Located at Kirtland AFB, the site will be inducted as the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) primary evaluation center for next-generation re-entry vehicles to deliver assets between terrestrial bases and orbital missions.

Tasks in the facility will incorporate the assembly and disassembly of testbed vehicles and related components in addition to experiments.

“Our nation has historically relied on our ability to maintain credible deterrence, and REVIL is a key part of that as we move forward,” AFRL Space Vehicles Director Col. Jeremy Raley remarked during the ceremony.

“We have the nation’s brightest innovators and visionaries working at AFRL. This facility will give them the infrastructure they deserve and will allow them to collaborate with scientists and engineers that intimately understand the space vehicles mission, communicate that mission to industry and move it forward.”

The $8.7-million infrastructure project will cover 5,265 square feet (489 square meters) of area in Albuquerque, with works expected to be completed in 14 months.

The effort’s project management team will be the US Army Corps of Engineers. The laboratory’s design is led by Missouri-based architectural company Burns & McDonnell, while the construction is by New Mexico-based Perikin Enterprises LLC.

Supporting Nuclear Efforts

The Kirtland laboratory is the first of four planned hubs that will support the nation’s broader strategy to bolster nuclear deterrence capabilities.

Expansions to support this objective will include collaborations with other US defense agencies, the Department of Energy, and industry partners.

“This groundbreaking ceremony is a culmination of years of effort and our vision and nuclear posture is moving from a model of sustain to modernize,” AFRL Nuclear Mission Portfolio Lead Stephanie Eddy stated.

“We have the goal to double the nation’s capability in this science and technology work within the next five to seven years.”

Partnership With Space Force

The air force highlighted that operations in the forthcoming center will be coordinated with the US Space Force.

“This lab supports both the Air and Space Force missions,” Raley said. “While we must work on new scientific developments for re-entry vehicles, there are many other opportunities to create economic and warfighting advantages.”

“New discoveries will arise from working with other government entities and industry partners, and that’s what’s really exciting about this lab … the expansive opportunity.”

The post US Air Force Launches Space Vehicle Laboratory Construction in New Mexico appeared first on The Defense Post.

The 12-month agreement encompasses detailed training in space, intelligence, and cyber tasks starting this September.

Each trainee will receive training in these primary disciplines according to the individual’s preferences, aptitude, and potential functions in the space force.

Work for the proficiency program will be conducted by Aleut’s Management Services segment at the Peterson Base in Colorado Springs.

Aleut highlighted that the OCT aligns with the US Department of Defense’s objective to “redesign” career paths for personnel and civilians, transforming trainees into “Day-One ready” for operational assignments.

OCT will also hone future leaders in addition to basic preparations for immediate roles to fulfill the space force’s broader Great Power Competition objective that focuses on expanding assets against modern and future threats as well as “high-end conflicts and long-term strategic” scenarios.

“Aleut is honored to be an integral part of delivering this groundbreaking course, which will equip our Space Force officers with the skills needed to address the full spectrum of conflict in the space domain,” Aleut Federal Mission and Technology Programs VP Jay Waldman stated.

The post Virginia Company to Support Inaugural US Space Force Officer Training Course appeared first on The Defense Post.

The package will incorporate a heat shield, payload bus, and paragliding systems that will support the spacecraft’s hypersonic testing and reentry missions.

Work for the contract will be facilitated for four years in partnership with the air force’s innovation arm AFWERX.

“This AFWERX [Strategic Funding Increase] program will directly contribute to protecting the lives of our military personnel, by delivering supplies and payloads through space,” Outpost CEO and Founder Jason Dunn stated.

“We eliminate the need for aviators to fly through dangerous airspace with this technology. Outpost’s innovative approach ensures that our members on the ground remain connected to the critical logistics and supply lines they rely on, all while minimizing risk to our forces.”

Future J-POC Flight in 2026

Outpost is now working on the future J-POC platforms, including the “Ferryall” return vehicle and the “Carryall” vehicle, which will be able to transport up to 10 tons of payload.

