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Assoc. Administrator Jim Free Set to Retire After 3 Decades at NASA
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Assoc. Administrator Jim Free Set to Retire After 3 Decades at NASA

Jim Free, associate administrator at NASA, is set to retire on Feb. 22 after three decades of service.

The agency said Wednesday Free will step down as the senior advisor to Janet Petro, NASA’s acting administrator. The veteran executive will also relinquish his other duties including overseeing all 10 center directors and the mission directorate associate administrators at the NASA headquarters in Washington and leading more than 18,000 personnel as chief operating officer.

Jim Free’s Legacy

The outgoing executive first joined the agency in 1990 and has held a variety of leadership roles. He was appointed NASA associate administrator in January 2024, succeeding Bob Cabana. Under his leadership, the agency accomplished the first lunar landing through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. NASA also launched the Europa Clipper mission, studied Jupiter’s moon and discovered molecules with the ingredients for life in asteroid Bennu samples.

Free previously served as the associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, where he spearheaded the development of the Moon to Mars architecture. He was also responsible for the systems development for the Artemis program.

Before his latest stint at NASA, Free worked in the private sector as a self-employed consultant and vice president of the Aerospace Systems Group at Peerless Technologies. Prior to this, Free worked at NASA’s Glenn Research Center for over seven years, most recently as its director. He first joined NASA in 1990 as an engineer.

“A remarkable engineer and a decisive leader, he combines deep technical expertise with an unwavering commitment to this agency’s mission. Jim’s legacy is one of selfless service, steadfast leadership, and a belief in the power of people,” said Petro.

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New Cyber Advisory From CISA & Partners Tackles Ghost Ransomware
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New Cyber Advisory From CISA & Partners Tackles Ghost Ransomware

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center have released a joint cybersecurity advisory concerning the ransomware known as Ghost.

Ghost Ransomware Activity

According to the advisory, which was issued on Wednesday, malicious actors have been using Ghost since early 2021 to target victims with internet-facing services running on outdated firmware or software. The malicious actors are located in China but their attacks have compromised the systems of organizations found in over 70 countries, including China.

Victims include critical infrastructure organizations, education institutions, manufacturing companies, government organizations and religious institutions. The purpose of the attacks is financial gain.

Contents of the Advisory

The advisory provides indicators of compromise; tactics, techniques and procedures, and detection methods associated with Ghost. The advisory also contains recommended mitigations, which organizations are encouraged to implement.

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SAIC, AWS Secure TraCSS Cloud Services Order From NOAA
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SAIC, AWS Secure TraCSS Cloud Services Order From NOAA

SAIC and Amazon Web Services have secured a $4.8 million cloud services order from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide cloud hosting services for the Traffic Coordination System for Space, or TraCSS.

NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce, or OSC, said Wednesday SAIC and AWS will provide TraCSS services from October 2025 to October 2026. The order was made under a blanket purchase agreement and does not impact AWS’s existing cloud services agreement with NOAA, whose performance period will run until October.

In November 2024, the OSC conducted market research for possible sources of cloud infrastructure and provisioning services for TraCSS.

What Is TraCSS?

TraCSS is the civil space situational awareness system developed by OSC to provide civil and private space operators with basic space situational awareness, or SSA, data and services. The system is also designed to support spaceflight safety, space sustainability and international coordination.

TraCSS comprises three components: its data repository TraCSS-OASIS, SSA application services TraCSS-SKYLINE and its modeling, simulation and research environment and development and test environment TraCSS-HORIZON.

NOAA is applying a phased “crawl, walk, run” development approach to its TraCSS implemnentation to enable more commercial SSA data and services integration for each phase and avoid any disruption in providing basic SSA safety services.

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Air Force Checks Minuteman III ICBM Capabilities in New Test
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Air Force Checks Minuteman III ICBM Capabilities in New Test

A new launch test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile has been completed for another routine check on the weapon’s capabilities in deterring current security threats, the U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday. The periodic test, also designed to assure allies on U.S. nuclear readiness, is focused on demonstrating Minuteman III’s safety, security and reliability, the service branch added.

The ICBM community using the data gathered from the tests include the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and U.S. Strategic Command in their continuing force development analyses.

Combined elements of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and Vandenberg Space Force Base Guardians performed the recent test at the Vandenberg SFB’s Western Range. The joint team launched an unarmed Minuteman III missile, with the base’s 377th Test and Evaluation Group overseeing the exercise.

Data Inputs for Future ICBM Upgrades

According to Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th TEG, the key data points that they gathered from the test are useful not only in assessing the current system’s reliability but also in validating planned ICBM force upgrades. “The data we collect and analyze is crucial for maintaining Minuteman III while we pave the way for Sentinel,” he pointed out. 

