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NASA Eyes New Commercial Services for Mars Sample Return
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NASA Eyes New Commercial Services for Mars Sample Return

NASA will consider using new commercial approaches as one of two options on its new plan on landing the payload platform for its Mars Sample Return Program aimed at bringing to Earth the first rock and sediment samples from the Red Planet. The second choice is the sky crane method on entry, descent and landing tested through the Curiosity and Perseverance missions, the agency said Monday.     

In formulating its choice between the two landing options, NASA added that it will advance competition, innovation, as well as address schedule and cost factors. Both mission approaches will involve a landing platform carrying a mini version of the Mars Ascent Vehicle, or MAV. 

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, a past Wash100 awardee, sees the revised plan’s two options as an assurance on “significant cost and schedule saving” compared to the agency’s previous plan to bring Martian samples back to Earth.

Working to Simplify Its Approach

To simplify its operation, the platform will operate using a radioisotope power system that will replace the MAV solar panels. The lander’s sample loading system will also be redesigned for simpler dust contamination protection of the 30 samples expected to be collected in the tubes of the orbiting sample container.   

Capturing the orbiting sample container in the two mission approaches are both dependent on a capture, storage and return system aboard the Earth Return Orbiter of the European Space Agency. ESA is studying the revised NASA plan’s options.

The decision on which design and approach option NASA would take is expected in the second half of 2026. The agency came up with the new plan and its two landing options after receiving 11 studies from the space community on ways to send Martian samples to Earth. 

A Mars Sample Return Strategic Review team NASA formed in October 2024 assessed the studies and recommended the sampling program’s main architecture, including schedule and cost estimates. 

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CBO Releases Analysis of Navy 2025 Shipbuilding Plan
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CBO Releases Analysis of Navy 2025 Shipbuilding Plan

The construction of new ships under the Navy’s 2025 shipbuilding plan would cost $1.075 trillion in 2024 dollars in total over the next three decades, according to an analysis carried out by the Congressional Budget Office.

Average Annual Shipbuilding Cost

That amount would average out to $35.8 billion annually from 2025 through 2054, at which point the Navy is expected to achieve its target of 381 manned battle force ships, of which 364 would be new acquisitions, the CBO said in a report issued Monday. Those battle force ships comprise combat ships as well as logistics and support ships.

Difference in Estimates

The Navy’s own estimates put new ship construction costs at $903 billion over 30 years, or $30.1 billion annually on average. CBO attributes the difference between its projections with those of the Navy’s to differences in methodology and assumptions about future ship designs and capabilities.

Shipbuilding Plan Objective

According to the CBO report, the Navy seeks to build a large fleet so as to be able to place offensive capabilities like missiles and unmanned systems on more ships. Distributing firepower in this manner not only provides greater offensive operation capabilities but also makes it more difficult for adversaries to neutralize those capabilities.

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Biden Admin Ramps Up Partnerships to Advance US Interests
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Biden Admin Ramps Up Partnerships to Advance US Interests

The United States under the Biden administration has ramped up its collaboration with the public and private sectors to advance the country’s foreign policy and national security interests.

Since 2021, the federal government has placed focus on public-private partnerships in key initiatives to promote global cooperation around shared threats and challenges, such as climate change, pandemic prevention and combating transnational criminal activity, the White House said Tuesday.

Using Strategic Partnerships to Solve Complex Challenges

The effort was anchored on a national security memorandum from President Joe Biden, where he admitted that the government “cannot solve the complex challenges the United States faces at home and abroad. The U.S. must take advantage of the ideas, perspectives and contributions that strategic partnerships would bring to the table,” Biden noted.

Benefits of Public-Private Partnerships

Through public-private partnerships, the government secured commitments of over $97 billion from the private sector, philanthropy and civil society partners. The gains can be attributed to the administration’s decision to establish more than 1,400 partnership programs, leading to engagement with over 4,400 distinct partners. The White House also expanded its collaborative efforts to the global stage, enabling federal agencies to operate in communities across 130 countries.

The White House noted that collaboration delivered infrastructure investments, fueled regional entrepreneurship, enabled an efficient response to the global Covid-19 health crisis and allowed the government to better address climate change challenges. The Biden administration expects that public-private partnerships will continue to benefit Americans.

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OPM CIO Guy Cavallo Announces Retirement
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OPM CIO Guy Cavallo Announces Retirement

Office of Personnel Management Chief Information Officer Guy Cavallo is retiring after over 23 years in the federal government, Federal News Network reported Monday.

