:

Space

Air Force’s June R&D Launch to Test Space X’s Falcon Heavy Reusability in ‘Most Challenging’ Mission Yet

By Vivienne Machi

Friday, June 7th, 2019

SHARE:

Air Force’s June R&D Launch to Test Space X’s Falcon Heavy Reusability in ‘Most Challenging’ Mission Yet

SpaceX launches its Falcon Heavy rocket, and passenger Arabsat-6A, on April 11. (SpaceX0

The Air Force’s upcoming launch of 24 new research-and-development payloads will demonstrate the performance of Space X’s Falcon Heavy launch vehicle for the first time on a Defense Department mission. The department’s Space Test Program (STP)-2 mission is currently scheduled for launch no earlier than June 24 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Launch Enterprise Systems Directorate, called it “one of the…

Congress

Six F-35Bs Delivered Without Radars Thus Far, Program Director Says

The U.S. Marine Corps thus far has received six F-35B fighters without radars, as the service waits on Northrop Grumman‘s [NOC] delivery of the AN/APG-85 radar, which is to replace […]

Congress

Baldwin Concerned With Army’s JLTV ‘Mismanagement,’ Seeks Support For Marines’ Procurement Plans

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has raised concerns with the “Army’s mismanagement” of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, and is seeking assurance that the Marine Corps can be supported […]

Congress

SASC Cites Concern With Army’s sUAS Approach, Seeks Info On Plans To Scale Fielding

Senate defense authorizers are seeking more info from the Army on its plans for scaling and deploying small drone capabilities citing concern with the service’s current “fragmented and insufficient” approach. […]

SASC Bill Would Raise Amphib Requirement To 33 Ships

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) fiscal year 2027 defense policy bill adds new provisions that would raise the Navy and Marine Corps’ minimum requirement for amphibious warships and extend […]