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is currently working on a program to replace Minuteman III with the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM, as part of the modernization plan for the land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad.

Northrop Grumman is one of the companies with a stake in the Sentinel program, with the company already completing in 2024 multiple tests as part of the new ICBM’s engineering, manufacturing and development phase.

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IARPA Launches End-Gen Program to Boost Wireless Communication
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IARPA Launches End-Gen Program to Boost Wireless Communication

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity has announced the launch of the Endless Generative Waveforms, or End-Gen, program to address the challenges posed by the static nature of current waveforms, including Wi-Fi, 4G/5G and Bluetooth.

Addressing Wireless Communication Needs

IARPA said Wednesday the End-Gen program aims to develop generative artificial intelligence, machine learning and other optimization frameworks designed to enable the U.S. intelligence community to transmit and receive data securely and efficiently. The frameworks are expected to analyze mission objectives provided by the user and then generate corresponding mission waveforms.

The End-Gen program is meant to enhance wireless communication across the government, IC and public sector by creating generative waveforms and eliminating the need for inefficient human development cycles. The project aims to enable machines to utilize their generative abilities to identify new algorithms and create waveforms and inventions that meet the needs of the IC while enabling humans to focus on the mission. If successful, the program will also streamline the development of advanced wireless technologies. 

The End-Gen program will run for 42 months and progress through three phases. During phase one, the focus will be on showcasing the feasibility of generative waveforms in static environments without requiring human help. The second phase involves scaling the generative waveform towards practical communication goals in a more dynamic environment such as the community. In phase three, the waveforms generated will be deployed to address real-world communication challenges and ensure the technology can be used in actual environments.

“The End-Gen approach allows the machine to create the right waveform and frees the human to focus on how best to complete the mission,” said Adam Anderson, program manager of End-Gen.

Register and join the Potomac Officers Club‘s 5G Summit on February 27. Find out what’s new about 5G and FutureG and how the U.S. government intends to utilize the technology to strengthen national security and public safety.

IARPA Launches End-Gen Program to Boost Wireless Communication
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Howard Lutnick Confirmed as Commerce Secretary
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Howard Lutnick Confirmed as Commerce Secretary

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Howard Lutnick, most recently chairman and CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, as the 41st secretary of the Department of Commerce in a 51-45 vote.

The Hill reported that Lutnick will play a key role in President Trump’s trade agenda. The current administration plans to impose tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico.

He will oversee national security-related trade rules and the Bureau of Industry and Security, which implements import and export bans.

In compliance with U.S. government ethics rules, Cantor said the secretary will divest his business interests in the financial services firm, BGC Group and Newmark Group.

Lutnick’s Career Background

Lutnick joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and assumed the position of president and CEO in 1991. He took on the role of chairman in 1996.

In 2008, he led the merger of BGC and eSpeed, resulting in the formation of BGC Partners, where he also served as chairman and chief executive.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, the New York native led the firm’s recovery and supported the families of Cantor employees lost that day through the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.

The Haverford College graduate serves on the boards of several organizations, including the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and the Partnership for New York City.

Lutnick is a recipient of the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award.

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Shantrell Collier Named DOJ Deputy Chief Information Officer
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Shantrell Collier Named DOJ Deputy Chief Information Officer

Shantrell Collier shared on LinkedIn Sunday that she has been named deputy chief information officer at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Who Is Shantrell Collier?

Collier is a retired sergeant major of the U.S. Army who joined the Justice Department in 2022 as the chief of staff to the assistant attorney general of administration. She mainly served as a principal managerial and technical advisor for the Justice Management Division’s programs and services.

She previously served in various CIO roles for the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where she managed the technology and cyber operations and maintenance budget for multiple geographical facilities, research ships, aircraft and uncrewed systems.

The DOJ executive briefly worked as the deputy chief of the information technology systems management division at the Office of Science and Technology under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She was also the acting deputy director of the Service Delivery Staff of the Office of the CIO.

Collier was the project lead for email and collaboration services, where she oversaw the DOJ’s transition to Microsoft 365 and migration of 120,000 email accounts to the cloud. She also held the roles of management and program analyst and assistant director of customer support services.

Before joining the Justice Department, Collier served in the Army for 22 years. Among her responsibilities was leading the Second Information Operations Battalion, which was tasked with training and employing offensive cyber operations teams.

Furthermore, Collier served as a vice presidential and First Lady communications officer at the White House Communications Agency. 

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Robert Metzger on DOD CMMC Level Determination Guidance
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Robert Metzger on DOD CMMC Level Determination Guidance

Robert Metzger, head of the Washington D.C. office at law firm Rogers Joseph O’Donnell, shared his insights on a new Department of Defense guidance for determining certification levels and administering waiver authority under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.

