin — November 5, 2018 [SN]


Fred Kennedy, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Tactical Technology Office speaks Nov. 5 at an industry event hosted by the SMi Group.

The Pentagon is directing space procurement organizations to focus on resiliency in a future armed conflict, which is good news for programs like DARPA's Blackjack, said Fred Kennedy, director of the agency's Tactical Technology Office.
LONDON — Fred Kennedy, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Tactical Technology Office, has been a longtime critic of the “risk averse” culture in the Defense Department that favors exquisite satellites even though they take much longer to develop and cost far more than products available in the open market. He now sees the tide potentially turning as the Pentagon looks for ways to make military space systems less attractive targets to adversaries.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-reorganization-could-raise-profile-of-darpas-space-missions/

One reason to create a Space Development Agency? Bring the military services together
by Sandra Erwin — November 8, 2018 [SN]


Deanna Ryals, chief partnership officer of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, speaks at the 2018 Global MilSatcom conference. Credit: SpaceNews

Deanna Ryals, chief partnership officer at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, said a Space Development Agency could be a valuable addition to the military space enterprise.

LONDON — The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, responsible for buying 90 percent of the military’s space systems, is being reorganized to meet new demands driven by threats to U.S. satellites.

A realignment of the SMC organization, known as SMC 2.0, has been underway for several months and will be completed next year. Still unknown is how SMC might be affected by the establishment of a U.S. Space Development Agency. The Pentagon has recommended standing up a new agency to take over the development of next-generation space systems and work more closely with the commercial space industry.
https://spacenews.com/one-reason-to-create-a-space-development-agency-bring-the-military-services-together/

Space Force, Europa missions face scrutiny as Democrats take over House
by Jeff Foust — November 9, 2018 [SN]


Plans announced by President Trump in June to seek a Space Force as a separate military branch will face new challenges with a Democratic-led House skeptical of that proposal. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s desire to establish a Space Force could be in jeopardy next year after Democrats assume control of the House, while the departure of a key House appropriator could spell trouble for NASA missions to the potentially habitable moon of Europa.

While some races from the Nov. 6 midterms elections have yet to be finalized, including the bid by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, to win another term, Democrats won a majority of seats in the House, giving it control of committees that will set the legislative agenda for the next two years.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-europa-missions-face-scrutiny-as-democrats-take-over-house/

Griffin: Future of new DoD space agency ‘still up in the air’
by Sandra Erwin — November 13, 2018 [SN]



Griffin: “The Space Development Agency is one of the tools we offered up as a way that we're going to reenergize the space development culture, shorten the time cycles that we talked about, bring some new things to the table. "

WASHINGTON — In a report to Congress in August, the Pentagon proposed establishing a Space Development Agency as part of a broader plan to form a new military service for space.

A key proponent of the space agency, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin, submitted a proposal on Sept. 20 to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan explaining that a new organization is needed to disrupt traditional procurements and accelerate the modernization of military space systems.
https://spacenews.com/griffin-future-of-new-dod-space-agency-still-up-in-the-air/

Political odds stacked against Space Force. Proponents brace for long fight
by Sandra Erwin — November 14, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Elections have consequences. But exactly what the new power structure in Washington means for the future of the Space Force will not be known for some time.

Pundits have declared that the Trump administration’s plan to create a new military branch for space is dead on arrival following the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives. But hope is not lost, posits Doug Loverro, former assistant secretary of defense for space policy and a staunch advocate of establishing a Space Force as an independent military service.
https://spacenews.com/political-odds-stacked-against-space-force-proponents-brace-for-long-fight/

U.S. Army kicks off new small satellite program
by Sandra Erwin — November 14, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Industry watchers were surprised last month when the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command announced it was ending the Kestrel Eye small satellite experiment. The $2 million project was to test the use of small satellites in direct support of Army forces on the ground.

But the Army’s interest in small satellites has not wavered. Pentagon contractor Dynetics announced last week it has been selected to develop small satellites for the USASMDC/ARSTRAT under a program named Gunsmoke-L. It is a two-year deal, plus one option year valued at $8.3 million to develop, test, integrate and demonstrate two tactical space support vehicles “which will be used to enhance all phases of joint force operations,” the company said in a news release. The satellites will host the “next generation of tactical space support payloads designed to operate in low Earth orbit for a minimum of two years.
https://spacenews.com/u-s-army-kicks-off-new-small-satellite-program/

DigitalGlobe: New commercial players not threatening our government business
by Sandra Erwin — November 14, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Geospatial imagery and services provider DigitalGlobe last week got a major vote of confidence from its primary customer, the U.S. intelligence community. The company secured a $900 million contract extension from the National Reconnaissance Office to provide commercial imagery until August 2023.

Dan Jablonsky, president of DigitalGlobe, told SpaceNewsthat the contract extension is proof that the government values “continuity” despite the rapid growth of new commercial players such as Planet. NRO added three option years collectively worth approximately $900 million to the EnhancedView follow-on contract. The NRO in September assumed responsibility of the contract that used to be managed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
https://spacenews.com/digitalglobe-new-commercial-players-not-threatening-our-government-business/

Military satellite communications: Buyers can’t make up their minds
by Sandra Erwin — November 14, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



One take-away from last week’s Global MilSatcom conference in London is that the satellite communications industry is giving government buyers more choices than they can handle. While officials insist that competition is a good thing, they are still struggling to figure out the playing field.

Indecision has been the name of the game in military satcom procurements by the United States and the United Kingdom. Technologies are being developed faster than the buying bureaucracies can keep up, and this is slowing down efforts to modernize military networks, officials said at the conference.
https://spacenews.com/military-satellite-communications-buyers-cant-make-up-their-minds/

Major moves in DoD space reorganization to start in early 2019
by Sandra Erwin — November 15, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan. Credit: DoD

Deputy Defense Secretary Shanahan: “When the Space Governance Committee meets, we talk first and foremost about the timing for standing up Space Command and the Space Development Agency,”

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is moving at a good clip to establish a U.S. Space Command and a Space Development Agency in early 2019, said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

During a meeting with reporters on Thursday at the Pentagon, Shanahan spoke with a sense of urgency about the DoD space reorganization.
https://spacenews.com/major-moves-in-dod-space-reorganization-to-start-in-early-2019/

On National Security | Signs of change in military space
by Sandra Erwin — November 17, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Nov. 12, 2018 issue.


When President Trump announced plans for a Space Force, it triggered a legal debate on the justification for such a force. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

The fate of the Trump administration’s Space Force plan is very much up in the air. One takeaway from the results of the midterm elections is that this is likely to be a protracted and contentious fight.

Despite a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the military space enterprise, there are signs that changes are happening in response to the high-level attention paid to space as a domain of warfare. The more noticeable shifts are in procurement activities, in part driven by congressional provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act over the past two years that instruct the Defense Department to change its buying ways as rival powers step up the development of anti-satellite weapons.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-signs-of-change-in-military-space/

[Orionid]

Op-ed | Space Force: premature or overdue?
by Dean Cheng — November 19, 2018 [SN]
This op-ed originally appeared in the Nov. 12, 2018 issue of SpaceNews magazine.


For the Chinese military, space is not about space at all. It is about information — how to ensure the [People’s Liberation Army] gets it, as well as how to ensure that an adversary does not. Credit: Kremlin.Ru photo

The U.S. Space Force isn’t a radical step forward in militarizing the heavens. It is an overdue counter to Russian and Chinese actions.

On Oct. 23, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and the National Space Council unanimously recommended the establishment of a U.S. Space Command, followed by a U.S. Space Force. A key factor behind this recommendation, as Pence noted in his remarks, is the rise of counterpart space forces in key potential adversaries, including Russia and China.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-space-force-premature-or-overdue/

How much does a Space Force cost? Analyst lays out menu of options
by Sandra Erwin — November 19, 2018 [SN]


Todd Harrison, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Credit: CSIS

CSIS analyst Todd Harrison estimated the cost of three options — a Space Corps, a Space Force Lite and a Space Force Heavy.

WASHINGTON — The takeaway from new cost estimates for establishing a new military service for space is that there is no cheap way to build a Space Force.

Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, unveiled a highly anticipated report on Monday, detailing cost estimates for standing up a Space Force as a separate military branch. Harrison made headlines in September when he criticized Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s estimate — $13 billion over five years to establish a new service and a space command — as overinflated.
https://spacenews.com/how-much-does-a-space-force-cost-analyst-lays-out-menu-of-options/

Total cost of a Space Force is hard to pin down
by Sandra Erwin — November 21, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



A number of lawmakers have said they will oppose the Trump administration’s Space Force plan because of its high cost. This will be no doubt a contentious debate in the next Congress, especially with so many price tags floating around.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson laid down the first marker in September with her $13 billion five-year estimate. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has been more vague. In August, he said a Space Force would cost “billions” and last week he talked about “single digit” billions, suggesting he was projecting a budget that would be lower than Wilson’s. A DoD spokesman told SpaceNews that Shanahan would not disclose the specific numbers until the House Armed Services Committee has a chance to review them.
https://spacenews.com/total-cost-of-a-space-force-is-hard-to-pin-down/

Small satellite industry stepping up advocacy in Washington
by Sandra Erwin — November 21, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.

Small satellites have been hailed as a game changer in the space industry, but the government’s slower than anticipated embrace of smallsat technology has been a disappointment, according to analysts and industry advocates who spoke at the Space Foundation’s “SmallSat Revolution” event on Capitol Hill last week.

“When the smallsat movement started, the thinking was, ’We don’t need the government,’” said Bhavya Lal, a researcher at the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute, a federally funded think tank. “But over the last five years, almost all the smallsat companies we talked to are eager for government contracts” to make up for lackluster commercial demand, she said. “It’s something they didn’t anticipate.”
https://spacenews.com/small-satellite-industry-stepping-up-advocacy-in-washington/

Op-ed | Real talk and real solutions to real space threats
by Brian Weeden — November 26, 2018 [SN]
This op-ed originally appeared in the Nov. 12, 2018 issue of SpaceNews magazine.


Just because Russia and China are building ASAT weapons does not mean ASAT weapons should be the cornerstone of America's response. Credit: iStock photo illustration

It is difficult to read a story about national security space these days without hearing dire warnings about the ominous threats facing the United States in space and bold proclamations about purported solutions to address them. Unfortunately, while there are indeed real threats the United States faces in space, the political and public discourse about both the threats and solutions leaves much to be desired. Whether it’s due to political maneuvering, ideology, classification or technical complexity, important details and nuances are often glossed over or left out. This a huge problem, as it is critically important that we have a real understanding of the scope, degree, and diversity of the threats facing future use of space so that we can get the solutions to those threats right.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-real-talk-and-real-solutions-to-real-space-threats/

Space Development Agency is priority one for DoD. But what exactly will the SDA do?
by Sandra Erwin — November 28, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he expects a new Space Development Agency to be in place sometime in the first quarter of 2019.

