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NARA to Begin GenAI Pilot in 2025 to Enhance Data Search Results
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NARA to Begin GenAI Pilot in 2025 to Enhance Data Search Results

The National Archives and Records Administration expects to launch a generative artificial intelligence pilot in early 2025 to enhance how different groups of people find the information they need on the NARA website, Federal News Network reported Monday.

At the recent ACT-IAC ImaginationNation conference, Sheena Burrell, NARA’s former chief information officer, said the pilot will initially focus on applying GenAI to the Warren Commission documents and information related to President John Kennedy’s assassination.

Optical Character Recognition and Semantic Search

NARA is considering Google’s Vertex AI platform for the pilot. According to Burrell, who left the agency last week to assume the chief innovation officer at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Vertex enables optical character recognition, which allows people with different backgrounds to easily find needed information. The former CIO added that the pilot could enable semantic search on the National Archives catalog to deliver relevant search results.

“One of the things from a customer perspective that we’ve heard a lot is that sometimes people are not able to find what they’re looking for,” Burell said. “A middle schooler versus a person who is a trained archivist or a trained researcher. Those are two different types of experiences, and we want to be able to cater to both.”

NARA is also exploring other AI use cases, including reviewing, redacting and declassifying documents to reduce the time needed to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests.

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Pentagon Issues Updated Instruction on MTA Pathway
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Pentagon Issues Updated Instruction on MTA Pathway

The Department of Defense has released an updated document establishing policy and outlining the procedures for managing middle tier of acquisition, or MTA, for rapid prototyping and deployment of capabilities.

The updated DOD Instruction took effect Monday, Nov. 25, and was approved by William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and a 2024 Wash100 awardee.

The changes to the MTA guidance, which was first released in December 2019, include program start date and major defense acquisition program equivalent definitions and references to the Adaptive Acquisition Framework Document Identification, or AAFDID, tool.

The latest document also includes sustainment metrics, exportability considerations and transition plan requirements and clarifying language for classified MTA data and use of the software pathway.

What Is MTA Pathway?

The MTA pathway seeks to address a gap in the defense acquisition system to facilitate the rapid prototyping and deployment of capabilities within five years of a program’s launch.

According to the DOD Instruction, this pathway may be used to expedite capability maturation before transitioning to another acquisition pathway. It may also be used to minimally develop a capability prior to rapid fielding efforts.

Responsibilities of DOD Officials

The defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment should determine whether a program is appropriate or not for the MTA pathway, work with decision authorities to ensure streamlined processes and maintain responsibility for prototyping activities within the MTA pathway.

The updated guidance also calls for the DOD undersecretary for research and engineering to manage the department’s rapid prototyping fund and advise DOD components on program planning that anticipates the evolution of capabilities to meet evolving threats, interoperability and tech insertion.

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NASA’s Industry Collaborators Develop LEO Space Tech
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NASA’s Industry Collaborators Develop LEO Space Tech

NASA’s industry partners under the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative have made progress in developing technologies to advance future low Earth orbit space missions.

Space Exploration and In-Orbit Transportation

Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, SpaceX and Outpost Technologies are focused on maturing their spacecraft designed for commercial space transportation, logistics and research, human transportation to the moon and Mars, and cargo delivery.

Blue Origin is advancing work on its integrated commercial space transportation capability to ensure safe, affordable and high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions.

SpaceX and Outpost Technologies have completed flight tests of the Starship reusable rocket and the Cargo Ferry reusable cargo vehicle, respectively. SpaceX is now preparing to launch new generations of Starship in advance of the first crewed lunar landing mission under NASA’s Artemis program.

Northrop Grumman, meanwhile, cleared a project management review with NASA related to the company’s development of the Cygnus logistics and research spacecraft.

Commercial Space Station

NASA has partnered with Sierra Space and Vast to build in-orbit space stations as the existing International Space Station nears the end of its life.

Sierra Space has completed two full-scale ultimate burst pressure tests of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment, a NASA-funded inflatable habitat structure component. The company also tested materials for the habitat’s air barrier to ensure they meet the recommended safety standards.

Ahead of the expected 2025 launch of the Haven-1 commercial space station, Vast achieved technical milestones, including fabricating key components such as the primary structure pathfinder, hatch, battery module and control moment gyroscope. It also completed a solar array deployment test and the station’s preliminary design review.

In-Space Servicing and Manufacturing

NASA partners Special Aerospace Services and ThinkOrbital are focused on in-space servicing and manufacturing capabilities.

Special Aerospace Services is developing an Autonomous Maneuvering Unit for the assembly of commercial LEO space stations, servicing, retrieval and inspection of in-space systems, while ThinkOrbital works on autonomous in-space welding, cutting and X-ray inspection technologies.

“Our commercial partners’ growing capabilities in low Earth orbit underscore NASA’s commitment to advance scientific discovery, pioneering space technology and support future deep space exploration,” said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial LEO Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

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BAE Systems, Rocket Lab Secure Chip Plant Expansion Funding
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BAE Systems, Rocket Lab Secure Chip Plant Expansion Funding

BAE Systems and Rocket Lab are receiving separate U.S. Department of Commerce funding to expand their chips manufacturing facilities vital to national security and the space sector.

