The Department of Homeland Security has issued a request for proposals to seek input from universities in developing the capabilities of DHS personnel.

DHS said Wednesday it aims to create a master's degree program that will work to help students implement security technologies that are under the research and development phase to operational capacity.

Based on the department's Security Technology Transition effort,  the program will enable employees to explore federal acquisition policies, study technology adoption gaps and observe the research and development process. DHS also envisions the students to manage and mitigate potential issues in carrying technological updates as part of the course.

“S&T’s investment in this MBA program will build a cross-DHS collaborative workforce with the capability and skill set needed to develop, acquire, implement, and manage the transition process of operationally relevant technologies,” said William Bryan, senior official performing the duties of the undersecretary for science and technology at DHS.

Interested schools may employ and aggregate existing courses to build an MBA program that will house a management curriculum with real-world case studies and security technology subjects.

Phase I proposals are due March 5, while Phase II submissions will be accepted until March 26.

The 152nd Airlift Wing within Air National Guard has established a "spark cell" innovation program that aims to foster creative innovation across force members.

The Silver State Spark cell would allow airmen to explore and plan innovation projects for a maximum of five days during technician and training periods, the U.S. Air Force said Wednesday.

The program also allows airmen to propose their formed project plans to respective commanders and apply for a chance of implementation.

"A Spark Cell gives Airmen of all ranks the opportunity to think creatively toward new and innovative solutions to the challenges they face in the daily conduct of flying, fighting and winning our nation's wars," said Col. Jacob Hammons, 152nd Airlift Wing commander, who initiated planning for the spark cell's creation.

Maj. Greg Green, who facilitates the wing's spark cell, gathered insight during an AFWERX-supported spark cell training event that took place in Las Vegas from Feb. 19 to 21.

 "There's no doubt a demand for improving the way we do business," Green said, also noting that airmen are already submitting ideas.

The Census Bureau is launching a pilot effort to deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify operational data that employees may have missed, Fedscoop reported Wednesday.

Zachary Whitman, chief data officer of the bureau, said at an AFCEA event that employees previously reported difficulties when processing survey data that are handled through siloed programs.

“How do you get people to translate into information they might not know about but would be very valuable to them?” said Whitman. “That’s where a lot of our AI is coming into play, not only with our search services, but also with our user engagement.”

The bureau is also implementing AI algorithms to segregate customer feedback and identify positive and negative input.

NASA plans to use a space-based instrument to sustain data gathering on the radiation balance in Earth’s atmosphere.

Libera, the new selected instrument, would generate data on absorptions, emissions, reflections and atmospheric entries of solar radiation that serves as a factor of Earth's climate, the space agency said Thursday.

The instrument gathers wavelength range data that scientists can use to study different instances of climate change.

NASA is pursuing Libera to address the 2017 National Academies’ Earth Science Decadal Survey that identified science priorities based on community expertise.

The instrument will launch with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Joint Polar Satellite System-3 satellite in late 2027.

“This highly innovative instrument introduces a number of new technologies such as advanced detectors that will improve the data we collect while maintaining continuity of these important radiation budget measurements,” said Sandra Cauffman, who leads NASA's Earth science division on an acting basis.

NASA will publicly release Libera's data after commissioning.

James Sullivan, the defense intelligence officer for cyber at the Defense Intelligence Agency, has said that the U.S. should also prioritize cyber offense efforts aside from defense-focused activities.

DIA said Wednesday that Sullivan spoke at this year’s RSA Conference in San Francisco on how mitigating supply chain risks is key to fortifying U.S. cybersecurity.

According to Sullivan, DIA operates a threat analysis center for supply chain risk management that works to analyze vulnerabilities in embedded software.

“I think if you understand the tactics, techniques and procedures [of adversaries] of how they go about discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities, then I think that goes a long way mitigating risk,” said Sullivan.

“The cyber domain is very much becoming an aspect of war and warfare in this country and globally,” he added.

Sullivan’s comments come as part of his “Digital Risk Management” breakout session at the conference.

Northrop Grumman, NASA and Lockheed Martin have successfully completed the third and final qualification test of the Attitude Control Motor (ACM) integrated into NASA’s Orion spacecraft Launch Abort System (LAS), Northrop Grumman announced on Thursday. 

“Completion of this milestone emphasizes Northrop Grumman’s commitment to deliver innovative and reliable technology that will keep our astronauts safe during launch,” said Pat Nolan, vice president of missile products with Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman’s team performed the test under cold operating conditions to complement the earlier tests conducted at nominal and high-temperature conditions. The company ignited the motor using one of the two initiators and simulated high altitude vacuum conditions to demonstrate worst case conditions.

The reported results revealed that the motor showed excellent performance and met the design criteria for the application. All eight high thrust valves operated nominally over the 35 second motor burn time. The valves provided more than 7,000 lbs. of thrust during the high thrust portion of the duty cycle. 

The ACM is one of three motors comprising Orion’s LAS. The system is designed to carry astronauts inside the spacecraft to safety if an emergency arises on the launch pad or during Orion’s climb to orbit. 

The attitude control motor would steer the Orion crew module away from the launch vehicle in the case of an abort. The ACM also orients the capsule for parachute deployment once the crew module is clear of all hazards.

Orion is part of NASA’s pillars of deep space exploration, along with the Space Launch System rocket and Gateway in orbit around the Moon. Orion will sustain astronauts in deep space, provide emergency abort capability, and support a safe re-entry from lunar return velocities.

“The qualification test is a critical step toward Artemis II, Orion’s first flight with astronauts,”  added Nolan. 

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an American global aerospace and defense technology company. With over 85,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers.