//
Mike Kaplan Appointed VP of Business Development at LeoStella; CEO Mike Hettich Quoted
Published on
Mike Kaplan Appointed VP of Business Development at LeoStella; CEO Mike Hettich Quoted

Former NASA and Raytheon Technologies executive Mike Kaplan has joined satellite constellation manufacturing company LeoStella as vice president of business development.

In his new role, Kaplan will be expected to capture new business and manage customer relationships, capitalizing on his deep knowledge of space systems and technologies, the Tukwila, Washington-headquartered company said Thursday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the LeoStella executive team…Mike’s addition to our company will help strengthen our position as a leader in small satellite constellation design and delivery,” shared Mike Hettich, CEO of LeoStella.

With broad work experience spanning both the public and private sectors, Kaplan began his career at the Naval Research Laboratory’s Naval Center for Space Technology, where he eventually became advanced concepts section head. Subsequently, he worked for seven years at NASA, where he redesigned and administered the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy program and incepted and oversaw the Terrestrial Planet Finder, among other accomplishments.

Over the years, Kaplan has also held senior leadership roles at Boeing, Raytheon Technologies, Ball Aerospace and Belcan, the latter of which was his most recent position before coming to LeoStella. At Belcan, he was vice president of new business development for the defense and space division.

Kaplan’s specialties include systems engineering, program management, strategic planning, contract negotiations and process improvement and he has fostered a particular focus in recent years on low earth orbit satellite constellations.

His work has additionally centered on supporting research behind technologies like spacecraft subsystems, spacecraft buses, planetary landers and robotic satellite servicers.

The executive’s counsel has been sought after by industry organizations and interest groups such as the AIAA Small Satellite and Space Systems Technical Committees, Space SMART think tank and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Kaplan said in a statement that he looks forward to meeting rising market interest in small satellites as VP of business development for LeoStella, adding that “The company has an established track record of delivering highly reliable and commercially operational satellites across a range of missions.”

/
Hughes Launches High-Speed Internet via LEO Network at Greenland Air Base
Published on
Hughes Launches High-Speed Internet via LEO Network at Greenland Air Base

Satellite communications company Hughes has completed its installation of a low earth orbit network at an air base in Greenland.

The roughly 600 workers who reside at Thule Air Base are now able to access high-speed broadband internet for the first time thanks to Hughes and project partner the Air Force Research Lab, the Germantown, Maryland-headquartered company said Wednesday.

Brian Beal, program manager at the AFRL, noted that the connectivity experimentation in Thule proposes the legitimacy of LEO networks as a viable option for outposts whose remoteness makes easy internet access tricky.

“The residents at Thule have been thrilled with both the performance and stability of the network as they’ve used it to connect with family, friends, and colleagues around the world,” Beal continued.

Working in unison, Hughes and the AFRL reportedly overcame challenges of extreme climate — as the Thule base is situated at the most northern point of any U.S. military entity in the world — to realize the goal. They employed site surveys and consulted the base logistics teams to clear the environmental hurdles.

A team of Hughes engineers developed, implemented and launched the LEO network at Thule through the company’s OneWeb constellation of satellites. The set-up includes four antennae that bring in nearly 14 terabytes of data per month. 

Now, with the access provided by the LEO connectivity, Thule Air Base personnel can use the internet to perform experiments, video conference, stream video, contact friends and occupy virtual private networks.

In April, it was announced that in conjunction with OneWeb Technologies, Hughes will deliver low earth orbit data to the Department of Defense. This deal came about as a result of the company’s successful launch of the LEO communications network in Thule.
 

//
NASA Announces Launch Delay for Psyche Asteroid Mission; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted
Published on
NASA Announces Launch Delay for Psyche Asteroid Mission; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted

NASA announced on Friday that the agency will not make its planned 2022 launch for its Psyche asteroid mission, the first mission designed to study a metal-rich asteroid, as a result of the late delivery of the spacecraft’s flight software and testing equipment.

