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Amber McIntyre Joins AIA as Senior Director of Civil Space
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Amber McIntyre Joins AIA as Senior Director of Civil Space

Amber McIntyre, a seasoned space policy expert, has joined the Aerospace Industries Association as senior director of civil space.

In an announcement published Tuesday, AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning said, “Amber’s experience and leadership in space policy will be critical in advancing our advocacy efforts. Her expertise will help us champion the importance of space innovation and collaboration, ensuring it remains a top priority for the new administration and Congress. We are excited to have Amber join us and drive our mission forward.”

McIntyre’s Career Background

Prior to joining AIA, McIntyre served as director of international space policy at the National Space Policy Council within the Executive Office of the Vice President, where she coordinated U.S. space policy across agencies such as NASA, the State Department and the Department of Defense. 

McIntyre was also a counselor for interagency and international relations at NASA, advising the administrator on space diplomacy and strategic agency priorities. She also held the position of deputy chief of staff for operations at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, managing key diplomatic engagements.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, McIntyre stated, “I am thrilled to announce that I have officially stepped into the role of Senior Director for Civil Space at AIA! This is not just a new job for me; it’s a purpose driven opportunity to promote American leadership in space alongside an incredible team of passionate space champions.”

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DOD Unveils MOSA Implementation Guidebook
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DOD Unveils MOSA Implementation Guidebook

The Department of Defense announced on Tuesday the release of a guidebook that offers best practices for planning, implementing and evaluating a modular open systems approach, dubbed MOSA, and provides recommendations when developing requests for proposals and assessing planned approaches for implementing MOSA.

The Office of Systems Engineering and Architecture within the DOD Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering developed the guidebook, which seeks to provide military services, contractors and civilians with information on how to integrate MOSA into programs as part of the defense acquisition life cycle.

MOSA Pillars

The document outlines DOD’s MOSA pillars, including establishing and maintaining an enabling environment that supports MOSA and employing a modular design.

Designating modular interfaces, leveraging consensus-based open standards and certifying conformance are the three other MOSA pillars discussed in the guidebook.

DOD Considerations for MOSA Implementation

The guidebook outlines DOD’s program management and technical considerations for implementing MOSA.

Prior to MOSA implementation, the acquisition program should adopt a basic framework to plan, identify, manage, define and ensure the compliance of system interfaces.

The document states that the framework should be implemented and maintained throughout the acquisition life cycle and help ensure that program managers capture all interface requirements in accordance with the program’s acquisition strategy.

The guidebook also highlights the technical areas to consider when implementing MOSA, including work breakdown structure, MOSA-enabling standards and specifications, software-specific considerations, cybersecurity and commercial off-the-shelf components.

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GAO Recommends Annual DOD Satcom Report to Congress
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GAO Recommends Annual DOD Satcom Report to Congress

The Department of Defense should report to Congress annually on the progress of the integrated satellite communication architectures it is adopting in place of a linear approach, the Government Accountability Office said. In a report released Tuesday, GAO noted the challenges that DOD faces in the shift, such as the historically slow pace of satcom acquisitions that can hinder fielding systems on time for the department’s plans.   

The congressional watchdog office noted that the DOD shift depends on increased coordination among satcom stakeholders and with commercial providers that the department needs to engage for implementing integrated satcom architectures. 

Data-Sharing Challenge

Even with DOD’s initiative to start automating satcom resource allocations, difficulties are expected in securing varying forms of access and permissions for data sharing, according to officials that GAO consulted.

In addition, the office observed that DOD’s reporting system on enterprise satcom is not comprehensive enough on its outcomes. A more thorough reporting would help the department pinpoint and mitigate delays sooner, as well as inform Congress on developments.

GAO recommended that DOD assign its chief information officer to secure support from the U.S. Space Force in preparing an annual report to Congress on the enterprise satcom system for inclusion in the president’s budget submission through fiscal year 2030. DOD concurred with the recommendation, GAO said.

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US Army Clears MAPS GEN II for Full-Rate Production Phase
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US Army Clears MAPS GEN II for Full-Rate Production Phase

The U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors has approved the Mounted Assured, Positioning, Navigation and Timing System Generation, or MAPS GEN, II for full-rate production.

The PEO IEW&S clearance allows the Project Manager Positioning, Navigation and Timing’s Mounted PNT product office and its partner vendor, Collins Aerospace, to move forward with the manufacturing and deployment phase of MAPS GEN II, the Army said Tuesday. The office will also prepare the technology for initial operating capability.