The systems’ maiden launch is scheduled for 2026, the company wrote.

“Outpost has worked to develop a scalable heat shield and autonomous atmospheric paraglider that enables Earth return of multi-ton cargo from space,” Dunn added.

“This is a game changer in our ability to support the government in hypersonic testing and reentry missions by providing a regular cadence of Earth return to collect valuable hypersonic data necessary to enable future DoD capabilities.”

“Additionally, this program will enable myriad private manufacturing of materials in space, such as fiber optic cable, which will tremendously benefit our lives on Earth.”

Outpost’s latest deal followed the firm’s $1.25-million logistics award signed in August for the utility of Ferryall and Carryall vehicles between an in-orbit US Air Force warehouse and multiple Earth-based locations.

The post Alabama Firm to Equip Future US Air Force Cargo Spacecraft appeared first on The Defense Post.

The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) Site 2 contract involves building a radar site at Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire, Wales, by February 4, 2030.

A total of 27 radar dishes are planned to be erected at Cawdor, each standing 20 meters (65 feet) tall and capable of seeing a football from space.

“The proposed redevelopment of Cawdor Barracks secures jobs at home and defense capabilities for the future,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.

“Space plays a crucial role in our daily lives – used by everything from our mobile phones to banking services. 

“It is also used by UK Defence to conduct vital tasks such as supporting military operations, navigating forces and gathering intelligence.”

Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability

The DARC program includes building an interconnected radar site in each of the three AUKUS countries: Australia, the US, and the UK.

The first radar is scheduled to be installed in Western Australia by 2026, while the third will be erected in the US.

“The DARC Site 2 award expands Northrop Grumman’s support for the US Space Force’s Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capabilities in an increasingly contested domain,” Northrop Grumman VP of integrated national systems Pablo Pezzimenti said.

“This site brings us closer to achieving global coverage of deep space, which is a critical mission for future security of the US and its allies.”

Upgraded Capabilities

The SDA replaced the Space Situational Awareness in 2019 with a broader scope to identify, characterize, and understand objects moving in geostationary orbit.

The DARC radars will feature enhanced space domain awareness and all-weather capabilities, helping to protect vital satellite communication and navigation networks.

“While current ground-based systems operate at night and can be impacted by weather conditions, DARC will provide an all-weather, 24/7 capability to monitor the highly dynamic and rapidly evolving geosynchronous orbital environment critical to national and global security,” Pezzimenti said.

The post Northrop to Build UK-Based Deep Space Monitoring Radar  appeared first on The Defense Post.

Dubbed “Tyche,” the space asset was launched Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California with SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket.

The satellite will be operated by the UK Space Command to capture daytime images and videos of the Earth’s surface.

It will also support the operations of the British military by gathering critical intelligence and monitoring adversaries.

“To see Tyche – the first of a new generation of UK military capabilities – delivered into orbit is an incredibly proud moment and a tribute to everyone’s commitment to this key project,” Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) official Paul Russell said.

The first signals from the new satellite were transmitted to its operator a few hours after lift-off, confirming its successful launch.

Lift off!

Tyche is now orbiting planet Earth. The first wholly @DefenceHQ-owned satellite is the size of a washing machine and was launched from a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Find out more about what it will do for UK Armed Forces: https://t.co/3pCgkcRmo1 pic.twitter.com/eV8DMR9JtV

— Defence Equipment & Support (@DefenceES) August 17, 2024

$29M Initiative

About the size of a washing machine, the Tyche military satellite weighs 150 kilograms (330 pounds).

It is part of a 22-million-pound ($29-million) initiative between the DE&S and Guildford-based Surrey Satellite Technology Limited.

The space asset will provide timely space-based imagery from Low Earth Orbit over a five-year lifespan.

According to the defense ministry, the Tyche was launched after seeing the crucial role of space-based military assets in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“Tyche will provide essential intelligence for military operations as well as supporting wider tasks across government,” defense procurement minister Maria Eagle said, adding that its launch highlights the country’s commitment to supporting innovation.

