NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

July 12, 2023

Rings and Bar of Spiral Galaxy NGC 1398

Why do some spiral galaxies have a ring around the center? Spiral galaxy NGC 1398 not only has a ring of pearly stars, gas and dust around its center, but a bar of stars and gas across its center, and spiral arms that appear like ribbons farther out. The featured deep image from Observatorio El Sauce in Chile shows the grand spiral galaxy in impressive detail. NGC 1398 lies about 65 million light years distant, meaning the light we see today left this galaxy when dinosaurs were disappearing from the Earth. The photogenic galaxy is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Furnace (Fornax). The ring near the center is likely an expanding density wave of star formation, caused either by a gravitational encounter with another galaxy, or by the galaxy's own gravitational asymmetries.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?

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National Guard in space? White House says no thanks

July 11, 2023

The White House has urged Congress 'not to create a new bureaucracy with far-reaching and enduring implications and expense.'

The office of United States President Joe Biden has voiced opposition to the creation of a Space National Guard.

The U.S. National Guard is a military reserve force made up of part-time members who hold civilian jobs but can be called up to full-time service when needed. The National Guard is also used within the United States to respond to domestic emergencies such as natural disasters. Currently, the Army and the Air Force have National Guard reserve components, but the U.S. Space Force does not. Several lawmakers in Congress have previously proposed the idea of creating a Space National Guard to provide part-time forces to bolster Space Force personnel numbers. But the push has yet to receive enough support to make it into law.

Now the White House has voiced its opposition. On Monday (July 10), the Executive Office of the President of the United States issued a statement that argues against the creation of a Space Force element of the National Guard. "The Administration continues to strongly oppose the creation of a Space National Guard," the White House's statement reads, urging Congress "not to create a new bureaucracy with far-reaching and enduring implications and expense."

Several lawmakers and former servicemembers have voiced their support for a Space National Guard in recent months, arguing that control of the U.S. military's space assets should be controlled by a single service, namely, the Space Force.

"Air National Guard personnel provide fundamental capability to the Space Force today," Air & Space Forces Association President and CEO Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, USAF (Ret.) said in June.

"Logically, moving those Guardsmen into the Space Force is the right thing to do, ensuring space remains under the control of a single service," Wright added. "A New Space National Guard does not need to be large and unwieldly. It can comprise just those units we have today. And it can do so without a lot of complicated infrastructure."

President Joe Biden's office disagrees. Instead of creating a Space National Guard, the White House's statement calls for a new management structure within the existing Space Force that could achieve some of the same goals that a Space National Guard would, namely creating flexibility for Space Force Guardians to more easily move between full- and part-time service.

The White House's statement argues that the proposed Space Force Personnel Management Act (SFPMA) would offer the same part-time flexibility that a National Guard space component would, but without the red tape and costs that come with creating an entirely new branch of the National Guard.

Furthermore, the statement makes it clear that, since the Space Force's mission is "federal in nature and global in impact," it does not make sense to offload some of that mission to the National Guard, which is overseen at the state level.

"The existing National Guard space equipment was procured and is sustained with Federal funding. Further, Air National Guard space missions are overwhelmingly housed on Federal land, and are largely maintained by the regular Air and Space Forces," the White House's statement reads.

https://www.space.com/space-force-national-guard-white-house-says-no

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/H.R.-2670-NDAA.pdf

Space Force, Air Force sign MOA on Guardian uniform development

July 11, 2023

Department of the Air Force senior executives signed a memorandum of agreement continuing the development of U.S. Space Force uniforms to accommodate all genders, life events and weather conditions July 11.

Wade Yamada, deputy director of staff, Office of the Chief of Space Operations, and Lea Kirkwood, program executive officer and director, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Agile Combat Support Directorate, signed the MOA extending an agreement signed May 16, 2022. The memo of understanding signed last year formally established the USSF Uniform production process and outlined responsibilities related to the design, development and sustainment of U.S. Space Force uniforms and streamlined communication between the newest military service and the directorate.

“The MOA signifies the continual commitment between the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Uniform Office to deliver the highest quality Guardian uniforms,” Yamada said. “This partnership enables us to continue developing the service dress while simultaneously designing prototypes for maternity, outerwear, and the mess dress.”

The Change Management Team, within the Office of the CSO, and the Air Force Uniform Office, within the ACS Human Systems Division, have worked side by side to design, develop, modify and field new Space Force uniforms to include physical training gear and the service dress.

“As we embark on the next phase of uniform development, we are excited to continue our partnership with Space Force meeting their uniform requirements,” Kirkwood added. “We are honored to have the chance to contribute to the establishment of this new and extraordinary identity for our Guardians.”

The Space Force is leveraging the Uniform Office program designated by the MOA to develop the maternity service dress, outerwear coat, sweater and headgear. The Uniform Office is continuing to develop the Space Force mess dress uniform in conjunction with the CMT uniform team. Both offices are working diligently to ensure a timely uniform delivery for all Guardians.

https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3454930/space-force-air-force-sign-moa-on-guardian-uniform-development/

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