Culmination of ‘Hard Work and Dedication’

Lt. Col. Damian Dixon, product manager at Mounted PNT, attributed the achievement to “team effort,” noting the production approval was secured after more than “six years of hard work and dedication.” “We remain committed to collaborating with Collins Aerospace as we move into this next phase for MAPS GEN II,” Dixon added.

Combat Operations in GPS Degraded Environments

MAPS GEN II employs sensor fusion algorithms and non-radio frequency sensors to distribute PNT data, supporting combat operations in environments with degraded or denied military GPS. It will allow Army ground soldiers to maneuver, shoot and communicate, and supply PNT data to clients on a single platform.

In August 2024, Collins Aerospace secured a $96.8 million contract to deliver MAPS devices, which will be installed in ground vehicles, watercraft, munition systems and other platforms operated by the Army and the Marine Corps.

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NASA, Italy Achieve First GNSS Signals on Moon
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NASA, Italy Achieve First GNSS Signals on Moon

NASA and the Italian Space Agency have conducted a demonstration where the Lunar Global Navigation Satellite System Receiver Experiment, or LuGRE, acquired and tracked Earth-based navigation on the surface of the Moon on March 3.

The agency said Tuesday the LuGRE payload, launched on March 2 aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost, showed that the GNSS signals can be received and tracked on the Moon. It is the first technology demonstration to achieve the feat.

Pivotal Step for Moon and Mars Exploration

The results of the experiment showed that GNSS signals can be utilized for NASA’s exploration missions, particularly the Artemis program. The signals can be used to accelerate the development of navigation systems and other services for Moon and Mars missions. 

Operators at Goddard Space Flight Center started the first science operation after LuGRE, one of 10 payloads NASA will utilize to advance lunar science, was deployed on the Moon. The signals were later acquired and tracked with a navigation fix of around 225,000 miles away from Earth. The mission will continue gathering data for 14 days with more GNSS breakthroughs expected.

“On Earth we can use GNSS signals to navigate in everything from smartphones to airplanes,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program. “Now, LuGRE shows us that we can successfully acquire and track GNSS signals at the Moon.”

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Katie Arrington to Perform DOD CIO Duties
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Katie Arrington to Perform DOD CIO Duties

Katie Arrington, former South Carolina state lawmaker and a previous Wash100 awardee, has been appointed to perform the duties of the Department of Defense’s chief information officer.

In a LinkedIn post published Monday, the Office of the DOD CIO said Arrington will serve as the secretary of defense’s primary adviser on matters related to IT and information management; information assurance; non-intelligence space systems; telecommunications; critical satellite communications, navigation and timing programs; and spectrum.

The office also announced that Leslie Beavers, who served as acting CIO at DOD, will resume her position as principal deputy CIO at the department.

In February, Arrington announced her return to the Pentagon as DOD’s chief information security officer, or CISO.

Arrington’s Career Highlights

From 2019 to 2022, Arrington served as CISO within the DOD Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. During her time at the Pentagon, she helped advance the department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.

She was senior vice president of external affairs at software development company Exiger before rejoining DOD in February.

The DOD official held leadership positions at several tech companies, including Dispersive Technologies, Centuria, and Catalyst Development. She also worked as a research analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton.

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Trump Nominates Paul Dabbar as Commerce Deputy Secretary
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Trump Nominates Paul Dabbar as Commerce Deputy Secretary

President Donald Trump has nominated Paul Dabbar as the next deputy secretary of commerce. Dabbar confirmed the nomination in a LinkedIn post and said he is looking forward to returning to government service. 

Big Plans for Dabbar

Trump first announced the nomination on Truth Social, where he wrote Dabbar will work with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to position the United States as a global leader in commerce, trade and technology. 

Dabbar served as under secretary for science at the Department of Energy during the first Trump administration. In the role, he led U.S. national laboratories and advised the department on areas of energy research and technology development. The official also oversaw technology commercialization activities at the DOE. 

Who Is Paul Dabbar?

Aside from his government service, Dabbar is an executive who has founded and led his own company, Bohr Quantum Technology. 

He currently sits as a member of the AirJoule Technologies and Dominion Energy boards of directors. Dabbar is also a visiting fellow and adjust senior research scholar for Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. 

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Dabbar served as a nuclear submarine officer for the U.S. Navy earlier in his career. 

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VA to Phase Out $1.8B in Non-Mission-Critical, Duplicative Contracts
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VA to Phase Out $1.8B in Non-Mission-Critical, Duplicative Contracts

The Department of Veterans Affairs has started canceling 585 non-mission-critical or duplicative contracts worth about $1.8 billion combined following a review of nearly 2,000 professional services contracts.

