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Army Explores Nuclear Power Use for Installation Resilience
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Army Explores Nuclear Power Use for Installation Resilience

The U.S. Army is looking at the possibility of utilizing nuclear power to bolster installation resilience and operational readiness.

The service branch said Wednesday it is considering siting a microreactor on one or more of its installations by 2030.

Nuclear Energy for Strengthening Army Installations

The Army intends to study the feasibility of utilizing nuclear power on its installations to ensure access to reliable energy sources vital to military operations. It is working with the Defense Innovation Unit, interagency partners and utility providers to assess the possible effects of the microreactors on safety, economy and the environment. These factors will be used to determine the possible placement and operation of the reactor.

With its commitment to developing a comprehensive energy strategy, the Army is considering nuclear energy and all other possible sources. This development aligns with efforts to utilize innovations to boost mission assurance and readiness, as well as power-projection capabilities.

Rachel Jacobson, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment, stated, “When it comes to installation energy resilience and reliable power to support operational and strategic readiness on installations, we can’t leave anything off the table. We are actively developing a solution set that includes all types of power that will meet those needs; nuclear is one that we are looking at as part of our deliberate and thoughtful planning.”

Mattermost Works With pgEdge for Collaboration Workflow Platform
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Mattermost Works With pgEdge for Collaboration Workflow Platform

Mattermost has partnered with pgEdge to create an ultra-high availability collaboration workflow platform.

Through the collaboration, the Mattermost workflow platform will be enhanced using pgEdge’s PostgreSQL database, creating an “always-on” platform that can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, Mattermost announced Wednesday. 

The platform currently supports a U.S. government agency and will be made available to other customers in the defense, critical infrastructure and government sectors. 

Phillip Merrick, CEO of pgEdge, said, “Mattermost has a well-earned reputation for being the leading collaboration platform for organizations with exacting security requirements. We are delighted to partner with them to now add ultra-high availability to the impressive array of Mattermost capabilities.”

pgEdge’s PostgreSQL Database 

pgEdge is a fully distributed PostgreSQL database that’s open and based on standard PostgreSQL. The database can operate across geographic regions with reduced latency, and it can support operations throughout fully air-gapped environments. 

Pavel Zeman, senior vice president of engineering at Mattermost, said, “We have been successfully running Mattermost on Postgres for many years.”

“We are pleased to further bolster this support by utilizing pgEdge to meet the high availability requirements of some of the world’s most demanding organizations,” noted Zeman.

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Office of the Asst. Sec. for Health Appoints Nicole Willis as CIO
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Office of the Asst. Sec. for Health Appoints Nicole Willis as CIO

Nicole Willis, a more than two-decade government IT professional, has assumed the role of chief information officer at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, or OASH, within the Department of Health and Human Services.

Willis announced her appointment at OASH in a LinkedIn post published Tuesday.

Nicole Willis’ Career Background

According to her LinkedIn profile, Willis joined OASH after serving as deputy CIO at the National Archives and Records Administration.

Prior to NARA, the newly appointed CIO spent four years at the HHS Office of Inspector General, where she served as chief technology officer and chief enterprise architect.

Her government career included time as deputy chief architect and architecture planning branch chief at the Department of Homeland Security, senior enterprise architect at the U.S. Government Publishing Office and IT specialist at the National Science Foundation.

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NASA Tests 3 Artemis Commercial Lunar Rovers
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NASA Tests 3 Artemis Commercial Lunar Rovers

NASA concluded the first round of testing on three lunar terrain vehicles, or LTVs, from Venturi Astrolab, Intuitive Machines and Lunar Outpost for the Artemis program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The space agency said the three companies delivered static mockups of their LTVs to Johnson in September, enabling NASA’s engineering teams to initiate rover testing inside the Active Response Gravity Offload System, or ARGOS, test facility in October.

“We are excited to have mockups from all three LTV commercial providers here at Johnson Space Center,” said Steve Munday, LTV project manager at NASA. “This is the first major test milestone within the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract and to have actual rovers delivered only four months after these companies were awarded is remarkable.”

In April, NASA awarded the three companies positions on the potential $4.6 billion Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract in support of the agency’s Artemis moon exploration program.

Moon Rover Testing

NASA astronauts and engineers took turns wearing Axiom Space’s Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit lunar spacesuit and the agency’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit planetary prototype spacesuit to perform maneuvers, tasks and emergency drills on each rover: Astrolab’s FLEX, Lunar Outpost’s Eagle and Moon RACER from Intuitive Machines.

The tests provided crewmembers an opportunity to provide feedback on each vehicle’s design functionality, identify potential design issues and safety concerns and assess display interfaces and controls.

In 2025, NASA intends to release a request for proposals for task orders to any eligible commercial providers for a demonstration mission to continue building the vehicle, bring it to the lunar surface and validate its safety and performance ahead of Artemis V.

