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Pentagon Announces Release of Assistance Data Standard Version 1.0
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Pentagon Announces Release of Assistance Data Standard Version 1.0

The Department of Defense has released a memorandum announcing the launch of the first version of the Assistance Data Standard, or ADS.

ADS Version 1.0 includes other transaction agreements for prototypes and production managed by the Office of the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, or OUSD(A&S), and covers grants, cooperative agreements and technology and OTs for research led by the OUSD for Research and Engineering, according to the memo.

“All business systems generating or receiving awards for ADS-covered instruments governed by OUSD(A&S) are required to implement the ADS,” the memo reads.

The document states that ADS was designed to represent instrument types as electronic data in an extensible markup language format.

John Tenaglia, principal director for defense pricing and contracting, signed the memo on Wednesday.

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NASA Collaborates With Small Business Fibertek on Basestation Optical Laser Terminal
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NASA Collaborates With Small Business Fibertek on Basestation Optical Laser Terminal

Fibertek, a fiber optic product supplier, has provided NASA with a laser technology that was integrated into the Low-Cost Optical Terminal at Goddard Space Flight Center to support the transmission of high-resolution images and video of the lunar region to the ground station.

The Basestation Optical Laser Terminal was developed by Fibertek under a small business collaboration with NASA called the Space Communications and Navigation — or SCaN — program, the space agency said Wednesday.

Fibertek’s four-channel laser unit is designed to enable the Orion spacecraft to transmit high-power communications during the Artemis II demonstration.

“Laser communications, focusing on direct-to-Earth links, is a maturing technology that is essential for NASA to meet its future communications capacity and navigation needs,” said Jason Mitchell, director of SCaN’s Advanced Communications and Navigation Technologies Division at NASA. “As we mature any technology, establishing and supporting a healthy domestic supply chain is vital. American small businesses play a key role in that chain.”

NASA uses America’s Seed Fund to grant early-stage federal funding to small businesses looking to innovate space technologies in support of advancing agency missions.

Register here for the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Space Summit on March 5, and hear from space experts, government leaders and industry executives about shaping the future of space.

POC - 2024 Space Summit
NTIA Awards $80M in Funding to Advance Wireless Network Testing, Evaluation
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NTIA Awards $80M in Funding to Advance Wireless Network Testing, Evaluation

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has awarded $80 million in funding under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund to support the development of new wireless technology testing and evaluation facilities.

NTIA said Wednesday the third round of funding was awarded to DISH Wireless, VIAVI Solutions, Virginia Tech, Cirrus360, Northeastern University and Rice University to help advance the deployment of open and interoperable radio access networks, or RAN.

DISH Wireless secured $50 million in funding to establish the Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment in collaboration with Fujitsu Network Communications, Mavenir Systems and VMWare.

Meanwhile, VIAVI Solutions received a $22 million grant to create a hybrid physical lab infrastructure and cloud-based testing lab-as-a-service.

“The awards today will help stand up new facilities to usher in new wireless networks, ultimately leading to more jobs and lower costs for Americans,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

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Army Space & Missile Defense Command Welcomes Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey as New Commanding General
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Army Space & Missile Defense Command Welcomes Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey as New Commanding General

A ceremony took place at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama on Jan. 9 to mark the change of leadership at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, the U.S. Army website reported Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, who most recently served as director of the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office and director of fires at the Office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff G-3/5/7, took charge of USASMDC and JFCC IMD, succeeding Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, who had led the organizations since 2019.

Gainey was described by U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George during the ceremony as “exactly the right leader” to address the “substantial” challenges the military branch faces in space, missile defense and high-altitude operations.

George also touted Gainey’s selflessness, expertise and competence, and said that with Gainey as commanding general, “I know that SMDC is in the best possible hands.”

As leader of USASMDC, Gainey said he will work to “realize the Army’s space vision and ensure we maintain a modernized missile defense force while ensuring the health of our forces remains our priority.” And as head of JFCC IMD, Gainey will work to provide, among other things, ballistic missile defense operations support and missile defense plans to U.S. Space Command.

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ISS National Lab Requests Flight Concepts for Space-Based R&D Projects
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ISS National Lab Requests Flight Concepts for Space-Based R&D Projects

The International Space Station National Laboratory is seeking flight concepts that use the government-funded space facility to develop technology in areas such as translational medicine, chemical and material synthesis, edge computing and in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing.

ISS National Lab said Tuesday it aims to facilitate space-based technology development and demonstration projects that seek to advance hardware prototype testing, enable process improvements, conduct advanced materials research and demonstrate novel drugs and diagnostic services.

The latest research announcement will follow a two-step proposal submission process. Concept summaries are due March 4 while full proposals must be submitted by May 7.

The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages ISS National Lab, has scheduled a webinar for Jan. 18 to provide further details on the research announcement.

ISS National Lab previously sponsored the development of Hewlett Packard Enterprise‘s Spaceborne Computer-2, which will launch on Northrop Grumman‘s 20th Commercial Resupply Services mission to enable high-performance computing in space.

ISS National Lab Requests Flight Concepts for Space-Based R&D Projects

The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2024 Space Summit on March 5 to discuss how new technologies, commercial investments and adversarial threats are shaping the future of space. Register here to save your seat at the highly anticipated event.

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House Bill to Advance Federal AI Risk Management Policy Implementation
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House Bill to Advance Federal AI Risk Management Policy Implementation

Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Calif.; Zach Nunn, R-Iowa; Don Beyer, D-Va.; and Marcus Molinaro, R-N.Y., have introduced bipartisan legislation to advance federal risk management guidelines for artificial intelligence technologies used by government agencies and vendors.

The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act would require federal agencies to incorporate the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework into their AI management programs, Lieu’s office said Wednesday.