In a LinkedIn post published in mid-February, Metzger said the DOD guidance serves as an “early alert” to program managers and requiring activities regarding what they need to do when Part 48 CMMC contractual rules take effect.

For the cybersecurity thought leader, the document indicates that non-Federal Acquisition Regulation-based legal agreements are subject to “appropriate CMMC level” requirements.

“I agree. Innovators are especially vulnerable; their valuable work, for DoD, must be protected,” he added.

Table of Contents

CMMC Level 2

For CMMC Level 2, self-assessment is allowed for categories of controlled unclassified information, or CUI, that are “outside” of the National Archives and Records Administration’s CUI Registry Defense Organizational Index Grouping.

According to Metzger, CMMC Level 2 certification assessment is required for DOD Critical Infrastructure Security Information, Controlled Technical Information, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information and other CUI under NARA’s Defense Organizational Index Grouping.

Waiver Requests

Metzger also shared his views on CMMC waiver requests, which must be coordinated through the component chief information officer prior to approval by the Component Acquisition Executive or Service Acquisition Executive.

The DOD memo also stated that such waivers may be requested and cleared for an “individual procurement or a class of procurements.”

“Waivers do not affect the underlying security requirements but impact only whether assessment requirements must be included in solicitation documents. Having this flexibility, IMO, is indispensable if DoD is to avoid excess rigidity causing CMMC to injure capabilities and missions of requiring activities and warfighters,” the national security specialist stated.

Metzger concluded that the new DOD guidance “reduces risks of dysfunctional outcomes without making waivers too easy for anyone to seek and get.”

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GSA Issues Deviations to Federal Acquisition Regulations
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GSA Issues Deviations to Federal Acquisition Regulations

The General Services Administration has released two deviations to the Federal Acquisition Regulations, or FAR, and procurement practices to implement three recent executive orders, including the Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity EO.

GSA said Tuesday the deviations to the FAR will allow federal contracting officers to modify existing contracts and solicitations without imposing penalties on the contract holder or the government.

“These actions are the first steps in transforming the FAR into a sensible, common sense guideline to ensure that the federal government is working with industry as an attractive partner for business,” said Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at GSA and a 2025 Wash100 awardee.

“The FAR has grown to more than 2,000 pages – it’s burdensome, outdated, and doesn’t allow agencies to buy at the speed of need, which leads to poor outcomes for the public we serve. The time is now to streamline the FAR to better align with commercial practices. GSA looks forward to working with the members of the FAR Council on this important work,” added Gruenbaum.

GSA is carrying out the actions in consultation with the chair of the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and under the authority of FAR 1.404 and GSA Acquisition Manual 501.404.

What Is FAR?

First issued in April 1984, FAR is a set of regulations that governs how the federal government acquires goods and services using procurement contracts.

FAR is codified in Parts 1 through 53 of Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations and is now issued under the joint authority of GSA, NASA and the Department of Defense.

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Trump Establishes Council Tasked to Ensure US Energy Dominance
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Trump Establishes Council Tasked to Ensure US Energy Dominance

President Donald Trump on Feb. 14 issued an executive order calling for the establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council.

Purpose of the Council

To be led by the secretary of the interior as chairperson and secretary of energy as vice chair, the council will work to provide the president with advice on a variety of issues, including how presidential authority can be exercised to maximize energy production using national assets like oil, gas and critical minerals, and how processes governing the production, regulation and export of American energy can be improved.

Also part of the council’s responsibilities is the development of a national strategy that will help facilitate energy dominance “by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the energy-producing economy, focusing on innovation, and seeking to eliminate longstanding, but unnecessary, regulation.”

Ensuring Energy Security

Commenting on the issuance of the EO, Rep. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, who serves as chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, said, “Energy security is national security. By utilizing our domestic energy resources to create baseload power, we can lower prices, secure our grid, and provide the energy needed to grow manufacturing, heat our homes, and fill our gas tanks.”

“The creation of this council under the leadership of [Energy Secretary Chris Wright] and [Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum] is a strong step toward securing our energy future, and ensuring we have the resources necessary to meet the demands that AI will place on our grid,” Guthrie added.

Powering US Manufacturing

For his part, Jay Timmons, the president and CEO of advocacy group National Association of Manufacturers, praised the establishment of the council, saying the move shows the administration’s “commitment to ensuring manufacturers have the energy they need to drive economic growth.”

“The National Energy Dominance Council, under the leadership of Interior Secretary Burgum and Energy Secretary Wright, will help power the future of manufacturing in America because when manufacturing wins, America wins,” Timmons said.

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