“NASA takes the cost and schedule commitments of its projects and programs very seriously,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “We are exploring options for the mission in the context of the Discovery Program, and a decision on the path forward will be made in the coming months.”

Originally set for launch on Oct. 11th, NASA needs more time to ensure that the software will function properly in flight. The independent assessment team will review possible options for next steps, including estimated costs.

The flight software will control the orientation of the spacecraft as it flies through space, sends data back to Earth and receives commands. It also provides trajectory information to the spacecraft’s solar electric propulsion system, which begins operations 70 days after launch.

“Flying to a distant metal-rich asteroid, using Mars for a gravity assist on the way there, takes incredible precision. We must get it right. Hundreds of people have put remarkable effort into Psyche during this pandemic, and the work will continue as the complex flight software is thoroughly tested and assessed,” said JPL Director Laurie Leshin. “The decision to delay the launch wasn’t easy, but it is the right one.”

The next potential launch points for the Psyche asteroid mission could be as early as 2023 or be pushed back to 2024. However, the space travel logistics mean the spacecraft would not arrive at the asteroid until 2029 and 2030, respectively.

NASA selected Psyche in 2017 as part of the agency’s Discovery Program, a line of low-cost, competitive missions. The agency is forming an independent assessment team to review the path forward for the project.

/
DOE to Create New Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute
Published on
DOE to Create New Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute

The Department of Energy is creating a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute that will focus on advancing the decarbonization of the U.S. industrial sector by electrifying process heating.

DOE said Thursday the new manufacturing institute will allocate up to $70 million over the next five years to fund research and development projects focused on low-carbon process heating technologies.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office will fund the institute, which will work alongside the new Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee. Together, they will convene representatives from government, industry and academia to advance industrial decarbonization technologies.

“Our newest institute and federal advisory committee will foster innovation to slash industrial emissions and strengthen America’s role as a leader in the global clean energy economy,” said Kelly Speakes-Backman, principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The secretary of Energy will appoint up to 20 members for the federal advisory committee and the nomination period is open until Aug. 1.

/
Pentagon Announces Additional $450M in Security Assistance to Ukraine
Published on
Pentagon Announces Additional $450M in Security Assistance to Ukraine

The Department of Defense has announced that the U.S. will provide an additional $450 million in security assistance to Ukraine to help the country boost its military defenses against Russian invasion.

J. Todd Breasseale, deputy assistant to the secretary for public affairs at DOD, said in a statement published Thursday the U.S. military will send four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats, additional ammunition and spare parts.

The latest package is the thirteenth drawdown of military equipment from the Pentagon’s inventories since August 2021 and brings the total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to nearly $6.8 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration, the majority of which

The security assistance comes as the European Union grants Ukraine a candidate status, a move which Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy calls as a “historical moment” in his country’s relations with the EU.

/
White House Creates Federal-State Partnership to Drive Offshore Wind Development; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
Published on
White House Creates Federal-State Partnership to Drive Offshore Wind Development; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Biden administration is collaborating with 11 East Coast governors in efforts to grow the domestic offshore wind supply chain.

Officials for the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership will endorse commitments aimed at expanding component manufacturing hubs, port structures and logistics processes necessary for wind project installation and workforce development, the White House said Thursday.

The forum, dubbed as “first of a kind” by the administration, is part of President Biden’s efforts toward achieving his national goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

Governors who will work with administration officials through the initiative are from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

The Department of Energy will lead the development of a comprehensive roadmap to help identify and address the sector’s supply chain requirements.

“Working together – states and the federal government – we can blow the lid off our growing domestic offshore wind industry and get us to our clean energy future faster,” said DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

/
CISA Posts Updated Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture
Published on
CISA Posts Updated Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has released the second version of “Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture” in an effort to provide guidance for secure cloud migration.

CISA said Thursday the document is aimed at supporting President Biden’s executive order for enhancing U.S. cybersecurity and is designed to define and clarify considerations for cloud security posture management, cloud migration and shared services.