The department is awarding the funding under the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS Incentives Program, with up to $35.5 million for BAE Systems and a maximum $23.9 for Rocket Lab, the National Institute of Science and Technology said Monday.

Expanded Chip Output 

BAE Systems’ award will fund the modernization of the company’s Microelectronics Center in Nashua, New Hampshire, a Department of Defense-trusted foundry. The facility’s modernization will quadruple its manufacturing capacity for monolithic microwave integrated circuits vital for advanced military aircraft and commercial satellites.

Rocket Lab’s funding will be spent to modernize and expand the company’s semiconductor plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a targeted 50 percent production increase within the next three years. The higher output is geared at meeting the rising national security and commercial demand for space-grade solar cells. 

Funding Mechanics  

Disbursements of the BAE Systems and Rocket Lab funding will be based on the completion of project milestones. The Commerce Department signed a preliminary memorandum of terms with BAE Systems in December 2023 and with Rocket Lab in June 2024.

The CHIPS of America notice of funding opportunity for commercial fabrication facilities was released on Feb. 28, 2023. It was expanded in June 23, 2023 to include applications for building, expanding or modernizing commercial facilities for semiconductor materials and production equipment with a minimum of $300 million in capital investment.

Arati Prabhakar, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the Biden-Harris administration is driving investment in the semiconductor supply chain to boost U.S. global competitiveness and security.

“America’s space and military systems are the most capable in the world, and that would not be possible without advanced semiconductor technology,” added Prabhakar, a previous Wash100 awardee.

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AFRL to Demo New Tech for Reducing Extreme Space Temperature
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AFRL to Demo New Tech for Reducing Extreme Space Temperature

The Air Force Research Laboratory has launched the Space Power InfraRed Regulation and Analysis of Lifetime, or SPIRRAL, experiment with the SpaceX CRS-31 spacecraft to test the performance of variable emissivity materials, a.k.a. VEMs, in the International Space Station.

The SPIRRAL program will determine how VEMs can reduce temperature extremes in space, AFRL said Monday. Designed to manage thermal challenges encountered by space-orbiting vehicles, the materials alter their optical properties to either reject heat in scorching environments or retain heat in frigid settings.

Game-Changing Space Technology?

Andrew Williams, deputy technology executive officer for space at AFRL, noted that SPIRRAL will change spacecraft thermal control for all satellites. “This technology is the holy grail for spacecraft thermal control and will revolutionize the cost and time for thermal design,” he added.

During the tests, VEMs will be onboard an Aegis Aerospace Materials International Space Station Experiment carrier, which will be stationed outside of the ISS to expose the materials to space. Performance data will then be collected and compared to the VEMs’ anticipated behavior based on models formulated by terrestrial characterization.

Enhanced Spacecraft Resilience

According to Isaac Foster, principal investigator for SPIRRAL, the demonstrations will inform plans to use the technology to bolster future spacecraft resilience, stressing that VEMs will enable more efficient and reliable space assets.

SPIRRAL is part of AFRL’s Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research Project, which seeks to develop technologies for a space-based solar power collection and transmission system to deliver uninterrupted power to U.S. expeditionary forces.

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Vice Adm. George Wikoff Shares How US Navy Tackles AI Challenge
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Vice Adm. George Wikoff Shares How US Navy Tackles AI Challenge

Vice Adm. George Wikoff, commander of the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet and CMF or the Combined Maritime Forces, said the service branch has taken on the challenge of using artificial intelligence as a foundation in its mission to pinpoint, assess and neutralize adversaries intermixed with innocent mariners at sea.

Speaking at the recent 3rd Saudi International Maritime Forum, Wikoff cited as an example the Project 33 initiative of Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, seeking to deploy AI in maritime tasks through robotic and autonomous systems, the Navy said Monday.

AI’s Use in Allied Operations

Wikoff also noted the unmanned systems that US Naval Forces Central Command’s Task Force 59 has integrated into multilateral and bilateral exercises as one way of tapping AI’s potential for rapid identification and sharing of common maritime threats among allies. In January, the task force formed Task Group 59.1 focused on deploying unmanned systems partnered with manned operators to boost maritime security in the Middle East.

“AI unleashes our ability to assess terabytes of data rapidly, compare it against existing data, analyze patterns, and identify abnormalities, enabling us to accelerate our decision-making processes with increased accuracy,” Wikoff stressed.

Besides Wikoff, the three-day Saudi maritime forum also featured speakers who discussed not only AI’s role in maritime security. Other topics across five dialog sessions and 21 workshops included military industries in AI-driven technologies and advanced maritime systems’ impacts on security and cybersecurity. An exhibition on services and innovations from maritime security companies is another highlight of the forum wherein 29 government agencies joined.

