Tag Archives: smallsat

Gen. John Raymond, the U.S. Space Force's chief of space operations, said microelectronics and advanced propulsion can enable small satellites that can be deployed in large numbers while having the computing power to rapidly transmit data. He said at an Arizona State University-sponsored virtual conference that USSF wants to capitalize on these technologies as the military updates satellite networks.

The U.S. Space Force is working on a couple of efforts to transport small satellites and corresponding payloads to space. USSF plans to launch the Space Test Program 3 mission later this year to demonstrate the Long Duration Propulsive ESPA (LDPE), which will host multiple small satellites.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is looking to deploy a constellation of small satellites for weather forecast activities in the future. NOAA considers using small polar-orbiting satellites for the agency's next constellation, instead of traditional large spacecraft like the existing Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS).

NASA is slated to launch two small-satellite missions valued at $140 million combined as part of the agency’s Heliophysics Solar Terrestrial Probes initiative in 2025. NASA also allocated funding for the Spectral Imaging of Heliospheric Lyman Alpha (SIHLA) mission of opportunity which will involve mapping the sky to study the boundary between the heliosphere and heliopause.

The U.S. Space Force is requesting $131 million to support continued efforts to deploy space-based sensor technologies to low-Earth orbit for combat-focused weather imaging operations in fiscal year 2021. 

Christopher Scolese, director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), said the NRO is becoming more dependent on small satellites to support research experiments. He said the agency is leveraging low-cost launch services and small satellites to bring more technology platforms in space to explore future mission capabilities.

Paul Thomas, project manager for the Blackjack effort at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), said the agency is moving forward with the program after evaluating commercial technologies and identifying potential risks. He noted that the agency is “tying up all the loose ends” of its phase one contract and studying its options after evaluating technical risks.

The White House's National Space Council is looking to pursue new policy on intellectual property across the U.S. space industry, Space News reported Monday. The potential directive would ask space companies to implement cybersecurity standards designed to protect IP data.

Christopher Scolese, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, has said the agency is prioritizing satellite and ground system modernization as well as efforts to accelerate on-board data processing, Space News reported Tuesday.

The National Security Agency is leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze telemetry data and identify anomalies in small satellites’ behavior to ensure that they are not under the control of adversaries, Defense One reported Friday.