Tag Archives: Orion

Bob Kolasky, assistant director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) National Risk Management Center (NRMC), said his team has studied the software risks associated with last year's SolarWinds hack. SolarWinds was a Russian malware attack that affected Orion software in multiple federal agencies. Kolasky said NRMC assessed SolarWinds-related software risks over a span of four months.

NASA has certified the computer system that would process the data of an upcoming uncrewed lunar flyby, which will serve as a prerequisite to future astronaut missions. The spacecraft command and control system (SCCS) is designed to address the information capacity and speed requirements of NASA's Artemis I mission, the space agency said Thursday.

The office of the inspector general at NASA has issued a report saying it estimates the costs of facility closures, delays and other challenges facing the space agency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to reach nearly $3 billion. OIG said Wednesday 30 major programs and projects accounted for about $1.6 billion of the estimated total cost impact.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, are reintroducing legislation to support the National Guard in helping secure the information technology systems of state and local governments against emerging cyberattacks. The National Guard is also facing limits in its capacity to support governments in cybersecurity efforts, according to the news release.

NASA, at Stennis Space Center, concluded green run tests of four RS-25 engines that would ignite for the Artemis program's first lunar mission. The space agency said Sunday it test-fired the engines of the Space Launch System on Saturday for the first mission under Artemis, a NASA-led effort to revive crewed space exploration.

The Japanese government has inked an agreement with NASA to provide capabilities to sustain the habitation module of the agency's Gateway orbital outpost as part of the Artemis program. Gateway is designed to support scientific research efforts and function as a rendezvous point for astronauts that will fly to the Moon via the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft. 

NASA intends to hold the final green run test for the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) on Jan. 16th. The agency seeks to thoroughly evaluate the SLS rocket's core stage prior to the first Artemis mission through the green run tests. NASA wrapped up seven of the eight tests under the green run effort.

The FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) issued a joint statement on Tuesday through the newly created cyber unified coordination group (UCG) to provide updates on an advanced persistent threat actor allegedly linked to Russia. 

President-elect Joe Biden said the U.S. must rethink and innovate national defense against cybersecurity threats following the SolarWinds network monitoring software hack that hit multiple federal agencies. Biden said at a recent press conference the Russian-linked breach poses a national security risk and highlights the need for the U.S. government to update approaches in the cyber domain.

NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility has commenced the production of the rocket core stages for both the second and third Artemis missions. These stages bring propellant tanks, RS-25 engines and avionics wiring to the Space Launch System (SLS)that serves as the launch vehicle for both of the upcoming missions.