VA said Monday the contract cancellations mark the first step in its ongoing audit of approximately 90,000 contracts totaling more than $67 billion.

Redirecting Over $900M 

After identifying duplicative contracts, VA can now shift approximately $900 million toward healthcare, services and benefits for veterans.

According to the agency, mission-critical contracts are not included in the reductions.

“Under President Trump, VA is focused on becoming more efficient, responsive and accountable to the Veterans, family members, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving. We are putting Veterans first at VA,” said VA Secretary Douglas Collins.

“That means finding new and better ways to do our jobs and focus our resources. Every dollar we spend on wasteful or duplicative contracts is one less dollar we can spend on Veterans, and given that choice, I will always side with the Veteran,” added Collins.

Multilevel Review Process

VA conducted a multilevel review process involving VA senior leaders, contracting officials and career subject-matter expert employees.

Under the process, VA career employees assessed the contracts based on how they support the department’s beneficiaries and veterans. They were also given the option to stop a contract from being terminated if they thought the move would negatively impact the delivery of VA healthcare benefits and other services to beneficiaries.

Canceled contracts include those providing administrative services that the department can perform on its own, such as leadership coaching, staff mentoring and meeting agenda preparation. VA also moved to eliminate contracts offering the exact same services, such as third-party certifications for items like enhanced-use leases.

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TSMC to Invest $100B More in Arizona Chip Manufacturing Operations
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TSMC to Invest $100B More in Arizona Chip Manufacturing Operations

President Donald Trump on Monday announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. will make an additional $100 billion investment in its U.S. advanced chip manufacturing operations, bringing TSMC’s total American investments to approximately $165 billion.

“This will create hundreds of billions of dollars in economic activity and boost America’s dominance in artificial intelligence and beyond,” Trump said Monday at the White House.

The president joined TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei during the announcement.

Expansion Plans

Wei said the $100 billion investment will fund the construction of three new fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a research and development center in Arizona.

“It’s going to create thousands of high-paying jobs … We are going to produce many chips to support AI’s progress and to support the smartphone’s progress,” the Taiwan-based company’s chief executive said during the announcement.

The latest investment builds on TSMC’s ongoing $65 billion investment in its semiconductor manufacturing operations in Phoenix, Arizona.

TSMC said Tuesday it expects the expanded investment to generate tens of thousands of high-tech jobs in R&D and advanced chip manufacturing and support 40,000 construction jobs in Arizona over the next four years. 

The announcement reflects TSMC’s commitment to supporting U.S. customers, including Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm and Broadcom.

Arizona Fab

TSMC’s Phoenix-based chip manufacturing plant operates with more than 3,000 employees and has been in the volume production phase since late 2024.

In addition to its Arizona site, the company runs a fab in Washington and design service centers in Texas and California.

Other Investments to Advance AI

In January, OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle announced plans to invest up to $500 billion over the next four years in Stargate, a new joint venture tasked with establishing a new AI infrastructure to advance U.S. leadership in the technology and create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country.

Register here to join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 20, to hear more about cutting-edge AI innovations from industry and government experts.

POC - 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit
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Norman Knight Named Acting Deputy Director of NASA’s Johnson Center
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Norman Knight Named Acting Deputy Director of NASA’s Johnson Center

Norman Knight has been appointed acting deputy director of the Johnson Space Center at NASA.

Norman Knight’s 25-Year NASA Career

The agency said Monday Knight is a NASA lifer who’s been with the agency for almost 25 years. He currently serves as the director of Johnson’s Flight Operations Directorate where he oversees a 2,400-strong workforce tasked with mission operations for NASA human spaceflight programs. He is also responsible for astronaut and aircrew training as well as aircraft operations.

Knight previously served as deputy director of flight operations and technical assistant for the Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations. He was the chief of the Flight Director Office for six years, where he oversaw all aspects of human spaceflight operations, including the International Space Station, exploration missions and commercial spaceflight.

The NASA executive also served as the flight director of the Space Shuttle and the ISS, where he oversaw several space missions. He started his NASA career as a Space Shuttle mechanical systems flight controller.

Steven Koerner, acting director of the Johnson Space Center, said, “Norm has an accomplished career within the agency. His leadership, expertise, and dedication to the mission will [undoubtedly] drive our continued success.”

“Human spaceflight is key to our agency’s mission and our Johnson team is unified in that goal,” said Knight. “The successes we see every day are the evidence of that. It never ceases to amaze me what our team is capable of.”

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