Apart from ISR, the satellite is expected to help monitor natural disasters and track the impact of climate change around the world.

The post UK Launches First Military Satellite appeared first on The Defense Post.

With an estimated value of $1 billion, the contract will see the delivery to Rabat of Israel’s Ofek 13 spy satellites over a period of five years.

They will replace Morocco’s existing Airbus and Thales space-based surveillance system.

Once delivered, the satellites are expected to bolster the African nation’s intelligence-gathering capabilities amid increasing geopolitical tensions.

‘Unprecedented Day and Night Surveillance’

First launched into orbit in March 2023, IAI’s Ofek 13 is equipped with synthetic aperture radar that enables precise imaging even in adverse weather conditions.

It also offers unprecedented day and night surveillance with a resolution of up to 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) and an orbit period as short as 90 minutes.

The Israeli Air Force previously described the space asset as “a tool that allows us to look beyond the horizon and investigate all areas of interest.”

Its “unique radar observation capabilities” also enable seamless intelligence-gathering in any visibility conditions.

In Morocco, the satellite can be used to monitor borders, detect potential threats, and gather critical intelligence.

The post Morocco Buys Advanced Spy Satellites From Israel appeared first on The Defense Post.

The $2.5-million project will produce a prototype that combines the utility of the organization’s traditional existing cables embedded across oceans with commercial high-bandwidth telecommunication satellites, maintaining a consistent data exchange between allies both in peacetime and conflict.

SPS and Cornell will work with the Swedish Defence University to produce an “ultra-precise” surveillance solution to scan for subsea cable threats.

The consortium also includes John Hopkins Bifröst, which will manage the research on redirecting communication traffic through a variety of data centers if submarine lines are disturbed or attacked.

Meanwhile, a third team will review processes for legal and jurisdictional concerns once the international data transfer plan is operational.

“Ninety-five percent of all communications flow through subsea fiber optic cables,” Cornell Engineering Mechanical and Aerospace Asst. Professor Greg Falco explained. ”If those go down, we’re done as an IT society.”

“What we want to do, ultimately, is create a new backbone for the internet and redesign how it flows. And we can do that by creating this hybrid submarine cable network and satellite communication network that works together seamlessly in order to relay data to the relevant parties.”

Demo in Two Years

Cornell said the two-year prototyping effort will be followed by a demonstration at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden.

Additional enhancements and collaborations with satellite companies to scale up the infrastructure will be based on results from the upcoming presentation.

“We are assembling pieces of the puzzle and trying to create this massive new ecosystem,” Falco said.

“I’d say this is 100% a systems engineering problem, meaning that none of the tech that we’re going to build or assemble hasn’t already in some form been conceived in other applications.”

“This is about fitting all the pieces together. From an engineering perspective, it’s hard, but then also you have the regulatory and political and economic nature of this, which is also hard.”

The post NATO, Cornell Launch Undersea-Space Communication System Prototyping appeared first on The Defense Post.

Called “Stella,” the study is inspired by a statement from a former Ukrainian space agency official who said a responsive satellite launch capability with an aircraft would have been useful in preparing for an enemy attack.

According to Swedish Air Force – Space Division head Col. Ella Carlsson, a university in Stockholm has already looked into whether the proposed capability is feasible.

Initial findings suggest that an air-launched rocket could enable satellites weighing 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) to be launched into Low Earth Orbit.

Now, Carlsson said the focus is on how a rocket could be safely fitted to the Gripen aircraft, with consideration for ground clearance.

“They are making calculations,” she said on the eve of the Farnborough International Airshow 2024. “But if we need to rebuild the aircraft [to fit the rocket], we won’t do it.”

‘No Guarantee’

The idea of launching small satellites from fighter jets is not new, as the Italian Air Force undertook a similar study in 2019 using the Eurofighter Typhoon.

With extensive experience in developing satellites and launch vehicles, the initiative was envisaged to help Rome launch military satellites from its own territory.

However, little is known about the results of the Italian study.

With the apparent failure of the first European study, Gripen manufacturer Saab cautioned that there is no guarantee the effort will lead to operational capability.

