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Space

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

By Marc Selinger

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

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Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifts off Jan. 21, 2018, in New Zealand. (Photo courtesy of Rocket Lab)

Rocket Lab, one of several firms vying for a share of the burgeoning small-satellite launcher business, reached orbit and unleashed small satellites for the first time with its Electron rocket Jan. 21.Minutes after its afternoon liftoff from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, the “Still Testing” Electron deployed a Planet Dove Pioneer satellite for Earth imaging and two Spire Lemur-2 satellites for weather and ship tracking.The launch “marks the beginning of a new era in commercial access to space,” said Peter Beck, Rocket…

Congress

With $1.5 Trillion Request, Army, Air Force, Navy’s Unfunded Lists Focus Solely On MILCON Projects

With the Trump administration’s push to massively increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion in fiscal year 2027, the Army, Air Force and Navy have eschewed submitting large unfunded priorities lists […]

Unmanned Systems

Bipartisan House Bill Would Give National Guard To Counter-Drone Authorities

Seeking to close gaps that may arise between state and local law enforcers in different jurisdictions, a bipartisan contingent of House members this week introduced a bill that would allow […]

Congress

Munitions Fired Represent Most of $25 Billion Spent By Pentagon on Iran War So Far

Munitions fired in the two-month old “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran represent most of the $25 billion cost the Pentagon has incurred thus far in the conflict, the acting Defense […]

Congress

Slotkin: Pentagon Should Use Anthropic’s Mythos To Spot Cyber Security Gaps

The Pentagon should be using Anthropic‘s recently announced Mythos artificial intelligence model to spot gaps in cyber security, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said on Tuesda. “I think the thing that […]