The U.S. Space Force, Lockheed Martin and United Launch Alliance have finished encapsulation of the service branch's next missile detection and early warning satellite into a launch vehicle fairing platform and integrated the spacecraft with a ULA-built rocket.

USSF said Tuesday the fifth Space Based Infrared System is scheduled to lift off Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard an Atlas V rocket, marking the first National Security Space Launch mission this year at the military facility.

The satellite arrived at the station's processing facility on March 18 from a Lockheed facility in Sunnyvale, California, then underwent a series of final ground tests before the encapsulation and integration phase took place.

Lockheed built SBIRS GEO-5 on the company's LM 2100 bus and equipped the spacecraft with infrared surveillance sensors designed to help military personnel detect missile launches.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee is set on Thursday to introduce reforms to the U.S. Postal Service, Federal News Network reported Tuesday.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House panel, and ranking member James Comer, R.-Ky., unveiled the final version of the 2021 Postal Service Reform Act on Tuesday.

Maloney initially introduced the bill in Feb 2021 and had Postmaster General Louis DeJoy comment on some of the measure’s key provisions.

The proposed legislation would require USPS to establish an online public dashboard to monitor service performance, direct postal employees to enroll in Medicare once they reach the age of 65, and remove a 2006 mandate that requires the agency to fund retiree health benefits. 

The bill would also require the inclusion of a trackable barcode and other features in all mail-in ballots to help facilitate sorting and tracking operations.

During a House committee hearing in February, DeJoy said the legislative measure would generate $58 billion in savings for USPS over the next decade as projected in a 10-year reform plan he released in March.

The Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service supports the measure but wants Congress to protect against excessive mail rate increases.

“By raising prices dramatically on mail and institutionalizing service downgrades, the new 10-year plan — if left unchecked — will hurt large and small businesses, nonprofits, charities, and consumers, as well as the future of the Postal Service,” Art Sackler, the coalition's executive director, said in a statement.

A Naval Sea Systems Command warfare center in Maryland has partnered with U.K.-based Thermal Compaction Group to create a system for processing shipboard-generated waste for the U.S. Navy.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division said Tuesday it wants to help build the service branch's next-generation feed plastic waste processor through a cooperative research and development agreement with TCG.

Under the CRADA, both parties will aim to produce a PWP prototype and further develop the company's Massmelt thermal screw compaction technology for potential commercial use.

The military service will own the engineering drawings and software of the resulting system as part of the agreement signed by Capt. Todd Hutchison, commanding officer of NSWCCD

Collaborative efforts will include the development of initial testing plans, technical knowledge sharing, test data analysis and engineering work to address potential system risks and performance issues.

Peter Cheung, NSWCCD's principal investigator in the CRADA, said NAVSEA approved the procurement of TCG's product after the Carderock division performed tests and determined the technology has the potential to address solid waste management requirements at the Navy.

Cheung added the team began testing an updated Massmelt system and aims to complete the new product within a two-year period.

The surface warfare center will be responsible for the TCG prototype laboratory test, Massmelt modifications and the provision of data from the assessment and development phases.

The company agreed to provide technical manuals, installation drawings and training documents to Carderock.

Anritsu Corp. and Orolia announced on Tuesday that the companies have formed a partnership to launch 5G Assisted GPS CAT Solutions for North American Carrier Acceptance Testing. The companies will support Assisted GPS (A-GPS) test functionality to meet 5G New Radio (NR) Carrier Acceptance Testing (CAT) requirements for many North American operators on the Anritsu ME7834NR 5G Mobile Device Test Platform.

“Anritsu continues to address the needs of our customers globally. By partnering with Orolia, a worldwide leader in GPS simulation technology, we are introducing a reliable, accurate, and cost-effective A-GPS CAT solution that conforms to operator requirements and delivers repeatable results,” said Shinya Ajiro, general manager of Anritsu.

“We remain committed to provide the validation tools necessary for mobile operators, device makers, chipset manufacturers, and test houses to verify designs and ensure product performance. This benefits everyone in the mobile ecosystem,” added Ajiro.

 As a part of the partnership, Anritsu will leverage Orolia’s industry-leading GNSS simulation capabilities to deliver A-GPS CAT testing platforms featuring the new Orolia GSG-SKY-ANR solution. The Anritsu MR7834NR supports A-GPS, FR1, FR2, FR1+FR2 NSA and SA US operator signaling requirements on the same platform.

Orolia’s SKYDEL simulation engine powers the GSG-SKY-ANR. SKYDEL provides flexible, scalable and efficient GNSS/GPS simulation solutions. The GSG-SKY-ANR GNSS simulator is exclusively available to Anritsu ME7834NR customers.

“Orolia is proud to support North American operators through our partnership with Anritsu, Our resilient GPS simulation solutions deliver proven high-end capabilities for critical technology challenges such as the implementation of 5G,” stated Lisa Perdue, simulation director at Orolia.

About Orolia

Orolia is the world leader in Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions that improve the reliability, performance and safety of critical, remote, or high-risk operations, even in GNSS denied environments. Orolia provides virtually fail-safe GNSS and PNT solutions for military and commercial applications worldwide with a global presence.

The SOFWERX hub, an innovation-focused nonprofit partnered with U.S. Special Operations Command, will prioritize efforts to procure and transition technologies in an accelerated pace, National Defense Magazine reported Monday.

Brian Andrews, SOFWERX's chief technology officer, said the organization will focus on rapidly procuring technologies and transitioning them to the warfighter, rather than just identifying these products.

He said SOFWERX is also working in partnership with 11 program executive offices to get a better look at USSOCOM's problem sets. SOFWERX now seeks to engage with other organizations supporting other U.S. military components to streamline and speed up technology procurements while avoiding duplication.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' National Artificial Intelligence Institute is sharing its expertise with other agencies to develop a catalog of AI use cases, FedScoop reported Monday.

The institute has shared input with the Veteran Engagement Board, the Data Governance Council and other federal agencies to create a reference for AI uses.

Gil Alterovitz, VA's director of AI, said at the SNG Live: Enhancing AI in Government event that the department plans to trial a set of modules that can support an AI-focused internal review board.

Agencies have engaged in AI data sharing as part of efforts to align with Former President Trump's executive order on trustworthy AI made in late 2020.