The accelerated schedule reflects his belief that the SDA is an essential piece of the Pentagon’s strategy to leap ahead technologically as China and Russia step up investments in counter-space systems. Both Shanahan and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin have been staunch advocates of an overhaul in the way DoD procures technology and regard the new space agency as an important catalyst for change.

Critics point out, however, that DoD has yet to explain what the SDA will do or how it will fit with the existing space procurement organizations in the Air Force, the Army, the Navy and the intelligence community.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-is-priority-one-for-dod-but-what-exactly-will-the-sda-do/

It’s down to the wire for Space Force legislative proposal
by Sandra Erwin — November 29, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The clock is ticking for Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and a team of senior Pentagon officials to complete a legislative proposal that fulfills President Donald Trump’s orders to establish a military branch for space.

Shanahan is scheduled to meet this week with Vice President Mike Pence at the White House to go over the outline of the proposal, according to sources. The meeting could happen as early as Wednesday or Thursday. Neither DoD nor White House spokespersons would confirm the date.

A key issue DoD and the White House have to settle is how to write the legislative blueprint so that it satisfies the president’s directive to set up a Space Force as a separate military department. DoD also wants to include other space reorganization items in the proposal that the president didn’t ask for but that the Pentagon believes are important, such as a combatant command for space and a space agency dedicated to the development and procurement of advanced technology.
https://spacenews.com/its-down-to-the-wire-for-space-force-legislative-proposal/

Space Force idea lacks public support, survey reveals
by Sandra Erwin — November 30, 2018 [SN]


President Donald Trump, speaks before signing the Presidential Space Directive - 1, directing NASA to return to the moon, in the Roosevelt room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. (Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

The survey shows a deep partisan divide over the Space Force and other national security issues.
LOS ANGELES — President Donald Trump’s calls for a new military branch for space win loud cheers at his political rallies. But the American public at large is not sold on the idea, according to a new survey by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

The survey shows a deep partisan divide over the Space Force and other national security issues. “President Trump’s proposal to create a new U.S. Space Force lacks broad public support,” the foundation reported. “Americans are split down the middle on the idea, with Republicans favoring the idea over Democrats by 2:1.”
https://spacenews.com/space-force-idea-lacks-public-support-survey-reveals/

Space Force proposal could create a broader military department for both air and space
by Sandra Erwin — November 30, 2018 [SN]

The Space Force under this proposed organization would not include the National Reconnaissance Office or any other element of the intelligence community.

LOS ANGELES – During a White House meeting on Thursday, Pentagon and administration officials discussed the possibility of establishing a Space Force under a larger Department of the Air and Space Force.

A DoD spokesman confirmed to SpaceNews that a team of Pentagon officials led by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan floated this idea to Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the administration’s space reorganization efforts. Shanahan is overseeing the drafting of a legislative proposal that will be submitted to the White House in the coming weeks and, once approved, will be sent to Capitol Hill with the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2020.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-proposal-could-create-a-broader-military-department-for-both-air-and-space/

Pentagon procurement chief endorses Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — December 1, 2018 [SN]


Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, speaks at the 2018 Reagan National Defense Forum. Credit: RNDF

Space programs today are spread out across multiple military services and agencies, which makes it hard for the Defense Department to develop a unified strategy for investments needed to counter adversaries in space, Ellen Lord said at the 2018 Reagan National Defense Forum.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — In her first extensive comments about the Trump administration’s plans to establish a new military branch for space, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said a separate space service would help bring “focus and clarity” to space investments.

Space programs today are spread out across multiple military services and agencies, which makes it hard for the Defense Department to develop a unified strategy for investments needed to counter adversaries in space, Lord said on Saturday at the 2018 Reagan National Defense Forum, held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-procurement-chief-endorses-space-force/

Pentagon analyzing possible missions for a new Space Development Agency
by Sandra Erwin — December 4, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan addresses Pentagon employees at an awards ceremony. CREDIT: Defense Department

DoD spokesman: “The intent is to ensure DoD leverages commercial space technology and accelerates the development and delivery of new capabilities."

WASHINGTON — Military space programs that are just getting off the ground and are targets for use of commercial technologies might end up in the portfolio of a new DoD agency that could be up and running in early 2019.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-analyzing-possible-missions-for-a-new-space-development-agency/

Smallsat industry hails historic SpaceX rideshare launch
by Sandra Erwin — December 4, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

After several launch delays, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on Monday successfully deployed 64 small satellites into orbit. The first stage of the rocket landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. The company said this was the first Falcon 9 to be reused three times. The Spaceflight SSO-A SmallSat Express was SpaceX’s 19th mission of the year, already exceeding the 18 mission it flew last year.
https://spacenews.com/smallsat-industry-hails-historic-spacex-rideshare-launch/

Wilson: Space will be reorganized but the work must go on
by SpaceNews Staff — December 5, 2018 [SN]



Speaking Dec. 3, 2018 at the SpaceNews Awards for Excellence and Innovation, U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson shared this tidbit: “I find most people don’t know what we do in space, and why it really matters to our economy and our military.”

Wilson, the winner of this year’s military space Government Leader of the Year award, reminded the audience that as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to create a new military branch for space — an effort she supports — the Air Force is keeping focused on the space mission.

This video was made possible with support from Intelsat General Corp.
https://spacenews.com/wilson-space-will-be-reorganized-but-the-work-must-go-on/

After two-year defense buildup, Pentagon still lags in technology innovation
by Sandra Erwin — December 5, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



At the Reagan National Defense Forum and the West Coast Aerospace Forum this weekend, analysts and former defense officials roundly criticized the Pentagon for lacking a solid plan to modernize capabilities in areas where China and Russia are advancing, such as hypersonic weapons, space systems and cyber warfare.

The Pentagon is “fixing readiness but it’s not a program that points to a culture of innovation,” said Kathleen Hicks, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The National Defense Strategy “maps out our emergence from strategic atrophy, expands the competitive space with our adversaries, and rebuilds our military advantage,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a keynote speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
https://spacenews.com/after-two-year-defense-buildup-pentagon-still-lags-in-technology-innovation/

Department of the Air and Space Force? Catch up on Space Force developments this week
by Sandra Erwin — December 6, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR AND SPACE FORCE? President Trump has been insistent that a Space Force should be a completely independent military department. One way to organize the new service would be by establishing a Space Force under a larger Department of the Air and Space Force, according to sources. That idea was discussed last week at a White House meeting. The challenge for the White House is ensuring that the legislative proposal that goes to Capitol Hill next year gets enough support so it is not dead on arrival. Democrats are widely opposed to establishing a new service. The proposal would have to be specific about the scope of the Space Force as that would determine how much money the Pentagon has to request in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
https://spacenews.com/department-of-the-air-and-space-force-catch-up-on-space-force-developments-this-week/

Griffin: Pentagon ‘scrambling’ to figure out space reorganization
by Sandra Erwin — December 6, 2018 [SN]


Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin speaks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Dec. 7. Credit: Jeff Foust, SpaceNews

Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin: “How things shake out over the next year or two, I can’t predict.”

WASHINGTON — At a gathering of space executives and policy experts on Thursday, Pentagon officials mostly sidestepped the Space Force issue. Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin said he was not intentionally dodging the question but he simply does not know when or how a new military branch will be organized.
https://spacenews.com/griffin-pentagon-scrambling-to-figure-out-space-reorganization/

Incoming HASC Chairman to oppose creating a separate military branch for space
by Sandra Erwin — December 12, 2018 [SN]


Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. Credit: C-Span

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.): "We will have a conversation within our committee about the best way to place a greater emphasis on space."

WASHINGTON — There is “bipartisan concern” that standing up a Space Force as a separate military service is wasteful and not the best way to address space security challenges, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Wednesday.

Smith is expected to take the chairman’s gavel from Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) in the next Congress. Although he previously supported legislation to create a Space Corps within the Air Force, Smith came out against President Trump’s idea to establish a Space Force as an independent branch.
https://spacenews.com/incoming-hasc-chairman-to-oppose-creating-a-separate-military-branch-for-space/

[Orionid]

Satellite industry seeks answers on future direction of military satcom
by Sandra Erwin — December 12, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Parsons facility in Huntsville, Ala.

The Satellite Industry Association’s 14th annual “DoD Commercial Satcom Workshop” is underway this week in Arlington, Virginia. The conference is considered a prized opportunity for the industry to pitch its latest satellite-based products and services to the Pentagon. The event is not open to media.

This year’s satcom workshop comes amid major questions about the Pentagon’s plans — or lack thereof — to buy more satellite communications services from the private sector.
https://spacenews.com/satellite-industry-seeks-answers-on-future-direction-of-military-satcom/

Pentagon putting final touches on Space Force proposal
by Sandra Erwin — December 13, 2018 [SN]


Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (left) and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin meet with reporters Dec. 13, 2018 at a National Defense Industrial Association event in Arlington, Va. Credit: SpaceNews

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan: “To use an aerospace term, ‘we’re on final approach.'"

WASHINGTON — A team of Pentagon officials led by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is putting the final touches on a proposed blueprint for standing up a Space Force as a separate military branch.

“To use an aerospace term, ‘we’re on final approach,” Shanahan told reporters on Thursday. Shanahan and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin met with a small group pf reporters following a meeting with corporate executives hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-putting-final-touches-on-space-force-proposal/

DARPA’s next project: Design a Space Development Agency
by Sandra Erwin — December 13, 2018 Updated Dec. 17 with comments from DARPA spokesman [SN]

Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin directed Fred Kennedy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, to lead a study team and come up with recommendations for the “implementation of the Space Development Agency.”

WASHINGTON — The head of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Tactical Technology Office has been tasked to help the Pentagon figure out how to organize a new agency focused on space technology development.

The task came from Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin, a staunch advocate of creating a Space Development Agency to spur innovation in military space programs and bring emerging technologies from the private sector into DoD. Griffin has been a vocal critic of the Pentagon’s traditional procurement process and has warned that adversaries like China and Russia are advancing space technology at a much more rapid pace than the United States.
https://spacenews.com/darpas-next-project-design-a-space-development-agency/

Highly anticipated GPS 3 launch just days away
by Sandra Erwin — December 13, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The U.S. Air Force’s first GPS 3 satellite was encapsulated within a SpaceX payload fairing at Astrotech Space Operations on Dec. 7 in preparation for a Dec. 18 launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Encapsulation of the satellite within its payload fairing protects it against the impact of dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating during its flight through the earth’s atmosphere. The first vehicle of the Lockheed Martin-made GPS 3 constellation is called Vespucci, in honor of Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer for whom the Americas were named.

