Space Experiments. U.S. Space Force’s small launch and targets division at Kirtland AFB, N.M., has awarded an $11.5 million contract under the Orbital Services Program-4 to Alameda, Calif.-based Astra Space for the Space Test Program-S29B (STP-S29B) launch scheduled in April 2025. The Astra Space Rocket 4 is to carry experimental payloads to low Earth orbit. The Astra Space contract “follows the $29.9 million STP-S29A Task Order that was awarded in September 2022 to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation,” Space Systems Command said on Apr. 21. “STP-S29B is a complex mission that will conduct scientific experiments and technology demonstrations with the goal of advancing DoD’s space capabilities.” Astra Space, founded in October 2016 by former NASA chief technology officer Chris Kemp, has had financial losses and a steep share drop in the last several years. From a high of $19.55 per share on the NASDAQ on Feb. 12, 2021, Astra Space is trading at .39 per share and received a notification of potential delisting from NASDAQ last October unless the company’s share price can reach $1 per share. If not, NASDAQ could delist Astra Space this October.
Industrial Base.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, says he wants reports from DoD on how the Pentagon has spent last year’s appropriation of $900 million to bolster the defense industrial base and what effects, if any, that spending has had. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Tester at an Apr. 19 hearing of the subcommittee that he believes the Pentagon has spent a significant amount of that $900 million. “There are a number of things we do with those funds, but essentially what we’re trying to do is ensure that our supply chains are healthy and identify any gaps that need to be addressed,” Kendall said, adding that DoD has “fairly intensive work” to identify weaknesses in the industrial base and prioritize solutions to them. “In the past, we’ve done some things, in space, for example, for very selected subcontractors/specific technologies,” he said. “There are other things we’ve funded, like casting capabilities and so on, where the return for industry is not there to make those investments without the department’s support.”
Air Force One. At a hearing this week of the House Armed Services Committee’s seapower and projection forces panel, Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) said that “roughly 250 Boeing workers with expired security credentials worked aboard the new [VC-25] Air Force One on a highly, highly classified system, so I’ve been told.” Bergman then asked Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter what the service is doing to prevent recurrences. “We have worked closely with Boeing to correct the errors on their system,” Hunter replied. “My understanding is they actually replaced the corporate official who was responsible overall for the procedures that they were supposed to be following there and failed to follow so there has been accountability in that case. And we’re working closely with Boeing to make sure that the individuals who needed to have their clearance processes updated are in that process…For the most part, these were people who actually had valid clearances, but the specific clearance that they needed to have, the paperwork had not been submitted.”
SatCom Boost. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) has prioritized satellite communications and provided an “additional gigabyte of data to support communications across the European continent” as part of NATO’s deterrent mission, Army Gen. James Dickinson said last week at the Space Symposium. The USSPACECOM chief also said his command has “provided more than 11,000 indications and warnings of theater launches to the NATO allies, as well as our U.S. partners.”
…International Cooperation. Dickinson was busy last week strengthening international military cooperation in the space domain. On Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colo., he signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Defense Space Command that will include work on force development, combined training and exercises, and reciprocal academic and professional education exchanges, modernization and future capabilities development, and enhanced information sharing. Dickinson also signed space situational awareness sharing agreements with Polish armed forces officials and Peruvian military officials and an agreement with the Italian Defense General Staff to assign an Italian liaison officer to USSPACECOM.
People News. Kathryn Coulter Mitchell, the deputy under secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, has been tapped to be chief of staff of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Mitchell will succeed Kiersten Todt, who has been in the job for 20 months and is returning to the private sector. Todt will continue to work with CISA Director Jen Easterly in a senior advisor capacity. Epirus Inc., the directed energy company focused on counter-drone solutions, has appointed Mara Motherway as chief growth officer. She will report to CEO Ken Bedingfield and lead business development, corporate campaigns, marketing communications and government relations. Motherway was previously with Peraton, which hired her in September 2021 to launch the company’s government and customer relations efforts.
