A new constellation? Space Force wants to get into tactical satellite imagery business 5 hours ago Kestrel Eye is one of several small experimental imagery satellites the U.S. Army has launched in recent years. (U.S. Army) WASHINGTON The head of the U.S. Space Force wants the new service to take on a new mission: providing tactical satellite imagery to the joint forces. He didn’t explain whether that means the service would try to build its own satellite constellation. “There’s a role here for the Space Force in tactical level ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance],” said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond at the 12th annual McAleese Conference May 12. “I really believe this is an area that we’ll begin to migrate to because we can do it, and we can do it in a way that doesn’t break the bank and is focused on our joint and coalition partners.”
Northrop Grumman awarded $13.3 million for Blackjack payloads 6 days ago An artist s rendering of Northrop Grumman s position, navigation and timing capability for DARPA s Project Blackjack. (Northrop Grumman) WASHINGTON The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Northrop Grumman $13.3 million for continued work on a new satellite demonstration known as Blackjack, according to a recent contract announcement. Project Blackjack will demonstrate the military utility of a mesh network made up of small satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Using optical intersatellite links, the network will be able to transport data rapidly from on-orbit sensors to war fighters on the ground. DARPA plans to test a vast array of capabilities with its demonstration constellation, including optical and infrared sensors and position, navigation and timing, according to the April 28 announcement.
Share April 27, 2021 DARPA has commissioned Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin to design an operational spacecraft at the same time as an orbital demonstrator.
Credit: DARPA
A nebulously named “Deterrence Layer” is on the drawing board for the National Defense Space Architecture, and that could mean the return of a functioning U.S.-operated, nuclear-powered satellite in orbit by 2025 for the first time in 60 years. The need for the Deterrence Layer may depend on what.
DARPA Embarks On Quest To Revive Nuclear Space Propulsion is part of
Aviation Week Network s complimentary online access.
Register now to read this content, plus receive complimentary access to articles from our experts in the global aerospace, air transport, mro, defense and space and business aviation communities.
By
Rebecca Grant on May 04, 2021 at 6:01 AM
SDA National Defense Space Architecture
When Congress began pushing hard for some kind of Space Force the biggest concern lawmakers had was improving space acquisition. After the Space Force was created the Office of Secretary of Defense created a new space acquisition authority outside the control of the new service that was supposed to train and equip space warriors. The Space Development Agency has shown no signs of going away, though criticism of what appears to be its duplicative efforts and uncertain future persist. Instead, it may have come up with answers to some of the most difficult questions raised by the new American way of war, All Domain Operations. In this op-ed, Rebecca Grant tackles these thorny issues. Read on! The Editor.
Gunsmoke-J experimental satellite, Army image
WASHINGTON: The Army is negotiating with the Intelligence Community and Space Force about ensuring operational control of any future Army-built ISR payloads hosted on DoD, IC and/or commercial satellites, says Willie Nelson, the de facto head of Army space programs.
“This is a watershed,” said Doug Loverro, former head of DoD space policy and a long-time player in space intelligence operations. “It represents the increased importance of tactical overhead support to Army forces for long range fires.”
Why? If the service wins even a modicum of control over where future IC ISR birds are ‘pointed’ a prerogative the IC traditionally has zealously guarded it would represent a major break with the past.