“The AI Risk Management Framework developed by NIST is a great starting point for agencies and vendors to analyze the risks associated with AI and to mitigate those risks. These guidelines have already been used by a number of public and private sector organizations, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be applied to the federal government as well,” Lieu said.

Under the bill, the Office of Management and Budget must issue guidance requiring agencies to implement the framework and establish a workforce initiative to provide federal agencies with access to diverse AI risk management expertise.

The legislation would also require NIST to test and evaluate new AI acquisition capabilities.

Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced a companion bill in the Senate in November.

POC - 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21 to hear more about cutting edge AI innovations from government and industry experts. Click here to register!

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Molly Just-Behr Named DOD CHIPS Coordination Cell Director
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Molly Just-Behr Named DOD CHIPS Coordination Cell Director

Molly Just-Behr, a defense and technology executive, has rejoined the Department of Defense as director of the CHIPS Coordination Cell.

She announced the move in a LinkedIn post published Wednesday.

Her appointment comes as DOD advances efforts to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor defense industrial base in support of national security and defense programs.

Just-Behr most recently served as a senior director at In-Q-Tel, where she led engagements across DOD and the Intelligence Community.

Prior to IQT, she was a senior director at Avascent, where she founded the DOD consulting practice and led business development, client engagement and growth strategies.

She previously worked at DOD as a special assistant within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, providing research, writing and analysis support.

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AFRL Seeks Industry Input on Development of Tech Enabling Secure Internetworking Capabilities
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AFRL Seeks Industry Input on Development of Tech Enabling Secure Internetworking Capabilities

The Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development Laboratory, a part of the Space Vehicles Directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, is seeking input from industry about technology approaches that can be used to develop a trusted network device, or TND, that would enable an overlay network providing the U.S. Space Force with cybersecure internetworking capabilities.

The envisioned TND will work to interconnect disparate existing networks, provide traffic management and performance monitoring and allow for, among other things, encryption, traffic flow authorization and user authentication, according to a request for information posted Tuesday on SAM.gov.

The device’s other characteristics include compliance with Department of Defense zero trust principles, a total traffic throughput of 1 Gigabit per second with an objective of 100 Gbps, and the use of modular systems architecture.

TNDs for terrestrial deployment are being sought, as well as TNDs for space flight, but both must possess identical functionality.

Responses to the RFI are due Jan. 31. Respondents may propose additional functional aspects. Respondents are also called on to identify aspects of the TND that may be challenging or altogether not feasible under current technologies.

AFRL Seeks Industry Input on Development of Tech Enabling Secure Internetworking Capabilities

Defense leaders, researchers, experts and decision-makers will discuss the latest technological developments for the U.S. military at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit. Register now.

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Coast Guard Rear Adm. Christopher Bartz Appointed DHS Deputy CIO
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Coast Guard Rear Adm. Christopher Bartz Appointed DHS Deputy CIO

Rear Adm. Christopher Bartz, assistant commandant for command, control, communications, computers and information technology and chief information officer at the U.S. Coast Guard, has been selected to serve as deputy CIO at the Department of Homeland Security, Federal News Network reported Wednesday.

Bartz will officially assume the role on Feb. 5 as he succeeds Beth Cappello, who is set to retire on March 9 after 33 years of government service.

According to an email to staff obtained by FNN, DHS CIO Eric Hysen said Bartz has extensive experience in cybersecurity, serving as director of training and exercises at U.S. Cyber Command and chief information security officer at USCG.

“I have seen Chris’s technical and leadership acumen firsthand, and can’t wait to see him bring his skills and experiences to continue driving transformational change in OCIO and across the entire department,” Hysen added.

Bartz previously led software development efforts for the Coast Guard as commanding officer of the Operations Systems Center and served as chief of C4&IT capabilities with oversight of IT requirements for shore-based, aviation and afloat assets.

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Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting Becomes Commander of SPACECOM
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Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting Becomes Commander of SPACECOM

U.S. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting has stepped into his new role as commander of the U.S. Space Command, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported on Wednesday.

He was sworn in during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, where he formally succeeded Army Gen. James Dickinson.

During the ceremony, Whiting called attention to SPACECOM’s “highest priority” of preserving freedom of action in space amidst adversary activities in the domain. He also noted his goal of fostering collaboration between the command, the military services and allies.

“No doubt there are tensions between services and combatant commands. But let me be clear, maximizing the outcomes for the nation in space ahead of any organizational equities will be my priority,” he said.

Prior to assuming this role, Whiting served as the first leader of the USSF’s Space Operations Command, a position in which he headed the preparation, generation and sustainment of combat-ready intelligence, cyber, space and combat support forces. Earlier, he was the first commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command, a previous SPACECOM component.

Whiting joins SPACECOM in the midst of a Space Force restructuring of its presentation of forces to combatant commands and a large Department of Defense-wide effort to launch many new satellites.

“Every day, (US)SPACECOM delivers tremendous value across our Joint Force … more than ever, space is integral to military operations. And our competitors know it,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, a three-time Wash100 Award recipient, said during the ceremony.

She noted that the U.S. is “committed to preventing conflict through deterrence by making clear to our competitors that the cost of aggression would far outweigh any conceivable benefits,” an endeavor that “everyone at this command” is a part of.

“It is my distinct honor to be entrusted with leading the patriots of this command,” said Whiting. “I have a sober appreciation of the tremendous responsibilities placed on our shoulders to ensure that space remains a sustainable, safe, stable and secure domain for all humankind.”

Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting Becomes Commander of SPACECOM

Interested in learning more about U.S. space activities? At the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Space Summit on March 5, you will have the opportunity to hear from both public and private sector space experts, who will come together to explore the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving domain. To learn more and register to attend the event, click here.

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