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Jon Olansen Appointed Program Manager of NASA’s Lunar Space Station
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Jon Olansen Appointed Program Manager of NASA’s Lunar Space Station

Jon Olansen, a 33-year veteran of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, has been appointed program manager of the agency’s Gateway lunar space station initiative.

Olansen, who has been with the program since its formation in 2019, succeeds Dan Hartman, who is retiring after four years in the position, NASA said Tuesday.

Gateway is an international collaboration that seeks to build a multi-purpose outpost established around the moon to house capabilities for deep space research and exploration.

Olansen previously supervised the development of the Gateway program’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost module that will accommodate astronauts while they conduct research in support of Artemis missions.

During his more than three-decade career at Johnson Space Center, Olansen held various roles of increasing responsibility within the Engineering Directorate, Astronaut Office, the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance and the Space Shuttle Program.

“He’s a perfect fit for Gateway, which brings together international and commercial partnerships, and is an essential element in future human space exploration,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Frank Kendall, DAF Leaders Impress Importance of Timely Budget Appropriations
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Frank Kendall, DAF Leaders Impress Importance of Timely Budget Appropriations

Frank Kendall, secretary of the Air Force and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, said timely budget authorizations and appropriations are key to advancing the Air Force and Space Force’s modernization initiatives to address real-world challenges.

Speaking before the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Kendall said that the Department of the Air Force is “ready to move forward with the next generation of capabilities we need and there is no time to lose.”

Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations and a fellow 2023 Wash100 Award recipient, agreed that budget must be approved on time to enable the Space Force to maintain its competitive advantage.

According to Saltzman, the service branch’s $30 billion budget request “is designed to deliver the forces, personnel and partnerships the Space Force requires to preserve U.S. advantages in space.”

Gen. Charles Brown, Jr., chief of staff of the Air Force, echoed the same sentiments during the subcommittee hearing.

“An on-time budget will continue the change required to address both todays and tomorrow’s national security threats,” Brown said.

DAF’s $259.3 billion budget request for 2024 includes $185.1 billion for the Air Force and $30 billion for the Space Force and represents a $9.3 billion increase over last year’s enacted budget.

Kendall, Brown and Saltzman told Congress that the budget request contains nearly two dozen new programs to add equipment and capabilities for countering strategic competitors like China and Russia. 

POC - 2023 Annual Air Force Summit

Kendall is slated to keynote the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Annual Air Force Summit on July 28. Click here to register and hear from Air Force leaders about the service branch’s digital transformation initiatives.

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Accenture, QuSecure Safeguard Satcom Data Transmission Using Post-Quantum Cryptography
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Accenture, QuSecure Safeguard Satcom Data Transmission Using Post-Quantum Cryptography

QuSecure and partner Accenture have completed a multi-orbit data communications test using post-quantum cryptography as a cybersecurity algorithm.

The demonstration highlights the potential of quantum-resistant crypto agility systems to secure data transmitted through satellite communications, Accenture said Tuesday.

Quantum computers have been proven powerful enough to intercept data from multi-orbit satellites. To prevent such attacks, QuSecure deployed QuProtect, a crypto-agile quantum-resilient channel, to a satellite in low-Earth orbit, without actually installing the software on the communications system.

Data transmission, which was facilitated by Accenture, involved switching from LEO to geosynchronous orbit satellite and back to Earth as a redundancy measure.

“Accenture’s Space Innovation and Security teams are working together to ensure our partners and clients are prepared and secure as they embark on their space journeys,”  said Paul Thomas, space innovation lead, technology innovation at Accenture. He welcomed the collaboration with on QuSecure integrating crypto security into space data transmission.

Quantum computing is the center of a virtual event hosted by ExecutiveBiz on April 5. Join the 2023 Quantum Technologies Forum by clicking on the banner below.

