DARPA picks 14 vendors for lunar economy-building study

DARPA picks 14 vendors for lunar economy-building study
DARPA picks 14 vendors for lunar economy-building study

Technologies being explored include “lunar power; mining and commercial in-situ resource utilization; communications, navigation, and timing; transit, mobility, and logistics; and construction and robotics,” according to DARPA.

DARPA, White House launch $20M AI, cybersecurity challenge

DARPA, White House launch $20M AI, cybersecurity challenge
DARPA, White House launch $20M AI, cybersecurity challenge

The Biden administration also unveiled a new executive order targeting US investment in Chinese AI, quantum and microelectronic tech.

DARPA taps General Atomics for low-flying seaplane Liberty Lifter concept

DARPA taps General Atomics for low-flying seaplane Liberty Lifter concept
DARPA taps General Atomics for low-flying seaplane Liberty Lifter concept

The Liberty Lifter program aims to change how the Pentagon tackles air and sealift through a well-known, but difficult-to-use physics trick.

DARPA wants to build slimmer, enhanced night vision goggles

DARPA wants to build slimmer, enhanced night vision goggles
DARPA wants to build slimmer, enhanced night vision goggles

The Pentagon’s blue-sky R&D agency chose 10 partners to help make goggles easier on soldiers’ necks and expand vision in the dark.

DARPA taps Northrop, Martin Defense Group for Manta Ray UUV Phase 2

DARPA taps Northrop, Martin Defense Group for Manta Ray UUV Phase 2
DARPA taps Northrop, Martin Defense Group for Manta Ray UUV Phase 2

The Manta Ray is one of several unmanned vehicles moving through the military’s research and development enterprises.

A mothership finally recovers DARPA’s ‘Gremlins’ drone, but it’s not all good news

A mothership finally recovers DARPA’s ‘Gremlins’ drone, but it’s not all good news
A mothership finally recovers DARPA’s ‘Gremlins’ drone, but it’s not all good news

During tests last month, one Gremlins drone was destroyed after a power system failure forced the team to terminate flight, said Tim Keeter, Dynetics’ program manager.

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Blowin’ In The Wind: A New X-Plane Program To Revolutionize Aircraft Maneuverability

Blowin’ In The Wind: A New X-Plane Program To Revolutionize Aircraft Maneuverability
Blowin’ In The Wind: A New X-Plane Program To Revolutionize Aircraft Maneuverability

BAE Systems’ role in DARPA’s CRANE program builds upon its demonstrator aircraft that was the first in aviation history to maneuver in flight using only active flow control technologies.

DARPA Eyes More 2022 Funds To Improve AI Reliability

DARPA Eyes More 2022 Funds To Improve AI Reliability
DARPA Eyes More 2022 Funds To Improve AI Reliability

Training AI systems “is still a bit of a black art,” says DARPA Acting Director Peter Highnam.

DARPA Gremlins: Drone Test Back On After COVID Delay

DARPA Gremlins: Drone Test Back On After COVID Delay
DARPA Gremlins: Drone Test Back On After COVID Delay

“We expect to report results in August, at the latest,” DARPA spokesperson Jared Adams told Breaking D.

DARPA’s Blackjack Jumps Forward With Payload, Bus, Demo Awards

DARPA’s Blackjack Jumps Forward With Payload, Bus, Demo Awards
DARPA’s Blackjack Jumps Forward With Payload, Bus, Demo Awards

Risk reduction missions this year “are separate flights to prove technologies” and not part of the planned 20-satellite Blackjack constellation, explains program manager Rusty Thomas.

Hypersonic Missiles: Plethora Of Boost-Glide & Cruise

Hypersonic Missiles: Plethora Of Boost-Glide & Cruise
Hypersonic Missiles: Plethora Of Boost-Glide & Cruise

“At this point we don’t want to see an either/or — we actually want to see both technologies pursued,” Lewis said of DoD’s pursuit of hypersonic boost-glide and cruise missile efforts.

Lockheed Martin, Air Force Press Ahead On Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile

Lockheed Martin, Air Force Press Ahead On Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile
Lockheed Martin, Air Force Press Ahead On Air-Launched Hypersonic Missile

Lockheed Martin is designing what it calls a new Hypersonic Strike Weapon-Air Breathing (which goes by the awful acronym HSW-ab) for DARPA. John Varley, Lockheed’s VP for hypersonic weapons, wouldn’t provide details due to the program’s high level of classification.

DARPA Doubles Dough For Nuclear-Powered Cislunar Rocket

DARPA Doubles Dough For Nuclear-Powered Cislunar Rocket
DARPA Doubles Dough For Nuclear-Powered Cislunar Rocket

DARPA’s budget documents say cislunar orbit is the “new high ground” at risk of being taken over by US adversaries.

Blackjack Gets 2021 Budget Boost For Two Sats

Blackjack Gets 2021 Budget Boost For Two Sats
Blackjack Gets 2021 Budget Boost For Two Sats

SDA says it’s still a transition partner for Blackjack, despite no specific funding line in its 2021 budget.