Melvin Brown, deputy CIO at OPM, is expected to assume the role of acting CIO until the agency finds a permanent replacement for Cavallo, who will serve until Jan. 10.

“I leave OPM as the longest serving CIO since 2010, passing over nine previous CIOs in seniority. I am so proud of the tremendous run by my team to transform the CIO organization and lead OPM’s IT modernization,” the retiring CIO said in a LinkedIn post published Monday.

According to FNN, Cavallo will join an IT consulting firm, where he will be doing a combination of federal, local and state work.

“As for me, this is the end of my federal career, but not the end of my journey. I will continue my IT career in the private sector and will reveal more details about that in the coming weeks,” he noted.

Prior to OPM, he served as deputy CIO at the Small Business Administration and executive director for IT operations at the Transportation Security Administration.

Moving Applications to the Cloud

In his post, Cavallo mentioned some of his office’s accomplishments in the past four years, including the completion of a two-year sprint that migrated major OPM information systems from on-premises data centers to the cloud.

He also cited OPM’s first-ever “A” grade in the FITARA, or the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act, scorecard; the agency’s 30 percent improvement in its Federal Cybersecurity Progress Report scorecard; and the launch of the Postal Health Benefit System.

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Pentagon Forms Strategic & Critical Materials Board of Directors
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Pentagon Forms Strategic & Critical Materials Board of Directors

The Department of Defense has officially established a federal advisory committee that will advise the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment on a strategy for securing DOD’s strategic and critical materials supply chains and strengthening the National Defense Stockpile.

DOD said Monday the Strategic and Critical Materials Board of Directors was formed in accordance with the Stock Piling Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

“The National Defense Industrial Strategy highlights the critical importance of working together with stakeholders to identify innovative solutions for complex industrial base challenges,” said Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, or ASD IBP.

“This Board will convene leading experts across industry and the federal government to inform the Department’s efforts to ensure secure and resilient access to the materials and minerals that underpin key defense capabilities,” added Taylor-Kale.

According to DOD, the ASD IBP will chair the board, which will include members appointed by the departments of Defense, Energy, State, Interior and Commerce and the Senate and House Armed Services Committees.

The board is expected to hold its first meeting in 2025.

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Adam Schlesinger Appointed New Project Manager at NASA
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Adam Schlesinger Appointed New Project Manager at NASA

NASA has appointed Adam Schlesinger as project manager of Commercial Lunar Payload Services, bringing to the role over two decades of experience in human space flight programs and deep-space spacecraft operations.

Before his new post, Schlesinger served as the habitation and logistics outpost project lead engineer for the Gateway Program at Johnson Space Center, the space agency said Monday.

New Manager’s Career and Academic Credentials

Schlesigner also oversaw the Advanced Exploration Systems Avionics and Software project and led a team in developing several innovative technologies for future NASA exploration missions. In addition, Schlesinger collaborated with various commercial providers as part of the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 activities.

The new appointee started at NASA as a co-op in the avionic systems division and held leadership positions within the agency’s engineering, integration and science directorates. His career highlights include several recognitions, such as multiple NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, JSC Director’s Commendation Award, Advanced Exploration Systems Innovation Award and NASA Early Career Achievement Medal.

Schlesinger earned a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.

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Navy Unveils Prototyping Project to Advance Operational Energy Innovation
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Navy Unveils Prototyping Project to Advance Operational Energy Innovation

Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division has established the Joint Operational Energy Innovation Prototyping and Experimentation Field Activity, or OE-I PEFA, to advance technology development through expertise and resource sharing.

The prototyping project aims to advance workforce development, explore the viability of an operational energy-focused university consortium and collaborate with service acquisition programs and international partners, NSWC Crane said Monday.

It was introduced in partnership with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment’s Operational Energy—Innovation Directorate, whose core mission focuses on enterprise-wide energy visibility and decision-making, operational energy resilience, operational energy demand reduction and nuclear power.

Accelerated Deployment of Operational Energy Capabilities

According to John Fassino, director of the OE-I PEFA and deputy director for Operational Energy Innovation, the initiative will focus on community engagement and warfighter integration through experimentation to accelerate the deployment of new OE capabilities to the joint force. The creation of OE-I PEFA “is a testament to our deep technical roots in energy storage and rapid innovation culture,” he noted.

“We are excited to partner with OE-I to establish OE-I PEFA to lead demonstration and experimentation events, provide modeling, simulation and analytic support, and lead efforts that will improve the warfighting capabilities of our military,” Capt. Rex Boonyobhas, the commanding officer at NSWC Crane, added.