2023 Quantum Technologies Forum
Sec. Austin Appears Before Senate Armed Services Committee to Justify $842B Budget Request
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Sec. Austin Appears Before Senate Armed Services Committee to Justify $842B Budget Request

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee to endorse President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2024 budget proposal.

In his speech, published Tuesday, Austin said that the $842 billion defense budget request will fund strategies that include addressing threats posed by the government of China.

“I have three key priorities: to defend our nation, to take care of our outstanding people, and to succeed through teamwork,” Austin stated in his opening testimony. He explained that the funds will help continue implementation of the National Defense Strategy and National Security Strategy, and enable DOD to make the “largest-ever investments in both R&D and procurement.”

He highlighted the agency’s plans to invest a record $33.3 billion for space capabilities and resilience, as well as $61 billion for air and $48 billion for sea dominance.

Austin, a Wash100 Award recipient, justified the budget’s importance in supporting over-the-horizon counterterrorism efforts, including security challenges instigated by China and Russia. Other “21st century threats” such as climate change also need significant financial support.

He elaborated on DOD’s initiatives for its workforce by mentioning the proposed $146 billion investment in operations, training, and maintenance. He also touched on efforts to increase wages, fund mental health and medical care for veterans and their families, and establishing measures against sexual assault and other safety risks.

DeEtte Gray of CACI & Michael Tarulli of Goldman Sachs Highlighted for 2023 Wash100 Award Wins
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DeEtte Gray of CACI & Michael Tarulli of Goldman Sachs Highlighted for 2023 Wash100 Award Wins

Executive Mosaic publications sang the praises of 2023 Wash100 Award winners DeEtte Gray of CACI International and Michael Tarulli of Goldman Sachs on Wednesday, detailing the successes they have enjoyed to earn them government contracting’s most distinguished prize.

The Wash100 Award is a now decade-old tradition bestowed upon only the most accomplished and promising leaders working in the sector. These awardees are carefully selected by EM’s discerning voting body, vetted in the areas of innovation, vision, reliability, longevity of impact and more.

Concurrent with the rollout of Wash100 profiles is EM’s yearly popular voting contest. Held amongst the 100 awardees, it gives you the reader the chance to support your favorite change-makers from the roster. Voting closes in less than a month so participate today at Wash100.com!

Gray is no stranger to the award: a seven-time Wash100 recipient, the executive achieved another landmark year through her work enabling information technology transformation and advocating for STEM education. Her role as president of business and IT solutions at CACI finds her spearheading the delivery of technology modernization services to government customers. The services are concentrated in enterprise applications design and development and business process services delivery.

If you want to learn more about Gray’s recent work and career, read her GovCon Wire profile here.

Tarulli is a first-time winner of the award and a managing director at Goldman Sachs who caught the voting body’s attention for his administration of the company’s international investments in the aerospace, defense and government services markets. In 2022 alone, Goldman Sachs was the exclusive financial adviser to Vectrus on its all-stock merger transaction with the Vertex Company to form V2X, along with a host of other significant GovCon transactions.

Read more about the deals and shrewd business acumen that resulted in Tarulli’s win at ExecutiveBiz here.

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DIA Seeks Info for AI Technical Assistance, IT Support Requirement
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DIA Seeks Info for AI Technical Assistance, IT Support Requirement

The Defense Intelligence Agency has begun market research to identify sources capable of providing technical assistance and information technology support to expand the agency’s artificial intelligence products and capabilities.

A request for information notice posted Friday on SAM.gov states that DIA is looking to build an AI capability in two areas: career development and infrastructure and tools integration.

Desired contributions include technical assistance and subject matter expertise for AI training, recruiting and infrastructure requirements; logistics and record management; configuration management; database administration; and support to the DIA AI Defense Intelligence Enterprise.

The market research is investigating best practices for approaching and implementing AI, assessing contract types used in existing agreements, determining labor categories and identifying qualified businesses.

The Department of Defense mandates DIA to develop a trained workforce, processes and tools to enable the U.S. military to achieve AI readiness by 2025.