The Air Force Space and Missile Systems center reported yesterday that the vehicle is ready to be rolled out to its pad at Space Launch Complex-40, where it will be mated with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
https://spacenews.com/highly-anticipated-gps-3-launch-just-days-away/

Op-Ed | Striving for security in space
by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn — December 18, 2018 [SN]

Reorganizing the national security space enterprise is necessary to deter war

An attack on America’s space assets would deal a devastating blow to our everyday way of life. When we think about satellite technology, many think first about satellite television or the Global Positioning System we use to help navigate around town. Cellphone towers are dependent on the timing signals sent from GPS satellites to correctly synchronize and ensure our access to the network. Likewise, those same timing signals are used by computer networks, financial markets, and even some electrical power grids around the country. Other technologies housed in space are responsible for things like weather forecasts, ATM access and credit card usage. Without satellite networks, nearly every form of digital communication would be severely degraded as bandwidth limitations in ground-based communication pipes would reduce speed and reliability almost instantly. In other words, our way of life is dependent on consistent and assured access to satellite-enabled technology.
https://spacenews.com/reorganizing-the-national-security-space-enterprise-is-necessary-to-deter-war/

President Trump issues order to create U.S. Space Command
by Sandra Erwin — December 18, 2018 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Vice President Mike Pence speak at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on Dec. 18. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Vice President Mike Pence announced the presidential decision on Tuesday during an appearance at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, along with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Tuesday directed the Department of Defense to establish a U.S. Space Command as a unified combatant command.

Vice President Mike Pence announced the presidential decision on Tuesday during an appearance at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, along with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.
https://spacenews.com/president-trump-issues-order-to-create-u-s-space-command/

Space Force developments this week: U.S. Space Command moving forward
by Sandra Erwin — December 19, 2018 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



In the last working week of the year, there is no slowing down in the Defense Department’s space reorganization. The White House has given the Pentagon the order to stand up a U.S. Space Command as a separate combatant command.

In a Dec. 18 memo, President Trump directed the Pentagon to establish a U.S. Space Command as a Unified Combatant Command. “In consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I direct the establishment, consistent with United States law, of United States Space Command as a functional Unified Combatant Command. I also direct the Secretary of Defense to recommend officers for my nomination and Senate confirmation as Commander and Deputy Commander of the new United States Space Command.” the memo said.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-developments-this-week-u-s-space-command-moving-forward/

Pence briefed on Space Force proposal at Pentagon meeting
by Sandra Erwin — December 19, 2018 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence is greeted by Secretary of Defense James Mattis as he arrives at the Pentagon, Dec. 19, 2018. Credit: DoD

Vice President Mike Pence came to the Pentagon one day after announcing that President Trump directed the Defense Department to establish U.S. Space Command as a four-star combatant command.

WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence visited the Pentagon on Wednesday to receive a briefing on space operations and cyber defense. One of the topics was the proposal the Pentagon is drafting to establish a Space Force as a separate military branch.
https://spacenews.com/pence-briefed-on-space-force-proposal-and-other-topics-at-pentagon-meeting/

Space Force proposal creates an independent service under the Department of the Air Force
by Sandra Erwin — December 20, 2018 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence meets with Pentagon officials Aug. 9, 2018. Credit: DoD

A preface to the draft legislative proposal says this “represents an initial effort to statutorily establish a United States Space Force as a 6th Armed Force within the Department of the Air Force.”

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is finalizing a proposal for the establishment of a United States Space Force as a sixth military branch. According to a draft of the proposal, the Space Force would be organized under the Department of the Air Force. The Space Force would be made in the same mold as the Marine Corps, which is an independent service that resides under the Department of the Navy.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-proposal-creates-an-independent-service-under-the-department-of-the-air-force/

On National Security | Optimism and caution sums up the outlook for 2019
by Sandra Erwin — December 27, 2018 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the Dec. 17, 2018 issue.


Morgan Stanley projects that the establishment of a U.S. Space Force could help boost privately held SpaceX's valuation high as $120 billion. Cowen Washington Research Group is less optimistic that Trump's call for a Space Force will dramatically boost space spending.

In a year-end email to clients, the investment bank Morgan Stanley asked: “Could 2019 Be the Year for Space?”

It’s that time of the year when predictably hyperbolic headlines flood our inbox, when analysts dust off their crystal balls and try to prognosticate what is to come.

In the military space business, there are strong reasons to believe that 2019 could be a pivotal year. The biggest development to watch will be the space reorganization at the Department of Defense. Right now, the odds appear to be stacked against the Trump administration’s plan to establish a Space Force as a separate military service. But politics is notoriously unpredictable.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-optimism-and-caution-sums-up-the-outlook-for-2019/

Shanahan keeps tight grip on Space Force planning
by Sandra Erwin — January 3, 2019


Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan. Credit: DoD

DoD official: "The Space Force legislative proposal was a focus of Secretary Shanahan’s as deputy secretary, and those efforts are going to continue as scheduled.”

WASHINGTON — Even with a packed agenda as acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan plans to remain hands-on in formulating a proposal to establish a new military branch for space.

“The Space Working Group established last year by Secretary Shanahan will meet as scheduled,” a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday. “I say that just to highlight the fact that the Space Force legislative proposal was a focus of Secretary Shanahan’s as deputy secretary, and those efforts are going to continue as scheduled.”
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-keeps-tight-grip-on-space-force-planning/

Independent study raises red flags about Space Force as a separate military department
by Sandra Erwin — January 7, 2019 [SN]


CNA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Credit: CNA

CNA proposed designing a Space Force with a “lean headquarters” but that still would require 400 additional staff and resources such as information technology, business systems, training and education, outfitting and rebranding, and expert advice from private consultants — at a cost of up to $4.5 billion over five years.

WASHINGTON — In a study mandated by Congress, independent analysts were asked to develop a plan to establish a Space Force as a separate military department.  In a summary of their final report, analysts from the Center for Naval Analyses cautioned that there are many possible ways to design a Space Force, but ”we cannot definitively know before it is implemented that any design will produce the expected benefits.”
https://spacenews.com/independent-study-raises-red-flags-about-space-force-as-a-separate-military-department/

Thornberry predicts Space Force will have bipartisan support in the House
by Sandra Erwin — January 8, 2019 [SN]


Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Credit: YouTube

Thornberry: “There has been consistent bipartisan support for greater emphasis on space, including organizational reform.”

WASHINGTON — The outgoing chairman of the House Armed Services Committee predicts there will be bipartisan support for a new military branch for space even in a Democratic-led House of Representatives. But the Trump administration should expect its Space Force proposal to be thoroughly vetted and challenged.

“Our job is not to just swallow whatever they send us,” Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
https://spacenews.com/thornberry-predicts-space-force-will-have-bipartisan-support-in-the-house/

Op-Ed | In 2019 let’s address the ‘real problems’ in national security space
by Mike Rogers — January 13, 2019 [SN]

The most concerning issue in this Space Force discussion is that it doesn’t actually seem to be about space.

For all of the talk about the establishment of a Space Force, much remains unclear and uncertain. The Trump administration continues to drive towards an end goal in which a Space Force in some form or fashion is established. What that entity looks like, does or fixes by its creation has yet to be answered.
https://spacenews.com/in-2019-lets-address-the-real-problems-in-national-security-space/

Defense official: We’re failing at space innovation
by Sandra Erwin — January 16, 2019 [SN] 
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Pentagon has to figure out how it will respond to China’s rapid advances in space technology, warned Chris Shank, director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office. The United States is innovating, too, but the Chinese are doing it at a faster pace. They will eventually catch up unless the U.S. can speed things up. “Think about that,” Shank said last week during a panel discussion at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ space tech conference in San Diego.

SPACE RACE IS ON China carried out 39 launches last year, the U.S. 31, Russia 20 and Europe 8. “We have not lost leadership in space. We are losing ground, though,” he said. “That is different.”
https://spacenews.com/defense-official-were-failing-at-space-innovation/

Parsons: Geospatial intelligence capability essential to future growth
by Sandra Erwin — January 16, 2019 [SN] This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Parsons facility in Huntsville, Ala.

We reported last week that defense contractor Parsons is acquiring OGSystems, a provider of geospatial intelligence and big data analytics. A few days after the deal was announced I spoke with Parsons’ COO Carey Smith and OGSystems co-founder and President Garrett Pagon about the company’s strategy to expand its space and intelligence business.

Parsons has been on a buying spree since 2011 as the company has sought to reinvent itself from an engineering and critical infrastructure contractor to one that can also play in intelligence, cybersecurity and cloud computing. What’s significant about the acquisition of OGSystems? It gives Parsons a technological edge it didn’t have before: its own geospatial intelligence arm.
https://spacenews.com/parsons-geospatial-intelligence-capability-essential-to-future-growth/

Space Development Agency to be part of Griffin’s defense research organization
by Sandra Erwin — January 23, 2019 [SN]


Michael Griffin, U.S. undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, speaks Aug. 8 at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama. Credit: U.S. Army

Although not as controversial as the Space Force, the Space Development Agency has caused internal friction in the Pentagon because it could disrupt current organizations and lead to a redistribution of military space dollars.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is moving to set up a new Pentagon agency to oversee the development of military space technology. The Space Development Agency will be under the “authority, direction and control” of Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin, Shanahan wrote in a memo.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-to-be-part-of-griffins-defense-research-organization/

Pentagon’s Missile Defense Review unenthusiastic about Star Wars weapons
by Sandra Erwin — January 23, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



One of the surprises of the 2019 Missile Defense Review is that it did not cheer the use of weapons in space. The arms-control community had braced for the MDR to recommend actual deployments of lasers and other missile interceptor weapons in space.

The review does call for further study of space-based interceptors, which suggests the Pentagon is not convinced the technology can work or that it’s smart policy, said Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund. “We don’t get the much ballyhooed weapons” such as space lasers..
https://spacenews.com/pentagons-missile-defense-review-unenthusiastic-about-star-wars-weapons/

[Orionid]

Air Force official shakes things up at SMC
by Sandra Erwin — January 24, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Few people in the Pentagon or the space industry have heard of Col. Russell Teehan. In July, he was named “portfolio architect” of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, where he leads a staff of roughly 100 military and civilian personnel whose job is to upend how business is done at SMC.

At an AFCEA conference last week in Los Angeles, Teehan spoke about changes looming at SMC. An industry executive who attended the event shared a few highlights.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-official-shakes-things-up-at-smc/

DARPA assembling team of Blackjack players
by Sandra Erwin — January 26, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



One of the most closely watched programs in the military space sector is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Blackjack. Led by the agency’s Tactical Technology Office, Blackjack is trying to prove the utility of commercial space mega-constellations and low-cost satellites in military systems. The plan is to take commercial buses and match them with military payloads. DARPA said its goal is to launch a small experimental constellation of up to 20 satellites to test the concept.

DARPA already has awarded bus contracts to Airbus, Blue Canyon Technologies and Telesat. These companies will advance to the next phase, called “preliminary design review” when they will integrate their bus designs with specific payloads. The first two payload awards were made to Raytheon in December and Trident Technologies in January. More awards are anticipated in March, a DARPA spokesman told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/darpa-assembling-team-of-blackjack-players/

White House: Space Force under the Air Force only a ‘first step,’ a separate department not off the table
by Sandra Erwin — January 28, 2019 [SN]


President Trump speaks to U.S. airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Credit: U.S. Air Force

White House draft policy memo: After the Space Force is established, the secretary of defense has to conduct a “periodic review” and recommend a timeline for spinning off the Space Force into its own military department.