What Is NASA’s Artemis Campaign?

Through the Artemis campaign, the space agency will transport astronauts to the lunar surface to explore the moon for technology advancement and scientific discovery and establish the foundation for future manned missions to Mars.

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Navy Wraps Up Final Engine Test for USV Program
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Navy Wraps Up Final Engine Test for USV Program

The U.S. Navy completed a 720-hour power demonstration on a model engine, MTU 8V4000M24S, for use aboard future unmanned surface vessels, or USVs, in accordance with the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

Naval Sea Systems Command said Wednesday the 720-hour final engine test is part of a larger USV testing initiative to evaluate the resilience and capability of engine systems to perform autonomous operations for extended periods.

The Navy’s Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants, or PEO USC, and the Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406) supervised the demonstration. 

During the final engine test, Precise Power Systems performed testing work on behalf of Austal USA at Daimler Trucks North America Aftermarket Solutions in Tooele, Utah, between June 19 and Sept. 5.

“This milestone marks a pivotal advancement in our naval strategy, as it enhances our capabilities in unmanned operations,” said Rear. Adm. Kevin Smith, head of PEO USC. “Successfully demonstrating a power system that can sustain autonomous operations for 30 days without maintenance not only bolsters our readiness but also sets the stage for a truly integrated manned-unmanned Fleet, ensuring we remain at the forefront of maritime innovation.”

5 Other Engine Tests 

Before this final engine test, five other industry teams achieved their separate 720-hour testing milestones.

On behalf of Caterpillar, Bollinger and Carter Machinery tested the 1550 kw Caterpillar 3512C model engine and became the first team to reach the milestone in December 2023.

The team of Fincantieri Marinette Marine and Carter Machinery validated the mechanical durability of the Caterpillar 2300 kW rated 3516 main propulsion diesel, lube oil and fuel system.

On behalf of Cummins, Gibbs & Cox and Southwest Research Institute conducted a 720-hour power demonstration on the QSK95 diesel engine paired with an ABB AMG 0560M04 LAE generator.

HII partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard to test a main propulsion diesel engine configuration, MTU 20V 4000 M93L.

On behalf of Cummins, L3Harris Technologies performed testing to assess the mechanical reliability of the QSK60 diesel engine and QSM11, a marine diesel generator set.

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DOD Issues Strategy for Chemical, Biological Defense Program
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DOD Issues Strategy for Chemical, Biological Defense Program

The Department of Defense announced it has issued the 2024 Chemical and Biological Defense Program, or CBDP, with an enterprise strategy focused on rapid and at-scale deterrence of advanced threats. “This strategy creates the urgency and change necessary to continue to outpace our adversaries and the threat,” said Ian Watson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for chemical and biological defense.

The CBDP, which revises its 2020 iteration, builds upon the 2022 National Defense Strategy prioritizing deterrents against threats from China and Russia. The new program also supports other tactical guidance, such as the 2023 Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, the National Defense Industrial Strategy and the Biodefense Posture Review. 

Call for Technical Enablers and Innovators   

The program is geared toward four DOD goals in delivering chemical and biological defense, or CBD, capabilities at speed and scale. The objectives include the delivery of operationally relevant capabilities and creation of CBD advantages, such as materiel solutions enabling restoration of combat power. The program will also seek technical enablers and innovations in CBD and tap and expand partnerships with government, industry, academia and U.S. allies.

CBD-related efforts announced recently include a Defense Threat Reduction Agency solicitation issued in May for products and services related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat reduction with a potential total value of $3.5 billion.

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Commerce Dept Taps GlobalWafers to Boost Silicon Wafer Supply
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Commerce Dept Taps GlobalWafers to Boost Silicon Wafer Supply

The Department of Commerce has awarded direct funding worth up to $406 million in total to two GlobalWafers subsidiaries to strengthen the silicon wafers supply chain.

The department said Tuesday GlobalWafers America and MEMC were awarded under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities to bolster the domestic supply chain for 300mm wafers. The investment is also intended to create thousands of jobs and enhance national security.

Construction of Silicon Wafer Manufacturing Facilities

The awards will be used for the construction of wafer production facilities in Texas and Missouri. The two projects are expected to generate a total of around 1,700 construction jobs and 880 manufacturing jobs. The total expenditures for both projects is expected to reach $4 billion.

GWA’s Texas facility will used for the high-volume production of 300mm silicon wafer. It will be the first of its kind in the country. The silicon wafers will be utilized for manufacturing advanced memory devices.

The MEMC investment covers the construction of a Missouri facility where 300mm silicon-on-insulator, or SOI, wafers will be produced. These silicon wafers will be installed in devices used by the defense and aerospace sectors.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, stated, “The semiconductor wafers that will be produced here in the U.S. because of this investment in GlobalWafers are the foundation of the advanced chips that will help us out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world.”

