Government/Military

HawkEye 360 is supporting a commercial Radio Frequency (RF) Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) pilot program for the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the company revealed Wednesday. HawkEye 360 will use its satellite constellation to deliver RF data and analytics to the agency, as well as combatant commands, so analysts can explore how this new source of...

Blue Origin is now able to compete to launch future NASA missions on its New Glenn rocket in development. On Thursday, the agency announced that it has awarded Blue Origin a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract.  The NLS II is a contract vehicle under which NASA places orders from commercial providers for launch services...

The White House released Space Policy Directive-6 (SPD-6) on Wednesday regarding a U.S. national strategy for space nuclear power and propulsion (SNPP), technology that the White House said will be needed to fuel future space exploration. Space nuclear systems power missions where alternative power sources are inadequate, such as environments that are too dark for...

President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team has spoken with Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, as the incoming Biden administration faces important questions about a future path for military and commercial space capabilities. “I have met with the transition team. I met with them this past week,” Raymond said in a virtual question and...

The U.S. Army has given Orbcomm a single-award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract worth up to $45.6 million for its Next Generation Tag (NGT) program. The multi-year NGT contract extends through Dec. 2024.  Orbcomm has agreed to provide cellular, satellite, and dual-mode devices and connectivity to support logistics and asset management for government customers....

In a new feature, we round up and put into context the most recent news involving the major satellite operators. The week of Dec. 7 was a relatively quiet one as the big players in the industry prepare for what is likely to be a pivotal 2021. Over the last few days, SES closed a...

L3Harris announced Dec. 9 it has received a $57 million order from the U.S. Army to continue delivering its Falcon IV AN/PRC-163 two-channel handheld radios. This is the company’s third low-rate initial production deal for the AN-PRC-163 handheld radios, with deliveries expected to begin in early 2021. The product is capable of satellite communications, mobile...

On the heels of opening a new U.S. office and joining Telesat’s team for a U.S. defense contract, Mynaric is looking to make its laser terminals mainstream on megaconstellations and disrupt how data is transferred in space.  Mynaric, a German company, has been developing laser terminals specifically designed for volume production since the company was...

The National Space Council held its eighth and final meeting under the current administration on Wednesday, as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to assume office in January. Biden and his advisers have yet to speak of Biden’s plans for the council, which President Trump re-established in 2017 after a 20-year hiatus. Chaired by the vice president...

Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has formed a new U.S.-based subsidiary SpaceLink, focusing on satellite data relay. David Bettinger, an industry veteran from OneWeb, iDirect and Hughes Network Systems will serve as CEO. Bettinger was part of OneWeb’s founding team and was responsible for the technology roadmap including the satellite payload, user terminals, and ground segment....