WASHINGTON — A draft space policy directive that President Trump is expected to sign in the coming weeks orders the Defense Department to establish a U.S. Space Force as a sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces within the Department of the Air Force.
https://spacenews.com/white-house-space-force-under-the-air-force-only-a-first-step-a-separate-department-not-off-the-table/

Air Force leaders tout progress in space procurement reforms
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



A reorganization of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center and the establishment of a rapid procurement office for space are just the initial steps toward getting “better and faster,” Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Stephen Wilson said last week.

As the Trump administration continues efforts to establish a separate military branch for space, Air Force leaders are pushing ahead with procurement reforms targeted at space systems. Wilson said Air Force buyers are cutting red tape and removing layers of oversight to expedite programs.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-leaders-tout-progress-in-space-procurement-reforms/

Nonprofit led by former U.S. lawmakers working to connect DoD with commercial space industry
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The national security space program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is working on a list of recommendations on how the Pentagon could work better with the commercial space industry.

Congress next year will consider a Trump administration proposal to establish a new military branch for space. One of the justifications for creating an independent Space Force is that the Air Force’s procurement system is stifling innovation. The Space Force debate might not be settled for another year or two, but there is a lot the Air Force could do today to modernize space systems faster, said Joshua Huminski, director of the National Security Space Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.
https://spacenews.com/nonprofit-led-by-former-u-s-lawmakers-working-to-connect-dod-with-commercial-space-industry/

Shanahan gearing up for space debate on Capitol Hill
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks to reporters at the Pentagon Jan. 29, 2019. Credit: DoD

In his first news conference as acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan said he plans to continue overseeing the Defense Department's space reorganization.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he anticipates months of debate and negotiations with members of Congress over the standup of a new military branch for space.

In his first news conference on Tuesday at the Pentagon as acting defense secretary, Shanahan said he plans to continue to oversee the space reorganization that started last year when he was deputy secretary of defense. He mentioned Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson as his closest collaborators.
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-gearing-up-for-space-debate-on-capitol-hill/

DoD weapons tester flags GPS and JMS in annual report
by Sandra Erwin — February 7, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



In its new annual report, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation credits the Air Force for making progress modernizing the Global Positioning System constellation, but warns that the disjointed management of the GPS enterprise of satellites, ground systems and user equipment continues to plague the program.

Director of Operational Test & Evaluation Robert Behler released his annual report for fiscal year 2018, which includes 232 major defense acquisition programs. Behler’s office was created by Congress in 1983 to provide an independent assessment of the performance of major weapon systems.
https://spacenews.com/dod-weapons-tester-flags-gps-and-jms-in-annual-report/

U.S. Space Command: What we know so far
by Sandra Erwin — February 7, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Since President Trump signed the order on Dec. 18 to stand up U.S. Space Command, questions have swirled about who will run it, where it will be located and how many people will be assigned to it.

A four-star nominee has been selected but his or her identity remains a mystery. With regard to the location, base studies will have to be completed and that could take a while. One of the proposed locations is Shriever Air Force Base, Colorado. The Joint Force Space Component Command, which today reports to U.S. Strategic Command, is the organization that will serve as the foundation of U.S. Space Command. Air Force Space Command and JFSCC Commander Gen. John “Jay” Raymond last year recommended moving 140 military and civilian space operators from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to Schriever, to be closer to the JFSCC and collocated with the National Space Defense Center.
https://spacenews.com/u-s-space-command-what-we-know-so-far/

Pentagon space agency poised to ignite turf wars
by Sandra Erwin — February 8, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Pentagon is moving forward with plans to create a Space Force as a new military branch. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the Space Force will be small in size and its advantage will come in the form of cutting-edge technology.

Shanahan also has concluded that the existing DoD bureaucracies are not equipped to deliver next-generation space technologies quickly enough. He has directed the establishment of a Space Development Agency that would report directly to Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin. Many details are still being worked out about the SDA, but Shanahan said in a memo that he wants it set up by March 29.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-space-agency-poised-to-ignite-turf-wars/

NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate
by Sandra Erwin — February 10, 2019 [SN]


Chris Scolese hosted President Park Geun-hye of South Korea at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in 2015. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk

If confirmed by the Senate, Chris Scolese would be taking over the NRO amid a push by the administration to stand up a new military branch for space and develop closer ties between the Defense Department and the NRO.
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s nominee to run the National Reconnaissance Office, Christopher Scolese, served in the Navy and worked as a DoD civilian but has spent most of his government career at NASA.
https://spacenews.com/nro-nominee-thrust-into-space-force-debate/

Pentagon budget proposal funds Space Force headquarters as a ‘starting point’
by Sandra Erwin — February 11, 2019 [SN]


The Army established its first Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space Detachment during a ceremony Jan. 11, 2019, at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington. Credit: U.S. Army

The 2020 request would cover the cost of setting up the Space Development Agency, U.S. Space Command and the Space Force headquarters.

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is expected to request approximately $270 million in its fiscal year 2020 budget to stand up a Space Force headquarters, a Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Command, according to draft documents.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-budget-proposal-funds-space-force-headquarters-as-a-starting-point/

Air Force launch procurement under scrutiny
by Sandra Erwin — February 13, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Lawmakers are calling for an independent review of the Air Force Launch Service Agreement contracts and its strategy to acquire launch services in the coming years. Why? The Air Force is investing $3.2 billion in public-private partnerships with every major launch company except SpaceX.

You can read the details here.

It’s still unclear how the Air Force will respond. This is a tough one because SpaceX has powerful friends on Capitol Hill that could complicate things for the Air Force going forward. But it’s also hard to see how the Air Force goes back and redoes the LSA decision. According to one industry insider, SpaceX did this to itself by submitting a bid — presumably centered around the Raptor engine, the Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicles — that did not satisfy the Air Force. This could have huge consequences for SpaceX in the long run as it will not get government funding and assistance to upgrade its rockets to meet Air Force launch requirements. “So it’s not surprising they are trying to make an end run around the contracting process by going directly to Congress,” the insider said.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-launch-procurement-under-scrutiny/

Pentagon to propose a lean Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — February 14, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



We are starting to get a clearer picture of how the Pentagon plans to fund and organize the Space Force as a new military branch. According to an internal memo that shaped the DoD budget request for fiscal year 2020, the Pentagon will need approximately $270 million to stand up a Space Force headquarters, a Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Command.

IS THAT ALL? The amount is modest compared to multibillion-dollar estimates that have been floated. But the 2020 budget is just the starting point. The Pentagon memo suggests that the Space Force, if Congress authorizes it in 2020, would grow in size and budget over the next several years as it takes on new missions and deals with growing threats to space security.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-to-propose-a-lean-space-force/

After the reorganization, who’s really in charge of military space?
by Sandra Erwin — February 14, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, who leads Air Force Space Command, emphasized close coordination with the National Reconnaissance Office during an April 18 press briefing.

During a recent conversation with a senior defense official about the changes coming to military space, he pointed out that under the proposed reorganization the lines of authority could become a little blurred.

I asked him to explain. “Before, I had one person that ran everything. Now I have at least four.”
https://spacenews.com/after-the-reorganization-whos-really-in-charge-of-military-space/

Trump signs Space Force policy directive, now comes the heavy lifting
by Sandra Erwin — February 19, 2019 [SN]


At an Oval Office ceremony Feb. 19, 2019, President Trump signs Space Policy Directive 4 to establish a Space Force. Credit: SpaceNews

President Trump signs Space Policy Directive 4 at the Oval Office. In attendance were Vice President Mike Pence and a large group of senior officials including National Security Adviser John Bolton, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Paul Selva and Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Tuesday signed Space Policy Directive 4 at the Oval Office flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and top officials from across the national security establishment.
https://spacenews.com/trump-signs-space-force-policy-directive-now-comes-the-heavy-lifting/

Air Force announces new effort to procure more resilient satellites
by Sandra Erwin — February 19, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



At a conference last week hosted by the Aerospace Corp.in El Segundo, California, officials from the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center talked about a future space architecture that will be more flexible and resilient to threats than current constellations. They envision a new generation of satellites that can be updated with new payloads relatively quickly in the event of a military conflict or a national security crisis, for example.

Col. Dennis Bythewood, head of development at SMC, alerted industry executives to look out for an upcoming solicitation for a “combat bus” that must be modular, scalable and work with non-proprietary payloads, according to an Aerospace Corp. news release.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-announces-new-effort-to-procure-more-resilient-satellites/

STRATCOM looking for fresh ideas on nuclear command and control
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The United States is spending billions developing new strategic missiles, submarines and bombers as part of the nuclear triad. The command authorities also have to be able to control these platforms, and need unhackable, jam-proof communications systems that are guaranteed to work under any circumstance.

That is the challenge facing U.S. Strategic Command: figuring out how to develop a modern nuclear command, control and communications system (NC3) that passes muster. STRATCOM said it will create an “NC3 Enterprise Center” to coordinate efforts.
https://spacenews.com/stratcom-looking-for-fresh-ideas-on-nuclear-command-and-control/

DoD Space Force proposal seeks special authorities to transfer people and programs from other services
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2019 [SN]


Gen. Jay Raymond, Air Force Space Command commander, speaks to airmen at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. Credit: Air Force

The Pentagon estimates it could take at least five years to align personnel and funding for the Space Force until it reaches its projected size of 12,000 to 15,000 people, most of whom would come from existing organizations.

WASHINGTON — In a draft proposal to establish a United States Space Force inside the Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon would ask Congress to approve “special temporary authorities” for the secretary of defense to transfer personnel, programs and other resources from other services to the new branch.
https://spacenews.com/dod-space-force-proposal-seeks-special-authorities-to-transfer-people-and-programs-from-other-services/

[Orionid]

Air Force official shakes things up at SMC
by Sandra Erwin — January 24, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Few people in the Pentagon or the space industry have heard of Col. Russell Teehan. In July, he was named “portfolio architect” of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, where he leads a staff of roughly 100 military and civilian personnel whose job is to upend how business is done at SMC.

At an AFCEA conference last week in Los Angeles, Teehan spoke about changes looming at SMC. An industry executive who attended the event shared a few highlights.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-official-shakes-things-up-at-smc/

DARPA assembling team of Blackjack players
by Sandra Erwin — January 26, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



One of the most closely watched programs in the military space sector is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Blackjack. Led by the agency’s Tactical Technology Office, Blackjack is trying to prove the utility of commercial space mega-constellations and low-cost satellites in military systems. The plan is to take commercial buses and match them with military payloads. DARPA said its goal is to launch a small experimental constellation of up to 20 satellites to test the concept.

DARPA already has awarded bus contracts to Airbus, Blue Canyon Technologies and Telesat. These companies will advance to the next phase, called “preliminary design review” when they will integrate their bus designs with specific payloads. The first two payload awards were made to Raytheon in December and Trident Technologies in January. More awards are anticipated in March, a DARPA spokesman told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/darpa-assembling-team-of-blackjack-players/

White House: Space Force under the Air Force only a ‘first step,’ a separate department not off the table
by Sandra Erwin — January 28, 2019 [SN]


President Trump speaks to U.S. airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Credit: U.S. Air Force

White House draft policy memo: After the Space Force is established, the secretary of defense has to conduct a “periodic review” and recommend a timeline for spinning off the Space Force into its own military department.