Satellite Partnership. Science Applications International Corp. and Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace Group last week signed a strategic partnership to provide government and commercial customers in the U.S. with cubesat, mircosat and smallsat solutions. SAIC says it brings its mission domain knowledge, integration and additional technical expertise to combine with GomSpace’s spacecraft technologies. The deal makes SAIC the exclusive U.S. integrator of GomSpace satellites and licensed product distributor, services reseller and space vehicle and mission integrator for the Danish company’s U.S. government customers. SAIC said it is also investing in a Space Systems Development Center within its 300,000 square foot integration facility in Charleston, S.C.
Buy Better Revolution. The Coast Guard is using Survey Monkey as part of its Buy Better Revolution to obtain industry feedback and thoughts on the service’s purchasing process. The Buy Better Revolution is a “major transformation effort” that is “designed to improve overall capabilities while easing the administrative burden on front line units,” the Coast Guard said last week. “Its aim is to change how the Coast Guard obtains goods and services and will address all aspects of the life-cycle from initial request to final disposal.” The five-minute survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q958HKB
Trilateral BMD. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Benfold (DDG-65), conducted a trilateral ballistic missile defense exercise on April 17 with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Atago-class guided missile destroyer JS Atago (DDG 177) and South Korean Navy destroyer YulGok Yi I (DDG-992). The U.S. Navy said this enhanced the interoperability of all three countries’ collective force and “demonstrates the strength of the trilateral relationship with our Japan and Republic of Korea Allies. This trilateral cooperation is reflective of our shared values and resolve against those who challenge regional stability.” A Navy photo of the event said the exercise focused on ballistic missile defense integration and shipboard maneuvers.
USV+CG. A 5th Fleet L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel transited the Strait of Hormuz with the Coast Guard cutters USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) on April 19, the Navy said recently. The vessels sailed from the Persian Gulf through the strait into the Gulf of Oman. The Navy said this demonstrated continued operational integration of unmanned and artificial intelligence systems in Middle East maritime forces related to Task Force 59. These vessels transited the strait while supporting the 11-country Maritime Security Construct that aims to protect waterways in the Middle East.
LCS-36. The Navy plans to christen and launch the latest Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Kingsville (LCS-36), during a ceremony on April 22 in Mobile Ala. LCS-36 was built at Austal USA’s shipyard there. Kingsville is the 18th Independence-variant LCS.
Rheinmetall/Lockheed. Rheinmetall said on April 21 it has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin to collaborate on a rocket artillery system for Germany, to be produced in the country. “For us, the letter of intent signed today is an agreement of strategic significance. The combination of Lockheed Martin’s proven capabilities and extensive know-how with Rheinmetall’s experience in fabrication and production opens unique opportunities for both sides,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said in a statement. “For Germany and Rheinmetall, the agreement offers the chance to secure key technologies and a significant share in the value added chain for Germany.” Rheinmetall said the partnership will focus on developing a rocket artillery system that “maximizes existing and combat proven components.”
Abrams Training. M1 Abrams tanks for training Ukrainians on the platform will arrive in Germany in the next few weeks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on April 21. “Those aren’t quite combat-capable. And they’ll be used to train the crews on how to shoot, maneuver and maintain these tanks,” Milley said during a press briefing alongside Austin following the 10th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The Pentagon in March detailed plans to accelerate its timeline for delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with an aim to provide refurbished M1A1 platforms to Kyiv by this fall.
Ukraine/NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on April 21 said “all NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will [eventually] become” a member of the alliance. “We need a discussion about a security framework. There will be an ongoing discussion about membership,” Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. This follows Stoltenberg’s remarks in Kyiv a day earlier, where he said Ukraine’s “rightful place” was in NATO. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on April 13 he sees an opportunity for Ukraine to join NATO, adding the alliance’s upcoming summit in Vilnius, Lithuania this July would be “the best place” to start the process.
Sweden/NATO. During a visit to Stockholm on April 19, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he “fully anticipate[s]” Sweden will officially be a member of NATO by the time of alliance’s July summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. “We recently welcomed Finland as the 31st member of NATO. And we look forward to soon welcoming Sweden as the 32nd. And to be clear, we look forward to that happening before the summit in July,” Austin said during a press conference alongside Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson. “So, we encourage our allies, Türkiye and Hungary, to ratify Sweden’s accession as soon as possible.”