“As regards the specifics of the Stella study and its intended purpose, we will not prejudge the feasibility nor outcome,” a spokesperson told Breaking Defense.

The post Sweden’s Gripen Fighter Jet Could Soon Launch Satellites appeared first on The Defense Post.

The 15-year SATCOMBw 3 contract includes geostationary satellites, ground segment, launch, and operation.

Airbus will design, integrate, test, and deliver two new military GEO (geostationary orbit) telecommunications satellites into orbit before the end of the decade.

The contract further includes upgrading the existing ground segment to launch existing and new satellites for the next 15 years, with the possibility of an extension.

Next-Gen Satellites

The six-metric-ton SATCOMBw 3 is the successor to the COMSAT B 1B and 2B satellites and features state-of-the-art technologies.

It is based on the Eurostar Neo platform and is capable of updating itself to rapid changes in digitalization and the requirements of increasing data transfer volume.

The contract has a strong German presence, with partners such as Bremen-based OHB and numerous smaller German companies. 

Moreover, the contract’s key elements, including the guidance and integration of advanced payloads, solar arrays, and overall operation, will be from Germany.

Secure Military Satellite

The system is essential for Germany’s “autonomous and independently deployable communications and information services.”

It ensures the Bundeswehr’s global command and information capability, enabling the fulfillment of NATO commitments in this area, Airbus stated.

“After the success of the SATCOMBw Stage 2 programme, which we have been delivering since 2009, this latest contract reinforces our strategic partnership with the Bundeswehr, providing them with a greatly enhanced secure milsatcom capability that is future proofed into the 2040s,” Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn said.

“At a time when Western democracies are challenged and where the European institutional space ecosystem is struggling, we are excited and grateful to develop and build this leading-edge system.”

The post Airbus to Build, Launch Germany’s Next-Gen Military Satellites for $2.2B appeared first on The Defense Post.

The firm develops Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) microsatellites for global surveillance and has supported the Ukrainian government since 2022. 

With the latest agreement, ICEYE said it “continues to … ensure the imagery captured pertinent to Ukraine’s territory is used in the interests of ensuring the security and defense of Ukraine.”

The memorandum focuses on strengthening remote sensing technology and data use for the country’s defense and security while “supporting Ukraine’s integration into the global space economy.”

Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Kateryna Chernohorenko said the cooperation with ICEYE enhances the nation’s intelligence work. 

“I’m grateful to the company for its commitment to values and the Ukrainian people. I support the intention to limit space imaging over the territory of Ukraine. We must protect the country on land, in the air, at sea, and in space,” she said.

ICEYE Support In Crowdfunding for Ukraine

ICEYE announced in August 2022 that it had signed a contract with the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation to provide Ukraine with ICEYE’s SAR satellite imaging resources.

Per the agreement, an ICEYE SAR satellite is designated for Ukraine’s use over the region. The firm also “provides access to its constellation of SAR satellites, allowing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to receive radar satellite imagery on critical locations with a high revisit frequency.”

The results have been well worth it for the embattled Eastern European country.

Thus far, the satellite has aided attacks on more than 1,500 Russian targets, Kyiv’s military intelligence service (HUR) has revealed.

It has reportedly captured 4,173 images of Russian military facilities over the past year, including 370 airfields, 238 air defense and radio technical intelligence positions, 153 oil depots and fuel warehouses, and 17 naval bases.

It has also been able to take high-resolution imagery of 147 facilities that produce and store missiles, ammunition, and aviation weapons used by the Russian military.

According to HUR, 38 percent of the images were used to prepare for attacks, helping cost Moscow “billions of dollars.”

“ICEYE has been working closely with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine from Day 1 to support and help Ukraine in building space defense capabilities,” ICEYE CEO Rafal Modrzewski said.

“In line with our vision to improve life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation, we take pride in our efforts to provide objective, actionable data and technological support to Ukraine. The use of new, ground-breaking technology will continue to add significant value to the Government of Ukraine.”

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