WASHINGTON — A draft space policy directive that President Trump is expected to sign in the coming weeks orders the Defense Department to establish a U.S. Space Force as a sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces within the Department of the Air Force.
https://spacenews.com/white-house-space-force-under-the-air-force-only-a-first-step-a-separate-department-not-off-the-table/

Air Force leaders tout progress in space procurement reforms
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



A reorganization of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center and the establishment of a rapid procurement office for space are just the initial steps toward getting “better and faster,” Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Stephen Wilson said last week.

As the Trump administration continues efforts to establish a separate military branch for space, Air Force leaders are pushing ahead with procurement reforms targeted at space systems. Wilson said Air Force buyers are cutting red tape and removing layers of oversight to expedite programs.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-leaders-tout-progress-in-space-procurement-reforms/

Nonprofit led by former U.S. lawmakers working to connect DoD with commercial space industry
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The national security space program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is working on a list of recommendations on how the Pentagon could work better with the commercial space industry.

Congress next year will consider a Trump administration proposal to establish a new military branch for space. One of the justifications for creating an independent Space Force is that the Air Force’s procurement system is stifling innovation. The Space Force debate might not be settled for another year or two, but there is a lot the Air Force could do today to modernize space systems faster, said Joshua Huminski, director of the National Security Space Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.
https://spacenews.com/nonprofit-led-by-former-u-s-lawmakers-working-to-connect-dod-with-commercial-space-industry/

Shanahan gearing up for space debate on Capitol Hill
by Sandra Erwin — January 29, 2019 [SN]


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks to reporters at the Pentagon Jan. 29, 2019. Credit: DoD

In his first news conference as acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan said he plans to continue overseeing the Defense Department's space reorganization.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he anticipates months of debate and negotiations with members of Congress over the standup of a new military branch for space.

In his first news conference on Tuesday at the Pentagon as acting defense secretary, Shanahan said he plans to continue to oversee the space reorganization that started last year when he was deputy secretary of defense. He mentioned Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson as his closest collaborators.
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-gearing-up-for-space-debate-on-capitol-hill/

DoD weapons tester flags GPS and JMS in annual report
by Sandra Erwin — February 7, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



In its new annual report, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation credits the Air Force for making progress modernizing the Global Positioning System constellation, but warns that the disjointed management of the GPS enterprise of satellites, ground systems and user equipment continues to plague the program.

Director of Operational Test & Evaluation Robert Behler released his annual report for fiscal year 2018, which includes 232 major defense acquisition programs. Behler’s office was created by Congress in 1983 to provide an independent assessment of the performance of major weapon systems.
https://spacenews.com/dod-weapons-tester-flags-gps-and-jms-in-annual-report/

U.S. Space Command: What we know so far
by Sandra Erwin — February 7, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Since President Trump signed the order on Dec. 18 to stand up U.S. Space Command, questions have swirled about who will run it, where it will be located and how many people will be assigned to it.

A four-star nominee has been selected but his or her identity remains a mystery. With regard to the location, base studies will have to be completed and that could take a while. One of the proposed locations is Shriever Air Force Base, Colorado. The Joint Force Space Component Command, which today reports to U.S. Strategic Command, is the organization that will serve as the foundation of U.S. Space Command. Air Force Space Command and JFSCC Commander Gen. John “Jay” Raymond last year recommended moving 140 military and civilian space operators from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to Schriever, to be closer to the JFSCC and collocated with the National Space Defense Center.
https://spacenews.com/u-s-space-command-what-we-know-so-far/

Pentagon space agency poised to ignite turf wars
by Sandra Erwin — February 8, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Pentagon is moving forward with plans to create a Space Force as a new military branch. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the Space Force will be small in size and its advantage will come in the form of cutting-edge technology.

Shanahan also has concluded that the existing DoD bureaucracies are not equipped to deliver next-generation space technologies quickly enough. He has directed the establishment of a Space Development Agency that would report directly to Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin. Many details are still being worked out about the SDA, but Shanahan said in a memo that he wants it set up by March 29.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-space-agency-poised-to-ignite-turf-wars/

NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate
by Sandra Erwin — February 10, 2019 [SN]


Chris Scolese hosted President Park Geun-hye of South Korea at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in 2015. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk

If confirmed by the Senate, Chris Scolese would be taking over the NRO amid a push by the administration to stand up a new military branch for space and develop closer ties between the Defense Department and the NRO.
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s nominee to run the National Reconnaissance Office, Christopher Scolese, served in the Navy and worked as a DoD civilian but has spent most of his government career at NASA.
https://spacenews.com/nro-nominee-thrust-into-space-force-debate/

Pentagon budget proposal funds Space Force headquarters as a ‘starting point’
by Sandra Erwin — February 11, 2019 [SN]


The Army established its first Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space Detachment during a ceremony Jan. 11, 2019, at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington. Credit: U.S. Army

The 2020 request would cover the cost of setting up the Space Development Agency, U.S. Space Command and the Space Force headquarters.

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is expected to request approximately $270 million in its fiscal year 2020 budget to stand up a Space Force headquarters, a Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Command, according to draft documents.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-budget-proposal-funds-space-force-headquarters-as-a-starting-point/

Air Force launch procurement under scrutiny
by Sandra Erwin — February 13, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Lawmakers are calling for an independent review of the Air Force Launch Service Agreement contracts and its strategy to acquire launch services in the coming years. Why? The Air Force is investing $3.2 billion in public-private partnerships with every major launch company except SpaceX.

You can read the details here.

It’s still unclear how the Air Force will respond. This is a tough one because SpaceX has powerful friends on Capitol Hill that could complicate things for the Air Force going forward. But it’s also hard to see how the Air Force goes back and redoes the LSA decision. According to one industry insider, SpaceX did this to itself by submitting a bid — presumably centered around the Raptor engine, the Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicles — that did not satisfy the Air Force. This could have huge consequences for SpaceX in the long run as it will not get government funding and assistance to upgrade its rockets to meet Air Force launch requirements. “So it’s not surprising they are trying to make an end run around the contracting process by going directly to Congress,” the insider said.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-launch-procurement-under-scrutiny/

Pentagon to propose a lean Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — February 14, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



We are starting to get a clearer picture of how the Pentagon plans to fund and organize the Space Force as a new military branch. According to an internal memo that shaped the DoD budget request for fiscal year 2020, the Pentagon will need approximately $270 million to stand up a Space Force headquarters, a Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Command.

IS THAT ALL? The amount is modest compared to multibillion-dollar estimates that have been floated. But the 2020 budget is just the starting point. The Pentagon memo suggests that the Space Force, if Congress authorizes it in 2020, would grow in size and budget over the next several years as it takes on new missions and deals with growing threats to space security.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-to-propose-a-lean-space-force/

After the reorganization, who’s really in charge of military space?
by Sandra Erwin — February 14, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, who leads Air Force Space Command, emphasized close coordination with the National Reconnaissance Office during an April 18 press briefing.

During a recent conversation with a senior defense official about the changes coming to military space, he pointed out that under the proposed reorganization the lines of authority could become a little blurred.

I asked him to explain. “Before, I had one person that ran everything. Now I have at least four.”
https://spacenews.com/after-the-reorganization-whos-really-in-charge-of-military-space/

Trump signs Space Force policy directive, now comes the heavy lifting
by Sandra Erwin — February 19, 2019 [SN]


At an Oval Office ceremony Feb. 19, 2019, President Trump signs Space Policy Directive 4 to establish a Space Force. Credit: SpaceNews

President Trump signs Space Policy Directive 4 at the Oval Office. In attendance were Vice President Mike Pence and a large group of senior officials including National Security Adviser John Bolton, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Paul Selva and Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Tuesday signed Space Policy Directive 4 at the Oval Office flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and top officials from across the national security establishment.
https://spacenews.com/trump-signs-space-force-policy-directive-now-comes-the-heavy-lifting/

Air Force announces new effort to procure more resilient satellites
by Sandra Erwin — February 19, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



At a conference last week hosted by the Aerospace Corp.in El Segundo, California, officials from the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center talked about a future space architecture that will be more flexible and resilient to threats than current constellations. They envision a new generation of satellites that can be updated with new payloads relatively quickly in the event of a military conflict or a national security crisis, for example.

Col. Dennis Bythewood, head of development at SMC, alerted industry executives to look out for an upcoming solicitation for a “combat bus” that must be modular, scalable and work with non-proprietary payloads, according to an Aerospace Corp. news release.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-announces-new-effort-to-procure-more-resilient-satellites/

STRATCOM looking for fresh ideas on nuclear command and control
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The United States is spending billions developing new strategic missiles, submarines and bombers as part of the nuclear triad. The command authorities also have to be able to control these platforms, and need unhackable, jam-proof communications systems that are guaranteed to work under any circumstance.

That is the challenge facing U.S. Strategic Command: figuring out how to develop a modern nuclear command, control and communications system (NC3) that passes muster. STRATCOM said it will create an “NC3 Enterprise Center” to coordinate efforts.
https://spacenews.com/stratcom-looking-for-fresh-ideas-on-nuclear-command-and-control/

DoD Space Force proposal seeks special authorities to transfer people and programs from other services
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2019 [SN]


Gen. Jay Raymond, Air Force Space Command commander, speaks to airmen at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. Credit: Air Force

The Pentagon estimates it could take at least five years to align personnel and funding for the Space Force until it reaches its projected size of 12,000 to 15,000 people, most of whom would come from existing organizations.

WASHINGTON — In a draft proposal to establish a United States Space Force inside the Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon would ask Congress to approve “special temporary authorities” for the secretary of defense to transfer personnel, programs and other resources from other services to the new branch.
https://spacenews.com/dod-space-force-proposal-seeks-special-authorities-to-transfer-people-and-programs-from-other-services/

[Orionid]

Pentagon to pitch Space Force plan to skeptical lawmakers
by Sandra Erwin — February 21, 2019 [SN]


Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan meets with Senator James Inhofe (left) at the Munich Security Conference, Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2019. Credit: DoD

To turn President Trump’s Space Force idea into reality, the Pentagon will need strong bipartisan support from both chambers.

WASHINGTON — Starting as early as next week, Pentagon officials will sit down with members of Congress and staff to go over the details of how the Pentagon would organize the U.S. Space Force within the Department of the Air Force.

To turn President Trump’s Space Force idea into reality, the Pentagon will need strong bipartisan support from both chambers. Officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense have been working on a messaging strategy as they prepare to present the Space Force blueprint to lawmakers. The outreach plan is viewed as crucial to secure congressional authorization to stand up the new military service in fiscal year 2020, DoD sources said, noting that there are still internal disagreements over how the Space Force proposal should be communicated to Congress and the public.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-to-pitch-space-force-plan-to-skeptical-lawmakers/

Space Force proposal shifts satellite communications procurement to Air Force Secretary
by Sandra Erwin — February 25, 2019 [SN]


U.S. soldiers set up satellite communications terminals for a mobile command post. Credit: U.S. Army

One of the consequences of creating a Space Force is the breakup of Air Force Space Command. The procurement of commercial satellite communications services that is now under AFSPC would be reassigned to the Secretary of the Air Force.

