Air Force IR Sensor Delivered for Hosting on SES Satellite

SAIC has delivered an infrared sensor for Air Force use that will be integrated into and hosted on the commercial SES-2 satellite.  The SES-2 satellite is being built by Orbital Sciences and will provide commercial communications services. The short and medium wave infrared sensor gets a lower-cost ride to space than a dedicated IR satellite [...]

Boeing, United Launch Alliance, and DoD To Grapple Over $271 Million

Well, this will be interesting. Stand by for some alphabet soup. First, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) says Boeing needs to reimburse $72 million it has already received. Next, DCAA says the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA, not to be confused with DCAA) should notify the joint Boeing-Lockheed Martin venture called the United Launch [...]

Massive Excess In Space-Industrial Capacity

How do you ‘right size’ the solid rocket motor industry, which has some facilities operating at 10 percent of capacity? Consolidate and close up to 90 percent of capacity it would appear. The excess capacity regarding solids likely also reflects space in general and space launch in particular.

Whose Your Senior Mentor?

In November 2009, USA Today took up the banner of shining some light into the whole ‘senior mentor’ thing.  You know, senior mentors: the retired flag and general officers who support (in a big-fee-for-service sort of way) the services and unified commands, often in wargaming. After that kerfuffle, the Pentagon has now actually weakened the [...]

Defense Industry Braces For Cuts

Somebody got some ‘splainin’ to do. The WSJ reports $100 billion in defense cuts–about 90 percent in the years beyond FY12 for the purpose of getting the budget under better control. Concurrently, $50 billion of current year non-defense spending is proposed. Is it me? Regarding the proposed cuts to the defense industry, a dilemma remains excess [...]

Pondering The Bogus And Artificial Line Between “Government Space” and “Commercial Space”

Commercial space haters conveniently ignore the fact the U.S. government creates virtually none of the space capability our nation enjoys. Who does?  Commercial companies, as epitomized by Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, and the like, and now, by SpaceX. I suppose the students in culminating astro classes at USAFA, Cal Poly, Utah State, John Hopkins, or MIT might actually [...]

What Are ‘Inherently Governmental’ Functions In Cyberspace?

The article at Danger Room regarding $400M of DoD cyber war business could perhaps be better titled “Cyber Chicken Little Wins Conflict Cash” or “There’s No Business in Saying ‘All is Well’.”  There is much to agree with on Danger Room’s take on the subject. Fundamental issues cyber war contractors should address: If we are [...]

USAF Plans For Reusable Booster

Groan.  Wasn’t the shuttle a reusable booster?  Didn’t EELV promise cost savings? Here’s the link to the Aviation Week article… When I read about savings of over 50%, I think about EELV and the cost savings it was asserted to create.  EELV was a massive ‘cost avoidance’ program, that is, by creating and using new [...]

Recycling Is Good For The Environment. Is It Good For Ideas, Too?

I once received the advice to never throw my first draft away. I think there’s a lesson in that advice for the space community.