“The updated Cloud Security TRA is a key step forward for each agency’s transition to cloud environment. CISA and our partners will continue to provide expert, coherent, and timely guidance to help agencies modernize their networks with sound cybersecurity and resilience to protect against evolving cyber adversaries,” said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA.

The TRA is written by CISA, the U.S. Digital Service and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. They consulted with the Office of Management and Budget and considered over 300 public comments to author the version.

“While the TRA was developed for federal agencies, all organizations using or migrating to cloud environments should review this document and adopt the practices therein as applicable to most effectively manage organizational risk,” said Goldstein.

/
Jennifer Logan Appointed National Renewable Energy Lab CFO
Published on
Jennifer Logan Appointed National Renewable Energy Lab CFO

Jennifer Logan, chief financial officer and director of business and finance at the Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, will assume the CFO position at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory effective Monday.

NREL said Thursday that Logan will join the DOE-sponsored lab with more than 18 years of defense acquisition and contracting experience.

“I’m looking forward to joining the talented team at NREL and bringing leadership toward positioning the laboratory to fulfill its mission with the best financial tools and processes that are necessary to meet those essential objectives for our energy future,” she said.

Logan started her career at the U.S. Air Force as a contract specialist for Schriever AF Base in Colorado. She left the service branch in 2006 to work as a consultant focused on procurement and acquisition programs within the departments of the Justice and Army.

Three years later, she returned to the government sector as an acquisition analyst at Marine Corps Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command.

Logan also led the submarine contracting division at the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Newport News, and worked as deputy chief of contracting at Norfolk Naval Shipyard before she joined Jefferson Lab in July 2018.

//
Michael Brown: Pentagon’s ‘Hedge Strategy’ Could Help Speed Up Commercial Tech Adoption
Published on
Michael Brown: Pentagon’s ‘Hedge Strategy’ Could Help Speed Up Commercial Tech Adoption

Michael Brown, director of the Defense Innovation Unit and a 2022 Wash100 Award winner, said the Department of Defense’s “hedge strategy” could help establish an “element of surprise” to future fight by accelerating the adoption of commercial technologies to complement its high-profile weapons systems, Breaking Defense reported Thursday.

“The ‘hedge’ is really recognizing the fact that we really would benefit by making a part of our strategy explicitly the development of other capabilities, complementary capabilities, those that can provide some surprise,” Brown said at a virtual event Thursday.

“Why do we need a surprise here? Because our adversaries in some cases have stolen designs for large weapons platforms, China in particular, and then our adversaries…have studied our tactics, techniques, procedures, our way of fighting for years,” he added.

Brown worked with Navy Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, chief of naval research, to develop the hedge strategy, which covers three elements including an architecture that advances resiliency through the adoption of SUMS or small, unmanned, many and smart technologies.

“We’ve developed an acronym called SUMS — ‘small,’ ‘unmanned’ for the autonomous capability, ‘many’ to emphasize the resiliency we need because we can’t assume in a conflict with peer-level adversaries that we’re not going to lose some capability…and ‘smart weapons,’ which really means embedded sensors,” Brown said.

//
CDAO, Air Force Test AI-Enabled ‘Smart Sensor’ Autonomous Tech on UAS; Lt. Gen. Michael Groen Quoted
Published on
CDAO, Air Force Test AI-Enabled ‘Smart Sensor’ Autonomous Tech on UAS; Lt. Gen. Michael Groen Quoted

The Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office and the U.S. Air Force carried out a developmental test flight of an AI-enabled autonomous technology aboard an unmanned aerial system between April and May.

CDAO and the service tested the Smart Sensor autonomous platform, which is designed to enable UAS to perform surveillance and reconnaissance missions in contested environments, CDAO said Wednesday.

“This series of test flights saw the team successfully complete most of their technical objectives,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Groen, former director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and a 2022 Wash100 Award winner.

“We’re looking forward to continued advances as this system and the broader capability it represents speeds toward program transition to the Services,” he added.

CDAO partnered with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to work on the software package, dubbed Smart Sensor “Brain,” and General Atomics on the platform autonomy framework using open architectures.

1 … 873 874 875 876 877 … 2,703