WASHINGTON — The Air Force Space Command in December assumed responsibility for the procurement of commercial satellite communications services for the Department of Defense, a job that previously belonged to the Defense Information Systems Agency.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-proposal-shifts-satellite-communications-procurement-to-air-force-secretary/

Pentagon could face legislative challenges as Space Force briefings begin on the Hill
by Sandra Erwin — February 27, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

Once approved by the White House, the Pentagon will send a legislative proposal to Capitol Hill that lays out how the Space Force would be organized. Then officials will begin to brief lawmakers and staffers and they are sure to face a lot of tough questions. One of the least talked about subjects is where the members of the new service will come from. DoD has insisted that the Space Force will be built mostly with existing resources, which means transferring people from the Air Force, Navy and Army. The proposal asks Congress for special authorities to do precisely that.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-could-face-legislative-challenges-as-space-force-briefings-begin-on-the-hill/

Is the Space Development Agency a threat to SMC?
by Sandra Erwin — February 28, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



It’s a question that many people have been asking during the largely secretive planning of the Defense Department’s Space Development Agency: Will the SDA displace the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center?

The short answer is no. From what we know so far about SDA’s intended mission — to bring cutting-edge commercial space technology into military space systems — this does not pose a direct threat to SMC, says one of its former commanders, retired Air Force Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski.
https://spacenews.com/is-the-space-development-agency-a-threat-to-smc/

Space Force proposal officially sent to Capitol Hill, now come the questions
by Sandra Erwin — February 28, 2019 [SN]


Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan meets with a U.S. congressional delegation on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2019. Credit: DoD

Now that the proposal has been kicked over to Congress, DoD faces what could be a harder-than-expected job communicating the Space Force plan to Congress and the public.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday sent to Capitol Hill a legislative proposal and a “strategic overview” of how the Pentagon plans to organize a U.S. Space Force as a separate military branch. The information was emailed to the staff directors of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, as well as the House and Senate Appropriations defense subcommittees.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-proposal-officially-sent-to-capitol-hill-now-come-the-questions/

Defense officials: New military branch designed for the ‘unique culture’ of space
by Sandra Erwin — March 2, 2019 [SN]


A selection board for the 1C6 Space Warfighter Advanced Instructor Course meets at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Credit: U.S. Air Force

The Space Force headquarters is projected grow to about 1,000 people. The rest of the force will be units transferred from the Air Force, Army and Navy although the Space Force will have its own recruiting organization, according to the DoD proposal.

WASHINGTON — Defense Department officials on Friday detailed a five-year plan to establish a U.S. Space Force as a new branch of the military. If Congress approves it, it would be the smallest of the armed services, with just 15,000 members, and its annual cost would be about $500 million.
https://spacenews.com/defense-officials-new-military-branch-designed-for-the-unique-culture-of-space/

Air Force seeks $2 billion increase for space programs in 2020 budget
by Sandra Erwin — March 12, 2019 [SN]


Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget Maj. Gen. John M. Pletcher and Air Force Deputy for Budget Carolyn M. Gleason announce the service’s fiscal year 2020 defense budget request during a news conference at the Pentagon, March 12, 2019. Credit: DoD

The Air Force is proposing a large funding increase for the missile warning satellites known as the next-generation Overhead Persistent Infrared.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is requesting $13.8 billion for space programs in its fiscal year 2020 budget. That is $2 billion, or 17 percent, more than the $11.8 billion that Congress enacted for fiscal year 2019, officials said on Tuesday.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-seeks-2-billion-increase-for-space-programs-in-2020-budget/

2020 Budget: Pentagon requests $14.1 billion for space
by Sandra Erwin — March 12, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

The Trump administration’s $750 billion national defense budget request for fiscal year 2020 includes $14.1 billion for space programs. According to DoD budget documents released on Tuesday, the space request is about $2.6 billion more than what Congress enacted in fiscal year 2019.

The Pentagon justified increased spending on space as necessary to ensure “unfettered access to and freedom to operate in space,” the budget documents state.
https://spacenews.com/2020-budget-pentagon-requests-14-1-billion-for-space/

HASC Chairman: Trump’s Space Force proposal ‘too expensive’
by Sandra Erwin — March 13, 2019 [SN]


Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Credit: HASC

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said his committee will draft its own Space Force proposal.

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department last month put forth a plan for establishing a Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. Congress in due time will counter with its own Space Force proposal, said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.).
https://spacenews.com/hasc-chairman-trumps-space-force-proposal-too-expensive/

Air Force to submit Space Force transition plan by March 22
by Sandra Erwin — March 13, 2019 [SN]


U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson testifies March 7 before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Credit: U.S. Air Force Photo by Wayne Clark
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

It has been a turbulent few days in the Air Force since Secretary Heather Wilson announced on Friday she will be stepping down to become president of the University of Texas El Paso. But that has not slowed down the Space Force Planning Task Force that faces a March 22 deadline to deliver a report to Acting Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

Leading the task force is John Stopher, principal assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for space. “The team is aggressively working through all of the important details that have to be completed so the plan can be delivered to the Secretary by March 22,” Stopher told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-to-submit-space-force-transition-plan-by-march-22/

GPS, Nex-Gen OPIR dominate space investments
by Sandra Erwin — March 13, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Of the $14.1 billion space request for 2020, about $11.9 billion is for investments — which the Pentagon defines as a combination of RDT&E (research, development, testing and engineering) and procurement. In budget documents, the Pentagon shows about half of the investments going to satellites ($6.1 billion), and the remainder for launch ($1.7 billion) and a broad category of space support programs ($4.1 billion).

The Air Force share of DoD space investments is $10.3 billion.

Within the satellites portfolio, $1.7 billion is for one GPS 3 satellite, the GPS 3 ground system and user terminals. There is $1.6 billion to continue the development of a constellation of five next-generation missile warning satellites known as next-gen Overhead Persistent Infrared, or OPIR — $1.4 billion for RDT&E and about $200 million for procurement. The request s almost double what Congress enacted for fiscal year 2019 for next-gen OPIR — $703 million for RDT&E and $108 million for procurement.
https://spacenews.com/gps-nex-gen-opir-dominate-space-investments/

Air Force analysis sheds light on why the Space Force could be more expensive than envisioned
by Sandra Erwin — March 17, 2019 [SN]


Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2020 funding request March 13, 2019. Credit: U.S. Air Force

An Air Force analysis of Space Force costs says investments will be needed in people, training and infrastructure to prevail in a strategic competition against China and Russia.

WASHINGTON — How much it will cost to create a new military branch for space remains a central question that lawmakers are pressing the Pentagon to answer as they consider the administration’s Space Force proposal.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-analysis-sheds-light-on-why-the-space-force-could-be-more-expensive-than-envisioned/

DT Thompson angered by criticism of Air Force stewardship of space
by Sandra Erwin — March 20, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson became Air Force Space Command vice commander April 5. Credit: DoD

During hearings on Capitol Hill where the proposed Space Force has been a topic of discussion, lawmakers have not been shy about taking shots at the Air Force for doing a bad job managing space. It’s the reason many support the establishment of a Space Force: the Air Force doesn’t pay enough attention to space, and diverts resources from space to air programs.
https://spacenews.com/dt-thompson-angered-by-criticism-of-air-force-stewardship-of-space/

Shanahan: Military space ‘needs an advocate’
by Sandra Erwin — March 20, 2019 [SN]


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (left) speaks with defense analyst Todd Harrison March 20, 2019 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Credit: SpaceNews

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Shanahan boasted that it only took 18 months for the Pentagon to produce a legislative proposal to establish a Space Force.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday argued that a new military branch for space is needed to be an advocate for the mission and to ensure the United States has “unquestioned dominance in space.”
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-military-space-needs-an-advocate/

Space Development Agency promises to do more with less
by Sandra Erwin — March 20, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Space Development Agency officially came into existence last week and already is causing a stir. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and some lawmakers have challenged DoD leaders to explain why a new agency is needed when there are other organizations in DoD already developing next-generation space technologies. SDA proponents brush off the criticism as “legacy thinking” and insist that this a necessary move to ensure DoD stays ahead of the technological curve.

COST SAVINGS By law, DoD has to offset the cost of a new agency with savings elsewhere. The SDA will more than make up for its cost, according to a “quantification of savings” memo submitted by the agency director Fred Kennedy. The SDA will operate with far less bureaucracy than the typical DoD agency and will buy technology from commercial vendors. That will “decrease requirements for infrastructure and associated manpower, reduce administrative processing time, and speed the deployment of new systems,” the memo says. DoD is requesting $149 million in fiscal year 2020 to get the SDA started.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-promises-to-do-more-with-less/

Air Force just months away from completing SMC 2.0 reorganization
by Sandra Erwin — March 21, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



Air Force Space Command’s Gen. John Raymond and Space and Missile Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. John Thompson are scheduled to testify next week at a Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee hearing on military space operations and programs.

One of the topics they are expected to discuss is the reorganization of SMC, called SMC 2.0. The question of how SMC is positioning itself for the future is gaining attention in light of the Pentagon’s decision to establish a Space Development Agency, which some view as a long-term existential threat to SMC.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-just-months-away-from-completing-smc-2-0-reorganization/

HASC Chairman rejects Trump’s Space Force proposal, says committee will seek ‘other options’
by Sandra Erwin — March 25, 2019 [SN]


House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) Credit: DoD

Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the details of DoD's Space Force proposal "highly problematic."

WASHINGTON — House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said he strongly opposes the Trump’s administration’s proposal to establish a Space Force as a sixth branch of the armed forces. Smith issued a statement on Monday rejecting the Pentagon’s proposal, less than a day before Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is scheduled to testify in front of the committee.
https://spacenews.com/hasc-chairman-rejects-trumps-space-force-proposal-says-committee-will-seek-other-options/

House Armed Services Committee challenges Shanahan on DoD space priorities
by Sandra Erwin — March 26, 2019 [SN]


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan, center, flanked by Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, left, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and David L. Norquist, the Defense Department’s chief financial officer, testify to the House Armed Services Committee on the fiscal year 2020 budget request, March 26, 2019. Credit: DoD

Questions posed to Shanahan during a HASC hearing speak to the complicated debate that is unfolding on Capitol Hill as the Trump administration seeks authorization to create a new military service.

