NGA to gather more unclassified economic, military intel from commercial sats

NGA to gather more unclassified economic, military intel from commercial sats
NGA to gather more unclassified economic, military intel from commercial sats

“Commercial analytics-as-a-service, or the purchase of analysis vice pixels, means that we can integrate commercial capabilities faster into our existing products and services (e.g., object detection),” an NGA spokesperson told Breaking Defense.

‘Urgent need’: Army ‘Space Vision’ calls for new investment in kit, personnel

‘Urgent need’: Army ‘Space Vision’ calls for new investment in kit, personnel
‘Urgent need’: Army ‘Space Vision’ calls for new investment in kit, personnel

As well as leveraging space systems for its own operations, the Army intends to invest in capabilities to counter enemy space systems, the new vision document explains.

NRO taps 5 firms for new electro-optical imaging capabilities

NRO taps 5 firms for new electro-optical imaging capabilities
NRO taps 5 firms for new electro-optical imaging capabilities

The five Strategic Commercial Enhancements (SCE) contracts will allow NRO to study imagery and techniques used by the companies, which include novel ways of processing images to increase their fidelity and resolution.

With new intel doctrine, Army turning its sights to ISR modernization

With new intel doctrine, Army turning its sights to ISR modernization
With new intel doctrine, Army turning its sights to ISR modernization

One of the questions the Army’s ISR Task Force is grappling with regard to sensing is how best to “leverage the vast proliferation of commercial satellite providers,” said task force director Andrew Evans.

NRO plans 10-fold increase in imagery, signals intel output

NRO plans 10-fold increase in imagery, signals intel output
NRO plans 10-fold increase in imagery, signals intel output

While the NRO has never revealed exactly how many satellites it operates, historically its imaging and signals intelligence constellations have been made up of handfuls of very large birds.

Space industry shakeups: Aerospace consolidates, Maxar breaks up

Space industry shakeups: Aerospace consolidates, Maxar breaks up
Space industry shakeups: Aerospace consolidates, Maxar breaks up

One Maxar official told Breaking Defense today that Maxar’s “mission focus” on NRO will not be affected by the split up.

As DoD readies new commercial space strategies, industry frets funding gap

As DoD readies new commercial space strategies, industry frets funding gap
As DoD readies new commercial space strategies, industry frets funding gap

When it comes to leveraging commercial space tech, one analyst said, “The old adage holds — show me your budget and I’ll show you your priorities.”

Top-level study on Intel Community, Space Force satellite control coming soon

Top-level study on Intel Community, Space Force satellite control coming soon
Top-level study on Intel Community, Space Force satellite control coming soon

The National Reconnaissance Office has “grown and evolved and recognized, just as well as we have, that they have responsibilities that are not traditional” with regard to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from satellites, said Space Force vice chief Gen. DT Thompson.

Space Force to reveal draft for commercial satellite ‘reserve’ service soon

Space Force to reveal draft for commercial satellite ‘reserve’ service soon
Space Force to reveal draft for commercial satellite ‘reserve’ service soon

“The capacity needed during times of crisis or conflict will exceed our steady state peacetime demand,” said Col. Rich Kniseley, who leads Space Systems Commands Commercial Space Office.

NRO seeking new electro-optical imagery from private sector

NRO seeking new electro-optical imagery from private sector
NRO seeking new electro-optical imagery from private sector

The NRO is planning to award new contracts for commercial satellite imagery, perhaps including that of other satellites, the spy-sat agency’s head of commercial operations, Pete Muend, said today.

EXCLUSIVE: Space Force, IC warily approach agreement on commercial intel imagery buys

EXCLUSIVE: Space Force, IC warily approach agreement on commercial intel imagery buys
EXCLUSIVE: Space Force, IC warily approach agreement on commercial intel imagery buys

While there is no formal agreement, NRO and the Space Force have reached an informal accord to each use commercial imagery the other has acquired, and are in discussions about a potential DoD-IC “marketplace” to ease sharing.

How Space Force, NRO are sharing the ground-tracking mission, for now

How Space Force, NRO are sharing the ground-tracking mission, for now
How Space Force, NRO are sharing the ground-tracking mission, for now

“The good news about this approach is this really fits my priority of speed, speed and speed,” Frank Calvelli, space acquisition czar at the Department of the Air Force, said of the plan to have NRO take the lead with Space Force oversight and some funding.

Maxar contracts startup Umbra to supply SAR satellite data

Maxar contracts startup Umbra to supply SAR satellite data
Maxar contracts startup Umbra to supply SAR satellite data

Under the deal, Maxar will be able to expand its SAR data offerings to international customers, and Umbra will get global eyes on its products, company officials told Breaking Defense.

SAR-satellite startup Capella Space creates ‘federal’ unit for US government sales

SAR-satellite startup Capella Space creates ‘federal’ unit for US government sales
SAR-satellite startup Capella Space creates ‘federal’ unit for US government sales

“There is significant value in unclassified, shareable SAR imagery. And we’ve seen that in Ukraine. And so I think that has changed people’s minds quite a bit which has given a lot of momentum to … how government thinks about future procurements,” Capella CEO Payam Banazadeh told Breaking Defense.