Raytheon’s Post

US military leaders are worried that China might attack the moon as part of the growing competition in space. Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, who works in the Space Force’s Indo-Pacific division, is concerned that China might break space agreements and use space for hostile actions. He pointed out two main areas of concern: areas beyond where most satellites orbit, called "xGEO," and the space between Earth and the Moon, known as cislunar space. Since there are many US military and other satellites in space, there's a real worry that they could be targeted in an attack. Mastalir wondered if there are ways enemies could attack that we haven't thought about yet from a military standpoint. #China #usa #moon #usmilitary #satellites #space

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency is rapidly expanding its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Nearly $10 billion in contracts have been awarded to companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, York Space, Rocket Lab, and Sierra Space for building over 400 satellites. This initiative marks a significant leap in military satellite technology, focusing on enhanced communication, location targeting, and missile defense. #SpaceForce #SDA #PWSA #SpaceExploration #DefenseTechnology #Innovation #spaceindustry #spaceeconomy #spacetechnology https://lnkd.in/gJibk-Za

As part of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have embarked on an ambitious space surveillance project with the establishment of the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC). This advanced network, comprising three space-tracking radars across these nations, is a groundbreaking initiative funded by the U.S. Space Force and developed by Northrop Grumman. DARC is designed to enhance space domain awareness by tracking, identifying, and characterizing objects in deep space, particularly in geosynchronous orbit. With the first site set to be operational in Exmouth, Western Australia by 2026, and completion of all three sites by 2030, DARC promises to significantly bolster space defense, traffic management, and global surveillance of both military and commercial satellites. This project highlights the deepening collaboration in space security among these allied nations. #aukus #space #darc #spacedefense #spacetracking #geosynchronousorbit #spaceforce #northropgrumman #spaceawareness #globalsurveillance Source- https://lnkd.in/gcK_7Hxp

US military leaders are worried that China might attack the moon as part of the growing competition in space. Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, who works in the Space Force’s Indo-Pacific division, is concerned that China might break space agreements and use space for hostile actions. He pointed out two main areas of concern: areas beyond where most satellites orbit, called "xGEO," and the space between Earth and the Moon, known as cislunar space. Since there are many US military and other satellites in space, there's a real worry that they could be targeted in an attack. Mastalir wondered if there are ways enemies could attack that we haven't thought about yet from a military standpoint. #China #usa #moon #usmilitary #satellites #space

In a move that could shape the in-orbit satellite servicing market, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command designated Northrop Grumman’s Passive Refueling Module (PRM) as a favored interface to enable future in-space refueling of military satellites. The PRM has a docking mechanism to allow a refueling vehicle in orbit to transfer propellant to another satellite to extend its useful life. https://lnkd.in/ekrF4eWy

TacRS missions enable the #USSPACECOM commander to plan and react quickly. The Victus Haze mission will showcase spacecraft capable of rendezvous and proximity operations, and provide a command and control center, crucial for addressing space threats. 

Mercury Systems, Inc., a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, today announced it was awarded a $31 million contract from L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) to provide solid-state data recorders for the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellite constellation. L3Harris was selected in January to design and build 18 satellites that will provide near-global missile warning and tracking coverage, with preliminary missile defense, under SDA’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program. The Tracking Layer is part of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a layered network of military satellites supporting multiple missions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Tranche 2 follows the 16-satellite constellation L3Harris is building for Tranche 1, and the four recently launched satellites it built for the Tranche 0. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/gCfVfNHu

Objects detected in the vicinity of ClearSpace-1 debris removal mission target https://lnkd.in/eSA3iFVr ESA’s Space Debris Office informed by the United States 18th Space Defense Squadron that new objects have been detected in the vicinity of a payload adapter. This adapter, named VESPA, was left in orbit following the 2013 launch of a Vega rocket from ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The object is a 113 kg, two-metre-diameter, conical upper portion of a payload adapter associated with the VV02 Vega launch that delivered the Proba-V, VNREDSat-1 and ESTCube-1 satellites into Earth orbit. The new debris is believed to originate from the VESPA adapter, which is in an orbit with perigee at 660 km altitude, apogee at 790 km and an inclination of 98.72 degrees.

The U.S. Space Force, under Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, is initiating a pioneering venture to develop technology aimed at refueling and maintaining satellites in orbit, a move necessitated by the limitations imposed by satellites' short lifespans and fixed fuel capacities. With a $20 million allocation in its 2025 budget, the initiative seeks to introduce "Servicing, Mobility, and Logistics" capabilities that could significantly enhance satellite defense and operational flexibility. This venture, incorporating commercial technologies and services, faces technical challenges in standardizing maintenance across various satellite types to ensure broad industry collaboration. Despite budget reductions and the imposition of fiscal constraints under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Saltzman remains optimistic about advancing key efforts in missile warning, satellite communications, and space defense capabilities, emphasizing a continued investment in research and development to fulfill national defense requirements. #spaceforce #technology #satellites #orbitalrefueling #servicingmobilitylogistics #defense #budget #innovation #resilientarchitectures #nationaldefense Source- https://lnkd.in/gb4rsYNn