WASHINGTON — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Tuesday fielded questions from lawmakers about three separate space organizations the Pentagon is pursuing: U.S. Space Command, the Space Development Agency and a Space Force. When pressed by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) to rank them in order of priority, Shanahan said the first two were the most urgent.
https://spacenews.com/house-armed-services-committee-challenges-shanahan-on-dod-space-priorities/

[Orionid]

National Security Space Association is open for business
by Sandra Erwin — March 27, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C, March 20, 2019. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

The proposed Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces has been a big political story. But it has huge business implications as well. Whether it’s the Space Force or the Air Force, who ultimately will run the military’s space programs is a question to which space and defense contractors — as well as their customers — would like a clear answer. But lawmakers are far from ready to endorse the new branch — so the outlook remains muddy at best.
https://spacenews.com/national-security-space-association-is-open-for-business/

Raymond endorses Trump’s Space Force proposal
by Sandra Erwin — April 3, 2019 [SN]


Air Force Space Command Commander Gen. John Raymond testifies April 3, 2019, in front of the House Armed Services Committee's strategic forces subcommittee. Credit: YouTube

“I fully support the standup of a Space Force underneath the Air Force,” Raymond said in front of the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee.

WASHINGTON — In his first appearance on Capitol Hill since being nominated to run U.S. Space Command, Air Force Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, commander of Air Force Space Command, gave a full-throated endorsement to the Trump administration’s proposal to create a Space Force.
https://spacenews.com/raymond-endorses-trumps-space-force-proposal/

Stage is set for critical Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Trump’s Space Force proposal
by Sandra Erwin — April 4, 2019 [SN]



Invited witnesses include Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford and the commander of U.S. Strategic Command Gen. John Hyten.

WASHINGTON — Top defense civilian and military leaders have been asked to testify next week in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee about President Trump’s proposal to establish a Space Force as a separate military service.

Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) on Thursday announced there will be a full committee hearing on April 11 to examine the proposal.
https://spacenews.com/stage-is-set-for-critical-senate-armed-services-committee-hearing-on-trumps-space-force-proposal/

Space industry in wait-and-see mode amid organizational shuffle
by Sandra Erwin — April 8, 2019 [SN]


Space executives and government officials will meet April 8-11 at the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Credit: Credit: Tom Kimmell

There is much uncertainty about the impact that new organizations will have on the space business, said Steve Isakowitz, CEO of the Aerospace Corp.

COLORADO SPRINGS — It’s been a dizzying news cycle since President Trump ordered the Pentagon in June to establish a Space Force and signed a directive in December to stand up U.S. Space Command. The Pentagon in February dropped a legislative proposal, followed by a budget request in March and a push to sell the plan to skeptical lawmakers. In the midst of all that, the president nominated Gen. John Raymond to lead U.S. Space Command, and the acting secretary of defense signed into existence the Space Development Agency.
https://spacenews.com/space-industry-in-wait-and-see-mode-amid-organizational-shuffle/

Air Force has a plan to get Space Force up and running as soon as Congress gives the green light
by Sandra Erwin — April 9, 2019 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks April 9, 2019 at the 35th Space Symposium. Credit: Tom Kimmell

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Feb. 21 directed a team led by Air Force Maj. Gen. Clinton Crozier to develop an “initial work plan” to establish a Space Force under the Department of the Air Force.

COLORADO SPRINGS — Congress may or may not enact a Space Force as a separate military branch. But if it does, the Air Force has a game plan ready to go.

“The Air Force was given the task of planning for the establishment of a Space Force so we move out smartly” once Congress authorizes the new branch, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said on Tuesday at the Space Symposium.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-has-a-plan-to-get-space-force-up-and-running-as-soon-as-congress-gives-the-green-light/

Defense officials get a grilling at Space Force hearing
by Sandra Erwin — April 11, 2019 [SN]


Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, and Commander of U.S. Strategic Command Gen. John Hyten testify April 11, 2019 in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Credit: YouTube

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said the hearing was an “opportunity to continue to gather facts and to fully explore the proposal."

COLORADO SPRINGS — Since the Pentagon rolled out its Space Force proposal March 1, Defense Department officials met with staff directors and professional staff members from defense committees multiple times on Capitol Hill to provide a detailed explanation of DoD’s plan to establish a new military service for space.
https://spacenews.com/defense-officials-get-a-grilling-at-space-force-hearing/

Air Force Secretary fires back at Space Development Agency
by Sandra Erwin — April 11, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson speaks April 9, 2019 at the 35th Space Symposium. Credit: Tom Kimmell

There’s been quite a bit of fireworks at the 35th Space Symposium. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Tuesday shot back at the new director of the Space Development Agency Fred Kennedy, who has laid out a plan to disrupt the military space business by bringing more commercial technology into space systems in order to speed up innovation in the face of competition from China and Russia.

In a keynote speech, Wilson forcefully challenged the SDA vision arguing that the military’s current constellations of satellites in higher orbits are “the best in the world” and that shifting to LEO systems would put U.S. forces at risk. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has been a strong proponent of the new agency and decided to place it under the authority of Undersecretary of Defense Mike Griffin, who like Kennedy, is a strong believer that military space acquisitions must change radically and that commercial LEO systems should be leveraged as soon as possible.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-secretary-fires-back-at-space-development-agency/

Why the Space Force can’t merge with the NRO
by Sandra Erwin — April 17, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks April 9, 2019 at the 35th Space Symposium. Credit: Tom Kimmell

Is a Space Force incomplete without the National Reconnaissance Office? That appears to be a lingering question as the debate over the Trump administration’s proposal to establish a new military branch unfolds on Capitol Hill.

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week, lawmakers challenged DoD officials to explain why their proposal did not include the NRO — the organization that designs, builds and operates the nation’s spy satellites — as part of the Space Force.
https://spacenews.com/why-the-space-force-cant-merge-with-the-nro/

On National Security | Trump’s Space Force at a critical juncture
by Sandra Erwin — April 18, 2019 [SN]
“On National Security” appears in every issue of SpaceNews magazine. This column ran in the April 8, 2019 issue.


At an Oval Office ceremony Feb. 19, 2019, President Trump signs Space Policy Directive 4 to establish a Space Force. Credit: SpaceNews

President Donald Trump’s Space Force proposal has received a chilly reception on Capitol Hill. Upcoming hearings will serve as barometers of the congressional mood as the defense committees begin to work on the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-trumps-space-force-at-a-critical-juncture/

Pentagon makes strong pitch for Space Force as NDAA 2020 markup nears
by Sandra Erwin — April 23, 2019 [SN]


Stephen Kitay, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, Credit: CSIS

Kitay: DoD wants space to “remain free from conflict. However, we must be prepared to meet and overcome any challenges that arise.”

WASHINGTON — In some of the most strongly worded remarks to date, Stephen Kitay, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, argued on Tuesday that the United States needs a Space Force as a separate branch of the armed forces to protect the space-based infrastructure that supports the civilian economy and the U.S. military.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-makes-strong-pitch-for-space-force-as-ndaa-2020-markup-nears/

Pentagon wants a Space Force, still undecided on a Space National Guard
by Sandra Erwin — April 24, 2019 [SN]


100th Missile Defense Brigade National Guard soldiers operate missile warning satellites at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. Credit: National Guard

The National Guard Bureau is calling for the establishment of a Space National Guard as a reserve component to the Space Force.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers have pointed out a glaring omission in the Trump administration’s plan to establish a Space Force: It does not create a Space National Guard.

“The Department of Defense has not yet decided what role the Guard and Reserve will play in this new service,” Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) told DoD officials during a hearing April 11 on the administration’s Space Force proposal.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-wants-a-space-force-still-undecided-on-a-space-national-guard/

Cape Canaveral preparing for key military launches
by Sandra Erwin — April 24, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Air Force 45th Space Wing is gearing up for three high-profile space launches at Cape Canaveral over the coming months. If all goes as planned, the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) and the Space Test Program-2 missions will fly in June, and the second vehicle of the Global Positioning System-3 constellation in July.

Lockheed Martin on Saturday shipped the $1.4 billion AEHF-5 satellite from a facility in Sunnyvale, California, to Cape Canaveral on a C-5 cargo plane to prepare for a June 27 launch. The company also completed the checkout testing of the $568 million GPS-3 SV-2 in anticipation of a July 25 launch. Meanwhile, the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center is getting ready to launch STP-2. This will be Falcon Heavy’s third launch and, of larger significance to the Air Force, it will be powered by reused side boosters from the rocket’s recent Arabsat mission, paving the way for the Air Force’s future certification of reused rockets.
https://spacenews.com/cape-canaveral-preparing-for-key-military-launches/

Why a Space Force could be good for business
by Sandra Erwin — April 29, 2019 [SN]


Carissa Bryce Christensen, CEO of Bryce Space (left) and Technology, and Lt. Gen. David Thompson, vice commander of Air Force Space Command speak April 29, 2019 at the Future of War conference in Washington, D.C. Credit: New America

Vice commander of Air Force Space Command Lt. Gen. Thompson: "We have to understand we’re on the cusp of an explosion in commercial space.”

WASHINGTON — In the contentious Space Force debate, many of the questions have been about its cost and whether a separate military branch would do a better job than the Air Force at defending satellites and preparing for a future conflict in space.
https://spacenews.com/why-a-space-force-could-be-good-for-business/

Space Development Agency a big win for Mike Griffin, but pushback continues
by Sandra Erwin — April 30, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



When the Pentagon revealed March 13 that the Space Development Agency had been officially created, the reaction was a mix of confusion, excitement and disappointment. The Air Force for months had opposed efforts by Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin to stand up a new agency to take over the development of next-generation space systems. President Trump demanded a Space Force but never asked for the SDA. So why the rush to set up a new agency without first coordinating with the rest of the Air Force’s space research and procurement community, lawmakers from California and New Mexico have asked.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-a-big-win-for-mike-griffin-but-pushback-continues/

House appropriators press for details on Space Force cost and organization
by Sandra Erwin — May 1, 2019 [SN]


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, center; Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, left, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and David Norquist, DOD’s comptroller and chief financial officer, prepare to testify on the fiscal year 2020 Defense Department budget request during a hearing on Capitol Hill, May 1, 2019. Credit: DoD

Lawmakers say they are missing key pieces of information about the cost of the proposed Space Force, as well as costs estimates for the new U.S. Space Command and the Space Development Agency.

WASHINGTON — Members of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee told Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday that they need more information about the long-term costs of the Pentagon’s new space organizations. They warned that failure to provide more detailed cost estimates could delay passage of an appropriations bill for the Defense Department for fiscal year 2020.
https://spacenews.com/house-appropriators-press-for-details-on-space-force-cost-and-organization/

Op-ed | A military service is measured by its impact, not the size of its bombs
by Douglas Loverro — May 5, 2019 [SN]


Vice President Mike Pence discusses the administration's proposal to create a U.S. Space Force October 23, 2018 at the National Defense University.

The AFA would have us believe that space professionals are nothing but a cast of supporting characters that don’t merit designation as a military service until they themselves own the bombs.

According to the theory of warfare promulgated by the Air Force Association (AFA), Congress should reject President Trump’s proposal to establish a U.S. Space Force since it cannot apply lethal kinetic force. There is no point, they contend, in having a space service until we are ready to send troops into orbit or deploy weapons from space. Their policy position reflects the view, shared by many, that space is simply a supporting capability — a critical one to be sure — but not one merits its own military service.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-a-military-service-is-measured-by-its-impact-not-the-size-of-its-bombs/

Former U.S. officials sign open letter in support of DoD’s Space Force proposal
by Sandra Erwin — May 5, 2019 [SN]


Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan greets the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, at the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, April 8, 2019. Credit: DoD

The letter says the Space Force will “develop military space culture and ethos."