Responses to the RFI are due April 24.

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Biden Enables DOD to Advance Printed Circuit Board Production Through DPA Title III Authorities
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Biden Enables DOD to Advance Printed Circuit Board Production Through DPA Title III Authorities

President Joe Biden has authorized the Pentagon to use the Defense Production Act Title III authorities to support the domestic production of printed circuit boards and invest in the advanced packaging industrial base to help ensure military readiness and address challenges to the country’s economic competitiveness.

The signing of the presidential determination is in line with a 2021 executive order that seeks to support U.S. supply chains through investments in PrCB and advanced packaging industry, the Department of Defense said Monday.

“The Presidential Determination will allow the DoD to use additional tools to ensure the resilience of American microelectronics manufacturing,” said Anthony Di Stasio, director of DOD’s manufacturing capability expansion and investment prioritization office.

The PD is slated to enable the department’s Office of Defense Production Act Investments to use purchase commitments and other incentives under DPA Title III to strengthen advanced packaging and PrCB production capabilities.

US Navy Posts Small Business RFI for Tech Contract to Support F-35 Aircraft Program
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US Navy Posts Small Business RFI for Tech Contract to Support F-35 Aircraft Program

The Department of the Navy is soliciting information from small businesses that can perform procurement, buildout and migration of classified IT services for the F-35 Lightning II program.

In a notice posted Monday on SAM.gov, the service branch said it is looking to upgrade the IT and cybersecurity systems of the F-35 Joint Program Office in order to support fielding the aircraft.

The request for information is open to small enterprises with top secret facility clearance that would be responsible for software services, as well as establishing a data center within 45 miles of the Pentagon. 

Their technical tasks will cover database administration, information assurance processing, software and hardware management and off-board mission support. The chosen vendor will also be required to maintain a test and integration laboratory for technologies that will be useful to the F-35 JPO.

The service branch will accept RFI responses until March 31.

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Space Operations Command Gains Control of Lockheed-Built SBIRS GEO-6 Satellite
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Space Operations Command Gains Control of Lockheed-Built SBIRS GEO-6 Satellite

Space Systems Command has officially transferred control authority of the sixth Lockheed Martin-built Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit satellite to Space Operations Command.

The 2nd Space Warning Squadron of Space Delta 4 at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado is now operating the final SBIRS GEO satellite to support early detection of global missile threats, SSC said Monday.

Col. Daniel Walter, commander of Space Sensing Directorate’s Strategic Missile Warning Acquisition Delta, said the spacecraft “exceeded performance expectations during on-orbit testing.”

“It was a very clean calibration campaign, allowing us to declare operational acceptance about 40 percent faster than our historic average testing times,” Walter said.

SBIRS GEO-6, based on Lockheed’s updated LM 2100 spacecraft, launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, completing the Space Force’s missile-detection satellite constellation.

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DOD Wants Silicon Valley to Help Back Weapons Tech Development; William LaPlante Quoted
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DOD Wants Silicon Valley to Help Back Weapons Tech Development; William LaPlante Quoted

The Department of Defense is working to engage Silicon Valley startups to help fund and advance development work on new weapons systems as part of efforts to tap private capital and keep up with China’s advancements in military technology backed by external public-private guidance funds, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The current administration’s fiscal year 2024 budget request includes $115 million for DOD’s newly established office of strategic capital, which seeks to attract and direct venture capital into companies working on military tech platforms.

According to PitchBook Data, the U.S. defense and aerospace sector is now attracting private capital worth approximately $6 billion per year, up from approximately $1 billion in 2017.

William LaPlante, defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, previously questioned the relevance of emerging technology in Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion.

“What I was really referring to are the kind of aspirational, often-elusive technology capabilities that have not yet developed on a time frame that’ll impact the battlefield in Ukraine,” LaPlante, a 2023 Wash100 awardee, told WSJ.

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