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Space Delta 9 welcomes new orbital warfare commander

July 3, 2024

U.S. Space Force Col. Ramsey Horn took command of Space Delta 9 – Orbital Warfare during a change of command ceremony at Schriever Space Force Base, July 2.

“Col. Bigley has led DEL 9 to where it is now, and I know Col. Horn will lead it to where it needs to be in the future,” Miller said. Horn is the third commander to take charge of DEL 9.

The organization is the focal point for preparing, presenting and projecting assigned and attached forces for the purpose of conducting protect and defend operations and providing national decision authorities with response options to deter orbital threats.

“It is an incredible privilege for me to be joining your ranks here today. I look forward to earning your trust over the coming days and weeks,” Horn said.

“You guys are literally writing the history of this service and setting the foundation for how we will fight tomorrow and into the future.

I am incredibly excited and humbled to have the next two years with you to see how you continue to rise to this occasion and meet the challenge.”

Miller highlighted Col. Mark Bigley for his dedication and focus as the commander of DEL 9 over the past two years and expressed his excitement for the continued excellence DEL 9 will provide for the Space Force under Horn’s leadership.

“As Delta 9’s second-ever commander, Col. Bigley led four squadrons of around 400 premier Guardians, Airmen, and civilian warriors,” Miller said.

“Delta 9 stood up as the Space Force’s in-domain maneuver element to support our service’s core competencies of space security, combat power projection, and space domain awareness – all contributing to the Space Force’s cornerstone responsibilities of preserving freedom of action in space, while enabling joint lethality and effectiveness, and providing independent options for the nation.”

Bigley, who will become the chief of Current Operations Division and Operations Directorate, U.S. Space Command, shared memories of his time as commander.

“As the Delta 9 commander, I have been reminded time and time again during this assignment that we have a solemn obligation and responsibility to make the most combat credible, combat capable warfighting force in the world,” Bigley said.

“It’s a fighting force that American people can expect is ready to enter at a moment’s notice. Each of you have the competitive endurance to finish the race strong, and you don’t back down.

Don’t stop pushing. Keep bringing the storm.”

Headquartered at Schriever SFB, DEL 9 provides orbital warfare capabilities through preparing, presenting and projecting attached forces.

The Delta is composed of four squadrons: 1st Space Operations Squadron, 3rd Space Operations Squadron, 9th Combat Training Squadron and 5th Space Operations Squadron.

https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3827662/space-delta-9-welcomes-new-orbital-warfare-commander/

https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2817115/space-delta-9/

SpaceX wins NASA contract to launch gamma-ray astronomy mission

July 3, 2024

NASA has selected SpaceX to launch a small gamma-ray astronomy mission on a Falcon 9 in 2027.

NASA announced July 2 that it awarded a contract to SpaceX to launch the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) spacecraft, a small Explorer-class, or SMEX, mission into low Earth orbit.

The contract, valued at about $69 million, covers the August 2027 launch and related activities.

A NASA spokesperson told SpaceNews the agency could not release details on the number of companies that bid on the launch, which was done as a task order through the NASA Launch Services 2 contract vehicle.

Such information is considered “source selection sensitive,” the agency said. NASA selected COSI in 2021 as part of the SMEX program with an estimated cost at the time, not including launch, of $145 million.

The spacecraft, whose instrument is based on a version flown on high-altitude balloons, will detect soft gamma rays from sources in the galaxy and beyond such as from the annihilation of positrons in the Milky Way.

At the time NASA picked COSI for development, the mission was projected to launch in 2025. NASA, though, slowed down work on COSI, extending its Phase B design work, to reduce near-term costs. That pushed out its launch to 2027.

Slowing down missions ultimately increases their overall cost, Mark Clampin, NASA astrophysics division director, said at a June 28 meeting of the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Academies’ Space Studies Board.

NASA has not released an updated cost estimate for COSI, which did pass its confirmation review in April.

COSI is not alone in facing delays because of constrained budgets. In February, NASA picked another Explorer-class astrophysics mission, the Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) spacecraft, but pushed back its launch from 2028 to 2030.

As with COSI, NASA said it would extend Phase B design work on UVEX “to accommodate budget challenges.” NASA also declined to select a smaller “mission of opportunity” as part of that competition, again because of budget pressures.

Clampin cited those cost issues at the committee while emphasizing that he wanted to maintain a balance between large and small missions. “I got the decadal recommendation that I have to maintain a cadence” of Explorer missions, he said at the committee meeting.