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GAO: Documented Processes Needed for SBIR/STTR Due Diligence
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GAO: Documented Processes Needed for SBIR/STTR Due Diligence

The Government Accountability Office learned in a recent study that the Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA do not have documented processes for requesting analytical support and sharing that information — including classified information — as part of due diligence when vetting applicants for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer program awards.

Having documented processes serves to ensure that all the necessary information is gathered to help officials evaluate and mitigate risks associated with the awarding of SBIR or STTR contracts, GAO said Thursday.

Risks From Foreign Actors

The government watchdog explained that such risks stem from foreign actors seeking to illicitly acquire research and technologies that are funded by the federal government. According to U.S. intelligence agencies, these foreign actors may target emerging technology companies in the U.S., including small businesses seeking SBIR or STTR awards.

The goals of such efforts include obtaining proprietary data, advancing the economic and military capabilities of foreign nations and threatening U.S. national security.

GAO Recommendation

To address the issues found in the vetting processes of the DHS, EPA and NASA, GAO recommended that the three agencies “develop and document agreed-upon procedures for requesting analytical support and sharing information—including classified information, as applicable—to support due diligence reviews.”

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HHS Issues RFI for IT Staffing at Federal Occupational Health
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HHS Issues RFI for IT Staffing at Federal Occupational Health

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking industry input on potential contractors to provide IT staffing support services to Federal Occupational Health, a component of the Program Support Center within the department.

According to a notice posted on SAM.gov Friday, FOH seeks qualified IT personnel to provide enterprise-level end-to-end IT operational services. This is intended to enhance the IT infrastructure enabling it to meet mission requirements and operational objectives. The contractor is expected to provide reliable IT infrastructure and staffing expertise to boost the agency’s ability to deliver occupational health services.

What Is Federal Occupational Health?

FOH is an agency that provides occupational health services to the federal government. Its main objective is to enhance the federal workforce’s health, safety and productivity. It partners with federal departments and federal agencies’ national headquarters through interagency agreements aimed at promoting the physical and mental wellbeing of its employees.

The agency utilizes occupational health programs and services such as clinical services delivery, customized medical consultations, wellness and health promotion services, behavioral health services, and environmental health and safety services.

Interested vendors must send in their responses by Dec. 16.

Register now and join the Potomac Officers Club for the 2024 Healthcare Summit. Get to know the latest about the healthcare sector from industry experts and thought leaders.

HHS Issues RFI for IT Staffing at Federal Occupational Health
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Gen. Michael Guetlein on USSF’s Contracting Plans for CASR
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Gen. Michael Guetlein on USSF’s Contracting Plans for CASR

Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations at the U.S. Space Force, said the service branch plans to award five contracts in 2025 and another 15 contracts the following year for companies to participate in its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve, or CASR, initiative, Defense News reported Friday.

“We’ve got a few things to work through about governance and contracting strategies, but we hope to have our first five contracts in ‘25 and then another 15 contracts or so in ‘26,” Guetlein said Wednesday at the National Security Innovation Forum.

According to the general, the U.S. will need initiatives like CASR that offer options for excess capacity as the country prepares for the possibility of a future conflict with peer adversaries such as Russia and China.

“What we know about this next fight is it’s not going to be efficient,” Guetlein said. “And we’re going to have to get comfortable with being inefficient. That means I need redundant capabilities, excess capacity, proliferation.”

Companies selected for CASR will participate in the Department of Defense’s war games. The first CASR event is scheduled for February.

What Is Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve?

The service branch expects CASR to help establish a framework for the military to leverage commercial space capabilities during peacetime and in conflict.

Since 2023, the Commercial Space Office has developed an implementation for the CASR program, which includes writing contractual language for businesses that will participate in the reserve.

In August, Space Force sought industry feedback to help inform the development of the CASR framework.

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Army Conducts Annual Network Modernization Experimentation
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Army Conducts Annual Network Modernization Experimentation

The U.S. Army has completed its Network Modernization Experiment, or NetModX, an annual event where new technologies are evaluated by scientists and engineers in realistic operational conditions.

The Army said Friday around 60 technologies were assessed this year. The event, conducted by the C5ISR Center of the Combat Capabilities Development Command, lasted more than nine weeks and was held in various terrains in New Jersey and Maryland.

Highlighted NetModX Projects

The Mobile and Survivable Command Post, or MASCP, project involves the development and integration of tactical communications, computing infrastructure, power and environmental signature awareness into systems to create resilient capabilities. The tests included integrating 22 tech components into Strykers and Humvees to determine potential on-the-move command and control capabilities.

The Predictive Logistics project experimented with using a Soldier’s Nett Warrior device and the Tactical Readiness Asset Key-Terrain Reconstitution toolkit for logistics modernization. The project aims to enhance real-time in-transit visibility and digital tracking of commodities.

The use of commercial 5G technology to create a high-bandwidth, low-latency communications network was also tested. This project can potentially enhance tactical communication.

Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo said during the AUSA 2024 Accelerating C2 and Network Innovation fireside chat in October that recent Army Futures Command experimentation, including events involving commercially available technology, has been successful in demonstrating capabilities to soldiers.

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