NSWC Crane cites its scientific and engineering expertise, advanced facilities and laboratories, and close ties with the battery industry as key to integrating, deploying and sustaining advanced energy solutions.

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Bechtel Installs 1st Tower Module of NASA’s New Mobile Launcher
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Bechtel Installs 1st Tower Module of NASA’s New Mobile Launcher

Bechtel has lifted and placed the first tower module of NASA’s Mobile Launcher 2, or ML2, at Kennedy Space Center, paving the way for the vertical installation of the remaining modules.

In the coming months, the tower modules will be stacked until the structure reaches 390 ft, Bechtel said Monday. Designed to be taller and wider than ML1, the platform will serve as an umbilical arm for NASA’s Exploration Upper Stage when transporting and launching space rockets.

Ensuring Safe Launch of Artemis IV Mission

According to Mike Costas, general manager of defense and space at Bechtel, the project crew is working to complete ML2 on schedule, guaranteeing a safe launch of the Artemis IV crew and critical payload.

“This is a significant milestone for the Bechtel and NASA teams,” he added.

Supporting Future NASA Space Operations

The ML2 tower modules are engineered to stabilize the rocket and spacecraft for delivery to the launchpad and connect the infrastructure to provide power, data, communication, propellants, fluids, gases, sound suppression and imagery to the rocket and spacecraft before launch. The 38-story platform will support the Artemis IV mission and future NASA space operations once the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket is ready to carry equipment to the Lunar Gateway.

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Third Flagship CHIPS for America R&D Facility Site Revealed
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Third Flagship CHIPS for America R&D Facility Site Revealed

The Department of Commerce and the National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology, or Natcast, has revealed the possible location of the third CHIPS for America flagship research and development facility.

The department said Monday the Arizona State University Research Park in Tempe, Arizona is the potential site for the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program—a.k.a. NAPMP—Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility, known as PPF.

NAPMP Facility

The NAPMP facility, expected to be operational by 2028, is the world’s first manufacturing and advanced packaging research facility for 300mm front-end semiconductor. It is meant to drive economic growth, strengthen national security and boost the country’s semiconductor industry.

The PPF will help accelerate the transition from laboratory research to full-scale semiconductor manufacturing. It will also provide researchers with means to innovate and test new materials, devices and packaging technologies.

The new facility will benefit from being in Arizona where many front-end semiconductor manufacturing and packaging companies are based. As a research university, ASU will also boost R&D efforts supporting the semiconductor industry.

CHIPS of America invested in NAPMP mainly due to the shortage of 300mm semiconductor wafer prototyping facilities and limited access to specialized facilities and infrastructure, skilled workforce and financial support.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, said “Arizona has long been a hub for technological progress and this new facility will strengthen our domestic supply chain, drive advanced manufacturing breakthroughs and secure America’s leadership in this critical industry.”

Natcast CEO Deirdre Hanford added, “This facility will be a premier destination where researchers from industry, academia, startups and the broader semiconductor ecosystem will convene to explore, experiment and collaborate on the next generation of semiconductor and packaging technologies that will power the industries of the future.”

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US, Indian Officials Discuss Strategic Tech Collaborations
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US, Indian Officials Discuss Strategic Tech Collaborations

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday held a meeting with Ajit Doval, his counterpart from India, during which the two discussed the importance of the joint efforts by their countries to develop and produce strategic technologies beneficial to the world, according to a press release issued by the White House.

US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology

The collaboration is being carried out as part of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, which Sullivan and Doval launched in 2022 at the behest of U.S. President Joe Biden and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Since the initiative’s launch, the two countries have moved forward with integrating their technology and defense supply chains, enabled multilateral work with nations from Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and deepened collaboration across key sectors, including cybersecurity, telecommunication, space and semiconductors.

Results of Collaboration

Achievements under the collaboration include a joint effort between U.S. and Indian astronauts at the International Space Station with the upcoming launch of Axiom-4; progress in discussions between Ultra Maritime and Bharat Dynamics for the co-production of U.S. sonobuoys in support of the U.S. and Indian defense industrial bases; and the building of a collaborative program between the Geological Survey of India and the U.S. Geological Survey on exploration of rare earth elements and critical mineral deposits.

Sullivan and Doval went on to express confidence in the endurance of the partnerships established between their governments as well as their respective industries and academic institutions.

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