“I’m trying to keep them moving forward.” That includes another call for proposals for SMEX missions in 2025.

That meeting included a discussion about studies of potential changes to operations of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope to reduce their costs.

The report from that Operations Paradigm Change Review will be released at the end of July, Clampin said, after a presentation at a meeting of the Astrophysics Advisory Committee July 23-24.

Despite the budget pressures, NASA was able to save money with COSI’s launch. The agency’s fiscal year 2025 budget projected spending $26 million less on the mission in fiscal years 2025 through 2027 than the projections in its 2024 budget proposal.

“This budget reflects savings due to a reduced launch vehicle estimate from the launch services provider, which resulted in an overall decrease to the LCC,” or lifecycle cost, the proposal stated.

The proposal, released in March, did not identify SpaceX as the launch provider.

https://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-nasa-contract-to-launch-gamma-ray-astronomy-mission/

Blue Origin, Stoke Space selected by U.S. Space Force to compete for small satellite missions

July 3, 2024

The U.S. Space Force has added Blue Origin and Stoke Space Technologies to its roster of launch providers eligible to compete for short-turnaround small-satellite missions under the Orbital Services Program-4 (OSP-4) contract.

OSP-4, an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, was established by the Air Force in 2019 to leverage emerging commercial launch capabilities.

IDIQ contracts allow for an indefinite quantity of supplies or services during a fixed period, with the government placing orders as needs arise.

The Space Force’s small launch division at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has awarded seven missions to date using the OSP-4 contract, totaling over $190 million.

The program focuses on missions with payloads of 400 pounds or greater, requiring providers to be launch-ready within 12 to 24 months from task order award. The overall IDIQ contract has a $986 million ceiling through October 2028.

Blue Origin’s inclusion in OSP-4 comes shortly after its selection for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 procurement, suggesting the Space Force anticipates the company’s New Glenn rocket to begin payload launches within the next year.

Stoke Space, a newer entrant, recently conducted the first hot-fire test of its reusable rocket engine. The company is targeting its first orbital test launch for 2025.

Lt. Col. Steve Hendershot, who oversees the Space Force’s small launch procurements, said July 3 in a news release that the addition of these emerging providers “preserves, stimulates, and enhances the small launch industrial base and yields the Space Force a diverse vendor pool to support the nation’s defense.

We are excited to add Blue Origin and Stoke Space as the newest providers on the OSP-4 contract.”

Hendershot emphasized that the small launch program complements the much larger National Security Space Launch program, “providing access to a wide range of solutions that may not be available through other programs.”

Blue Origin and Stoke Space join 10 other launch providers on the OSP-4 contract: ABL Space Systems, Aevum, Astra, Firefly Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and X-Bow.

https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-stoke-space-selected-by-u-s-space-force-to-compete-for-small-satellite-missions/

Did Danica Patrick Get Sacked From Sky Sports F1 Because of Lizard People?

Jul 02, 2024

Danica Patrick has long been a controversial figure in the F1 paddock because of her takes and activities away from the sport.

Hence, rumors of getting sacked from her role as Sky Sports’ presenter because of indulging in conspiracy theories surrounding Lizard People aren’t all the shocking. But, officially, she hasn’t lost her job.

Sky Sports hasn’t come out with any statement regarding the sacking of Patrick so far. However, an article is being circulated among the F1 community on social media, which talks about Patrick losing her role.

She was allegedly part of a podcast, where she actively theorizes about the existence of lizard people in our society.

That article, however, hasn’t turned out to be factually correct. A week before the Austrian GP, Patrick herself took to social media to announce that she is taking a break from her duties as a presenter on Sky Sports F1.

Per her Instagram post, she will return to Austin and be a part of the panel in the last four races of the campaign.

The F1 community meanwhile, celebrated the rumors of Patrick’s dismissal wholeheartedly.

The IndyCar race winner isn’t the most popular figure within the paddock, as evident by the reactions when the rumors of her sacking first emerged.

Reactions to Patrick’s ‘Lizard People’ Sky Sports sacking

2009 world champion Jenson Button is not a fan of Patrick either.

They have had altercations in the past, which is why several jokes related to this Lizard People controversy were centered around Button.

In the past, Patrick has taken digs at several drivers in the grid and has also made some controversial takes about F1 being a “masculine” sport.

https://thesportsrush.com/f1-news-did-danica-patrick-get-sacked-from-sky-sports-f1-because-of-lizard-people/

https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/news-someone-ask-drivers-tps-alien-fans-take-dig-danica-patrick-puzzling-revelations-podcast