The Federal Aviation Administration has established a set of factors to provide equal access to airspace near space launch sites.

The agency on Thursday published a list of considerations to objectively determine when to prioritize commercial space operations, and commercial and military aviation.

In the event of a space launch, FAA will take into account the number of flights and/or passengers that will be affected, as well as the time, location and window duration of the space mission. The agency is calling on the commercial space operators to schedule their launches at night to avoid peak airline flight hours.

Priority will be given to space missions with national security or national interest objectives, as well as those for payload transportation.

Holidays, military exercises and other significant events that cause congestion in the national airspace system will also be considered by the FAA.

The agency plans to mobilize its new Airspace Access Priorities Aviation Rulemaking Committee in June to build on its guidelines and tools for fair and equitable airspace access.

The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is ramping up efforts to accomplish more military construction programs, with 120 projects scheduled for completion in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the service branch reported Wednesday.

MILCON contracts worldwide amounted to $7.6 billion over a 25-month period ending March 31, said Brig. Gen. Mark V. Slominski, mobilization assistant to the commander of the Air Force Materiel Command.

AFIMSC is focusing on facilities construction, sustainment, restoration and modernization, as well as weapons system infrastructure. The FY23 defense budget included funding for the B-21 Raider strategic bomber and the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile delivery system. Department of Air Force installations are being recapitalized through nearly $1.5 billion in large SRM contract awards this year.

The center also has 16 buildings planned or undergoing construction to serve as child development centers, dormitories and other community facilities.

“Our work is extremely important. Our execution inspires confidence with built infrastructure stakeholders, confidence from Congress as we execute authorized design and construction appropriations, and adversary awareness of our capabilities to set theaters of operation,” Slominski commented.

The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2023 Air Force Summit on July 18. Don’t miss this year’s opening keynote speaker, Secretary of the Air Force and Wash100 awardee Frank Kendall, as well as other leaders from the military and private sectors as they discuss digital transformation within the branch. Register for the event by clicking on the banner above.

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Technical Center inaugurated the Directed Energy Systems Integration Lab at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service reported Wednesday.

DESIL was built for use by military, industry and other customers that need to develop and characterize their directed energy weapon systems in alignment with the branch’s modernization plans.

The facility’s services range from software simulation, systems integration and subject matter expert consultation, to customer support and assistance in subcomponents testing and experimentation.

The 5,400-square-foot site also includes a 400-meter directed energy range as well as a distributed network where research data sharing can take place.

“All of the high energy laser testing at the DESIL will be “below-the-horizon” into a 60-foot earth berm to keep the energy contained to the test area,” said Daniel Bryant, director of systems engineering at SMDC Technical Center. “Directed energy technology promises to increase ‘magazine depth,’ reduce the ‘cost per kill’ of missiles for air defense, and significantly reduce the logistics required.”

NASA has commenced its 2023 NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge, a program intended to progress the development and commercialization of new technologies.

In its third run, the initiative will center entrepreneurs advancing technologies that can support the organization’s lunar exploration and climate science objectives, NASA announced from Houston, Texas on Tuesday.

The challenge is an acknowledgement of the need for innovative people in technology development, with a focus on those in traditionally underrepresented communities. To bring these individuals and their ideas to NASA, the agency is offering winning entrepreneurs up to $1 million in total prizes as well as exposure to external sources of funding and investors and insight into future opportunities to work with NASA.

Building on the two previous iterations of the program, this year’s challenge will recognize participants whose projects can further the development and commercialization of technologies and data usage in the areas of lunar payloads and climate science.

Divided into two rounds, the challenge first asks participants to deliver a pitch deck and technical white paper framing their technology concept. This phase will select 20 organizations to receive $16,000 and advance to the next round.

In round two, these competitors will provide more specific information on their idea and perform an in-person pitch at an event during the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit and Expo in Washington, D.C. Eight winners will be chosen to receive the program’s $85,000 grand prize.

The pitch event will give finalists an opportunity to engage with key agency, military and industry leaders with connections to venture capitalists and other impact funds. In previous years, winning organizations have obtained millions of dollars in investor funds, been accepted into accelerator initiatives and secured Small Business Innovation Research Contracts after completing the challenge.

NASA is just one federal agency investing in cutting-edge space technology. For an in-depth look into the relationship between space technology and defense, the Potomac Officers Club will hold its 2023 Industrial Space Defense Summit on April 27. To learn more and register to attend the event, which will connect experts in the field for a variety of fascinating speeches and conversations, please visit the Potomac Officers Club events page.

Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of defense, has reminded senior defense officials of their responsibility to safeguard classified and sensitive information and materials following reports of unauthorized disclosure of secret military intelligence.

The 2023 Wash100 awardee said in a memo addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, combatant commanders and agency directors that failure to protect classified data appropriately is a reportable security incident.

“Unauthorized disclosure of classified information, whether intentional or unintentional, does not alter the classified nature of the information,” Hicks wrote.

The official called on troops to avoid accessing or downloading documents with classified markings from unclassified websites and refrain from discussing classified information with unauthorized persons.

“Personnel with access to classified information are trusted stewards of that information and the responsibility to safeguard classified information is a lifetime requirement for each individual granted a security clearance,” the memo reads.

The Department of Defense reported that an airman in the Massachusetts Air National Guard was arrested “in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defense information.”

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, press secretary at the Department of Defense, said DOD is working with the intelligence community and interagency partners “to better understand the scope, scale and impact of these leaks.”