WASHINGTON — A group of 43 former Defense Department, Air Force and intelligence officials signed an open letter that expresses “strong support for establishing the U.S. Space Force.”

The letter was sent to news organizations on Sunday and is being distributed to congressional offices.
https://spacenews.com/former-u-s-officials-sign-open-letter-in-support-of-dods-space-force-proposal/

Congressional report: Space Force would cost billions more than DoD estimated
by Sandra Erwin — May 8, 2019 [SN]


Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan, and Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) / Chief Financial Officer David L. Norquist provide testimony on the fiscal 2020 Department of Defense budget before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Credit: DoD

An independent space service under the Air Force would add up to $1.3 billion a year in costs, says CBO, far more than DoD's estimate of $500 million

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Budget Office estimates the new space organizations proposed by the Pentagon would require thousands of additional personnel and cost several billion dollars more than what DoD has projected.
https://spacenews.com/congressional-report-space-force-would-cost-billions-more-than-dod-estimated/

[Orionid]

‘Agile software’ to replace troubled JMS
by Sandra Erwin — May 8, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



A troubled effort by the Air Force Space Command to modernize the system that tracks and catalogs space objects is pivoting in a new direction. The change involves multiple steps:

- The nearly decade-long program known as the Joint Space Operations Center Mission System (JMS) is being terminated.

- The portion of JMS that focuses on tactical operations will be merged with an existing program, the enterprise battle management command and control (EBMC2).

- The piece of JMS focused on updating the space catalog is being replaced with “agile software development.”

- Both the EBMC2 and the catalog update functions gradually will be merged into a broad program called Space C2.

“That’s where we’re headed,” Col. Stephen Purdy, director of the Space Superiority Systems Directorate at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, told SpaceNews in a recent interview.
https://spacenews.com/agile-software-to-replace-troubled-jms/

Pentagon challenges CBO’s cost estimates for new space organizations
by Sandra Erwin — May 9, 2019 [SN]


A selection board for the 1C6 Space Warfighter Advanced Instructor Course meets at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Credit: U.S. Air Force

DoD spokesman: “The establishment of the United States Space Force is a small investment to ensure American leadership in space."

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is disputing the analysis by the Congressional Budget Office on the long-term costs of the space organizations that the Trump administration has proposed.
https://spacenews.com/pentagon-challenges-cbos-cost-estimates-for-new-space-organizations/

Majority of Army’s space soldiers will not transfer to the Space Force
by Sandra Erwin — May 15, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Army’s top leaders have voiced full support for the Trump administration’s Space Force proposal but don’t plan to turn over the entire Army space cadre to the new service. The blueprint that the Pentagon submitted to Congress creates a new space branch of about 15,000 people, mostly by transferring personnel from the other services.
https://spacenews.com/majority-of-armys-space-soldiers-will-not-transfer-to-the-space-force/

Air Force space launch funds reprogrammed to pay for Trump’s border wall
by Sandra Erwin — May 15, 2019 [SN]
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.



The Air Force space budget is taking a hit as a result of the Pentagon reprogramming $1.5 billion from fiscal 2019 funds to pay for President Trump’s wall along the U. S-Mexico border. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the transfer. The Pentagon announced on Friday that the reprogramming was needed to handle the “crisis along our southwest border” and a need to “deny drug smuggling activities.”

The $1.5 billion was pulled from multiple accounts — $681.5 million from two Overseas Contingency Operations funds appropriated for war efforts and $818.5 million from DoD’s fiscal year 2019 appropriations. Shanahan’s move has infuriated Democrats on the appropriations committees who see this action as an end run around Congress’ power of the purse.
https://spacenews.com/air-force-space-launch-funds-reprogrammed-to-pay-for-trumps-border-wall/

Space officers could have a better chance of promotion under new proposed guidelines
by Sandra Erwin — May 16, 2019 [SN]


Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson is proposing a new promotion system for Air Force officers with "competitive categories," one of which would be space operations. Credit: Air Force

Under the proposed system, space officers would only compete against space officers for promotions.

WASHINGTON — The Air Force is considering changing how it evaluates officers who are up for promotion. According to a draft proposal that will be debated in the coming months, mid-grade officers in fields like space, nuclear missiles and cybersecurity will have a better chance of getting promoted than under the current system.
https://spacenews.com/space-officers-could-have-a-better-chance-of-promotion-under-new-proposed-guidelines/

House appropriators deny Space Force funding, call on DoD to study alternatives
by Sandra Erwin — May 19, 2019 [SN]


From left, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, and Chief Financial Officer David Norquist appear before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee May 8, 2019. Credit: DoD

The HAC draft report notes that the decision to not back the $72 million request should not be read as a complete rejection of the idea of establishing a Space Force.

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee says it will not support DoD’s $72.4 million request to establish a Space Force headquarters, and wants the Pentagon to study alternative options.
https://spacenews.com/house-appropriators-do-not-approve-space-force-request-call-on-dod-to-study-alternatives/

Not everyone on Capitol Hill disapproves of the Air Force launch strategy
by Sandra Erwin — May 22, 2019
This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is not a big fan of the Air Force’s plan to transition to a new generation of launch vehicles. He has criticized the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement for restricting competition and creating a duopoly instead of a more open market. The House Appropriations Committee, on the other hand, commended the Air Force’s launch procurement strategy for increasing competition and eliminating U.S. reliance on Russian rocket engines. “The national security space launch program is going through a critical transition as it phases out legacy launch systems and considers a variety of new and upgraded rockets to meet the full slate of national security mission requirements,” says the HAC report submitted with its proposed 2020 defense budget.
https://spacenews.com/not-everyone-on-capitol-hill-disapproves-of-the-air-force-launch-strategy/

Senate Armed Services OKs Space Force with conditions
by Sandra Erwin — May 23, 2019


Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan (right) meets with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe at the Munich Security Conference. Credit: DoD

The SASC bill seeks to minimize cost and ease the growing pains of establishing a new service by making the commander of Air Force Space Command also the commander of the U.S. Space Force.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s effort to create a new military service for space cleared a critical hurdle as the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 22 voted to approve the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.
https://spacenews.com/senate-armed-services-oks-space-force-with-conditions/

House appropriators suggest Navy and Air Force should merge satellite communications programs
by Sandra Erwin — May 23, 2019

This article was first published in the SN Military.Space newsletter.

Is it time for the Navy to turn over the Mobile User Objective System to the Air Force? The House Appropriations Committee is calling on the leaders of the services to consider such a move. In the current fragmented ecosystem of military satellite communications, the Navy supplies narrowband connectivity via the MUOS constellation. The Air Force supplies the wideband communication provided by the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) system. The Army is the military’s largest user of satcom services and is responsible for developing the user terminals that troops use in the field.
https://spacenews.com/house-appropriators-suggest-navy-and-air-force-should-merge-satellite-communications-programs/

Congress worries authorities it gave DoD might backfire
by Sandra Erwin — May 23, 2019

This article was first published in the SN Military.

U.S. Air Force leaders claim that they have saved billions of dollars and taken years out of program schedules — including major satellite procurements — thanks to authorities Congress gave the Defense Department to speed things up. Known as “804 authorities,” they were passed by Congress in Section 804 of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act to allow “rapid prototyping and rapid fielding” of new systems using mature technologies that only require minimal development. The idea was to encourage DoD to grab existing technology and build prototypes that can be produced and fielded within two to five years. This was a  “crystal clear message” from Congress that it wants DoD acquisitions to move faster, the Air Force’s top procurement official Will Roper told the Air Force Association.
https://spacenews.com/congress-worries-authorities-it-gave-dod-might-backfire/

Why the Air Force needs more money for next-gen OPIR
by Sandra Erwin — May 28, 2019

The commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Lt. Gen. John Thompson, last week reminded lawmakers that hundreds of millions of dollars above what’s in the budget are still needed to accelerate the schedule of the early warning satellite constellation known as next-gen OPIR, or overhead persistent infrared.
https://spacenews.com/why-the-air-force-needs-more-money-for-next-gen-opir/

Shanahan: To beat China we need Space Force, Space Command, Space Development Agency
by Sandra Erwin — May 28, 2019

In a keynote address at the 35th Space Symposium, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan laid out his most forceful case so far for the establishment of a new military branch for space.
https://spacenews.com/shanahan-to-beat-china-we-need-space-force-space-command-space-development-agency-2/

Mixed reactions to Senate Armed Services’ Space Force hearing
by Sandra Erwin — May 28, 2019

After last week’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, the Space Force odds are all over the place.

Proponents of the new branch were widely disappointed that Pentagon officials did not seem able to argue convincingly that this is a necessary reorganization to posture the U.S. to confront rising competitors. A source privately characterized the hearing as an “unmitigated disaster.” SASC Chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) set the stage by asking the witnesses to explain how the Space Force helps address these challenges.“And he got terrible answers,” said the source, who is a proponent of the Space Force.
https://spacenews.com/mixed-reactions-to-senate-armed-services-space-force-hearing/

How SMC 2.0 plans to buy the next generation of military satellites
by Sandra Erwin — May 28, 2019

The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center last month put out a call for industry ideas for a “Modular Enterprise Spacecraft Bus Procurement.”
https://spacenews.com/how-smc-2-0-plans-to-buy-the-next-generation-of-military-satellites/

Op-ed | India needs its own space force
by Ajey Lele — May 28, 2019


The missile launched March 27 in India's anti-satellite test intercepted a satellite in a low orbit, but still created debris in orbits that go above the International Space Station. Credit: DRDO

India is setting up a military space agency called the Defence Space agency (DSA) that’s expected to command of all the space assets of India’s army, navy and air force.

For nearly the last decade, a debate has taken place in India highlighting the need to establish a Space Command to address military needs. For all these years, India has had a Military Space Cell, a tri-service organization under the aegis of the Integrated Defence Services, or IDS. Formation of this organization was announced on June 10 2008, by the then-defense minister.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-india-needs-its-own-space-force/

Op-ed | Only a separate service can create a space culture
by John Galer — June 9, 2019


Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein meets with Space Flag 19-2 participants at the Boeing Virtual Warfare Center in Washington, D.C., April 19, 2019. Credit: Air Force

If the culture issue is not addressed, the current organization will fail to develop the human capital required to preserve U.S. dominance.

Today, a distinct space warfighting culture is nonexistent inside the Department of Defense. Without this foundation, there stands no single organization that consolidates space expertise to field, develop, and operate the world’s most sophisticated space capabilities. There is no single author of space-specific warfighting doctrine, and most importantly, no ecosystem to foster growth of the space professional cadre and provide space the proper voice in the most senior ranks of the military. Absent these cornerstones, the U.S. will not preserve its superiority in space.
https://spacenews.com/op-ed-only-a-separate-service-can-create-a-space-culture/