"We developed an acquisition strategy consisting of a dual-lane approach that provides access to diverse commercially available systems," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, Space Force's acquisition lead for space launch.
"China is replacing Russia as the No. 2 space power," Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., told Breaking Defense.
With potential adversaries no longer predictable, training must move beyond just live exercises and flight simulators.
"The format was designed for space operations," said Epsilon3 co-founder Laura Crabtree, with the goal of "developing a platform to increase efficiency, and collaboration and coordinate amongst the members that are operating vehicles in space."
“This historic, comprehensive update to commercial space launch and reentry licensing requirements facilitates greater growth in this industry and helps America to maintain our #1 position in the world,” DoT Secretary Elaine Chao says.
The Space Foundation's analysis shows a whopping 73 percent increase in the global space economy between 2009 and 2019: from 245.06 billion to 423.8 billion.
Tal Inbar, senior space analyst at the Space Research Center of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, says that Arab space initiatives pose no threat at the moment.
It’s about improving existing platforms with autonomy, and applying AI, edge computing, quantum encryption, and sensor fusion.
From 150 down to two -- that's how intense and ruthless the competition is going to be to win the Pentagon's nod for the small launch vehicle market.
Sir Richard Branson says the US military "is very excited" about the capabilities of Virgin's Launcher One for resiliency on orbit.
Congress should pass laws to ensure that the Pentagon fully commits to creating a “large, updatable, and resilient national security constellation” in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).