- Funds no longer available for Defense Production Act small launch contracts
WASHINGTON — The $116 million that DoD had set aside for small launch contracts under the Defense Production Act have been redirected to other priorities, and it is unlikely that those contracts will be awarded any time soon, the U.S. Air Force top procurement official Will Roper said July 14.… Read more » - Space hospitality startup to establish training complex
SAN FRANCISCO – Orbite Corp., a Seattle startup founded by American entrepreneur Jason Andrews and French entrepreneur Nicolas Gaume, announced plans July 14 to establish a Spaceflight Gateway and Astronaut Training Complex offering luxury accommodations, dining and recreation for commercial astronauts, their friends and families. “It’s been clear during my… Read more » - House bill restores funding for five NASA science missions
WASHINGTON — An appropriations bill to be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee July 14 would restore funding to five NASA science missions and projects that the administration’s budget proposal sought to cancel for fiscal year 2021. The committee released July 13 the report accompanying its Commerce, Justice and… Read more » - The UAE’s hope for success at Mars, and at home
Updated July 14 with new launch date. Mars is a popular destination for science missions, but also a challenging one even for major space powers. Russia and the former Soviet Union have a long history of failed Mars missions: Russia’s last two, Mars 96 and Fobos-Grunt, couldn’t even leave Earth… Read more » - Space Force acquisition management criticized by House appropriators
WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations defense subcommittee in a report released July 13 blasts the U.S. Space Force for not having a dedicated civilian leader in charge of acquisitions. The committee is “most concerned that the Department of the Air Force has no Senate-confirmed senior civilian leader solely focused on… Read more » - Voyager Space Holdings announces acquisition of Pioneer Astronautics
WASHINGTON — Voyager Space Holdings announced July 13 it is acquiring Pioneer Astronautics, a company that develops technologies to make human life sustainable in outer space. The acquisition of Pioneer Astronautics, based in Lakewood, Colorado, was a cash and stock transaction. Denver-based Voyager, backed by angel investor Dylan Taylor, was… Read more » - NASA signs agreement with Japan on lunar exploration
WASHINGTON — NASA has signed an agreement with the Japanese government that brings the agencies closer to finalizing Japan’s roles in the Artemis program. The agreement, called a Joint Exploration Declaration of Intent, was signed late July 9 in a virtual meeting between NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, in the United… Read more » - U.S. CTO Kratsios named acting undersecretary for research and engineering, Lewis to serve as acting deputy
Updated July 13 with new appointment announced by DoD WASHINGTON — U.S Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios will serve as acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, DoD announced on July 13. Kratsios will take over the position previously held by Mike Griffin. Mark Lewis was named acting deputy… Read more » - NASA implements changes to planetary protection policies for moon and Mars missions
WASHINGTON — NASA announced July 9 two new directives regarding planetary protection for missions to the moon and Mars that implement recommendations of an independent review board last year. The two directives, announced by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine during a “Moon Dialogs” webinar, are part of an effort by NASA… Read more » - Loft Orbital satellite to carry experiment for DARPA’s Blackjack program
WASHINGTON — Loft Orbital’s YAM-3 satellite — scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission — will carry a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency experiment for the Blackjack program. Loft Orbital, a San Francisco-based startup, is working under a contract from Scientific Systems Company Inc. Boston-based SSCI received… Read more »
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