GlobalWafers CEO Doris Hsu, added, “GlobalWafers is proud to be a CHIPS for America participant and the only global producer now building advanced wafer facilities in the United States.”

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NSDC Establishes NACE Program to Enhance Space Ops
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NSDC Establishes NACE Program to Enhance Space Ops

The National Space Defense Center has launched the NSDC Advanced Concept Experimentation, or NACE, program to drive innovation and optimize its space defense capabilities.

The U.S. Space Forces – Space said Tuesday the NACE program aims to enhance space operations and bolster intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Furthermore, the program intends to boost defensive cyber operations and command-and-control processes. 

NSDC Advanced Concept Experimentation

NACE is a program designed to accelerate innovations and enhance operational capabilities through experimentation, which can be done through live operations or tabletop exercises involving space warfighters. The program focuses on enhancing mission execution and fostering warfighter mentality.

NACE uses an approach similar to the scientific method to formulate a hypothesis and create a scenario to test the hypothesis. The program also utilizes the concept of agile development sprint instead of the typical military process of exercise, training and test experience.

NACE Program Objectives

The NACE program aims to rehearse and refine C2 procedures for planning, executing and evaluating space, cyber, and intelligence operations. It is also meant to support real-world testing and the development of future capabilities. Another main objective of the program is to identify risks, issues and gaps in existing capabilities, processes and authorities supporting space operations.

Lt. Col. Jason Utulo, director of operations experimentation, stressed that the NACE experiments aim to integrate and synchronize with mission partners and enhance processes and operations.

“These experiments enable collaboration to see what processes enable tactical units the flexibility to achieve their warfighting functions,” Utulo added. “This will help understand what feedback mechanisms the center needs to fulfill Global C2/Battle Management obligations… and just get better at warfighting.”

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OSTP Tasks NASA to Lead Reference Systems for Cislunar Space
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OSTP Tasks NASA to Lead Reference Systems for Cislunar Space

The Office of Science and Technology Policy has called on federal government agencies to develop common reference systems to support the long-term presence of humans on the Moon. OSTP published a memorandum on Wednesday seeking to establish a reference system that will enable navigation, scientific discovery and commercial activity on the lunar surface. 

According to the document, NASA must collaborate with other federal agencies and international partners to craft an implementation plan for the lunar reference systems by 2026. 

Coordinated Lunar Time

The new memorandum complements a previous memo that Arati Prabhakar, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of OSTP, issued in April, in which she directed NASA to establish a timing system for the Moon and other celestial bodies. 

Timekeeping on the Moon can be quite a challenge due to its unique gravitational pull. A regular atomic clock would tick faster on the lunar surface compared to those on Earth. 

A unified time standard will support sustained activity on and around the Moon. 

OSTP’s Five-Year Plan for Cislunar Space

OSTP will also publish the National Cislunar Science and Technology Action Plan, which outlines the steps the government will take over the next five years to maintain leadership in space. 

The document has four strategic objectives: supporting research and development efforts, expanding international coordination on science and technology, and broadening coverage of space situational awareness capabilities. 

According to the action plan, the U.S. also aims to build scalable and interoperable communications and positioning, navigation, and timing infrastructure in cislunar space. 

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DIU Selects Companies to Demo Heating, Cooling Tech for DOD Bases
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DIU Selects Companies to Demo Heating, Cooling Tech for DOD Bases

The Defense Innovation Unit has selected three companies to prototype innovative technologies for efficient air conditioning and water heating applications in Department of Defense facilities.

The selected companies will demonstrate heating and cooling technologies that would enable DOD installations to cut down their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions, DIU said Wednesday. The effort is expected to reduce the estimated $4 billion that the agency spends annually on facility energy costs.

Efficient Energy Use for DOD Bases

From the 40 companies that participated in DOD’s Environmental Security Technology Certification Program—a.k.a. ESTCP—DIU picked GTI Energy to install and monitor air-water Lync heat pumps for domestic hot water use in barracks at Fort Gregg-Adams and Fort Moore. The Illinois-based company will also install four dual-fuel rooftop hybrid units Applied Instruction Hanger building at Fort Gregg-Adams.

Meanwhile, Blue Frontier was tapped to install a liquid desiccant-enhanced dedicated outdoor air system in the commissary club at Fort Moore, Georgia and a bowling alley at Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts. The system is designed to provide moisture removal efficiency and energy storage capability.

Intellihot, the last contract awardee, will be tasked to install a tankless heat pump water heater technology in the base recreation building at the Westover Air Reserve Base. The selected companies are required to install, test and monitor the required systems from 2024 through 2025.

Increasing Installation Resilience

Through the ESTCP initiative, DIU is identifying and deploying new technologies to increase installation resilience and optimize future energy use on DOD bases.

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