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Executives urge closer integration of commercial and military tech
December 11, 2024
Despite recent progress, space industry executives stress the need for greater integration of commercial technology with military capabilities to enhance the resilience and effectiveness of hybrid architectures.
The National Security Agency and National Cyber Center helped Viasat combat a cyber attack on one of its satellites in the early days of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, a senior vice president of government strategy and policy at the operator, said Dec. 10 during the Spacepower Conference here.
The incident underscored the critical role of partnerships between government and commercial entities in navigating shared challenges in the space domain.
“Today, I think we have a fairly decent federated pickup game,” Cowen-Hirsch said, “and while you can certainly have successes in that regard, there’s a significant amount of work that we have yet to accomplish.”
Optimizing and improving interoperability is particularly important for integrating allied systems and resources, she added.
“We have a lot of work yet to do to do this integration, where we have the ability to take the best that commercial brings to bear right alongside and foundational to the core military capabilities,” she said.
Ricky Freeman, vice president for Kuiper Government Solutions, a division within the Project Kuiper broadband constellation Amazon plans to begin deploying next year, said industry could bring a breadth of capabilities and ubiquity to a war effort today but not mission-critical applicability.
“Do we currently have the capability … as a commercial and a government hybrid entity to connect all sensors, connect all shooters, connect across all domains — your land, space and cyber — for the single purpose of accelerating decision making?” Freeman asked. “We’re not there.”
“And largely it’s because we are not at that space where the commercial capabilities are fully understood, fully comprehended, fully integrated, and fully embraced.”
Freeman advocated for a unified forum to streamline efforts and establish standards that would enhance compatibility between commercial and military sectors.
“There are so many capabilities that industry is bringing to the table that need to be vetted [and] made available to the warfighter,” he continued.
Still, there is currently no holistic strategy for getting all solutions back into the acquisition space.
Breaking down “walls of mistrust” between defense and for-profit commercial entities is critical for fostering collaboration, he said, adding that clearer communication of government needs enables private companies to align their technology development efforts better.
Operating more transparently is vital for addressing shared threats in the space domain, Viasat’s Cowen-Hirsch said, and fostering the unified responses needed in today’s dynamic and challenging environment.
https://spacenews.com/executives-urge-closer-integration-of-commercial-and-military-tech/
Geomagnetic storms cause “mass migrations” of satellites
December 11, 2024
A pair of major geomagnetic storms this year led to unprecedented “mass migrations” of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit that create new concerns about space traffic coordination.
The phenomenon was first seen in May during a major solar event called the Gannon storm. That event is best remembered for creating auroral displays in the northern hemisphere at latitudes much further south than normal.
The storm also increased atmospheric density at low Earth orbit altitudes by up to an order of magnitude, said William Parker of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology during a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union here Dec. 9.
That increased density results in more drag, affecting satellite orbits.
The first problem was the low accuracy of forecasts of the timing, magnitude and duration of the storm.
“As a result of this low skill in our forecasts, SpaceX saw 20 kilometers of position error in their one-day computations” of the orbits of Starlink satellites, he said.
“If we’re uncertain in where our spacecraft are by 20 kilometers, then you can throw collision avoidance out the window.”
The problem was compounded by a lack of knowledge of just how inaccurate the forecasts were at the time. “We were pretty confident in those bad solutions,” he said.
“Being confident in the wrong answer fundamentally changes the decisions that we’re making whether or not to maneuver the spacecraft.”
The second issue came shortly after the peak of the storm. The increased drag caused satellites’ orbits to decay to the point where they performed maneuvers, often automated, to raise their orbits to the altitudes they were at before the storm.
In the last geomagnetic storm of the same magnitude as the Gannon storm, in 2003, there was an increase by a factor of two to three from the baseline of about 10 satellites a day making orbit-raising maneuvers.
After the Gannon storm there was a far sharper response. In one day after the storm, nearly 5,000 satellites, nearly all Starlink, performed orbit-raising maneuvers, far higher than the baseline of about 300 satellites a day.
“This is half of all active satellites deciding to maneuver at one time,” Parker said. “This makes it the largest mass migration in history.”
That record, he added, was broken in October after another geomagnetic storm with a slightly higher number of satellites moving in one day, the difference being the addition of hundreds of Starlink satellites launched in the months between the two events.
Those mass maneuvers further complicate collision avoidance efforts already hampered by the position errors from the storm.
“Then we have no idea when a collision is going to happen. We lose that capability for days at a time,” he said.
That wasn’t appreciated at the time by satellite operators, he said, because of a lack of awareness of the position errors and the mass-migration phenomena.
“Lots of operators continued to maneuver as if nothing was wrong, but all of those maneuvers were pointless because they didn’t represent reality.”
That underscores the need, he concluded, for improved space weather models and forecasts. “This is a significant impact,” he said.
“This is critical infrastructure to all of our space operations moving forward, and it will only become more important as time goes on.”
https://spacenews.com/geomagnetic-storms-cause-mass-migrations-of-satellites/
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2024/12/11/mel-gibson-condemns-epidemic-of-child-trafficking-if-one-of-my-kids-were-stolen-id-have-to-kill-someone/
An Overlooked Aspect of the Trump–Orbán Meeting: Hungary–US Space Tech Cooperation
11.12.2024
On Monday, 10 December President-elect Donald Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his delegation, including Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The meeting was also attended by Elon Musk, owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, as well as Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security advisor.
This high-profile gathering holds significant importance for Hungarian–American relations, which have deteriorated under Joe Biden’s Democratic administration.
However, in addition to global foreign policy issues, the discussions addressed a topic that has received little attention in the Hungarian and international press but is crucial for Hungary:
the future of Hungarian–American cooperation in space technology and the development of Hungary’s space industry.
As part of the Hungarian delegation, Gellért Jászai, President of the Hungarian 4iG Group, also participated in the meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
A key focus of the discussion was the presentation of 4iG’s HUSAT satellite programme, the first privately initiated and funded project in Central and Eastern Europe aimed at developing telecommunications and earth observation satellite capabilities, Növekedés.hu reported.
As part of the initiative, a space technology manufacturing centre being constructed in Martonvásár as a greenfield investment by the 4iG Group and Remred (another Hungarian space technology company).
From 2026, the facility will produce satellites with a maximum total weight of 400 kilograms for low Earth orbit.
Discussions also covered the 4iG Group’s satellite programme, including advancements in artificial intelligence and potential opportunities for Hungarian–American cooperation in commercial and technological fields.
‘4iG Group plans to launch, deploy, and operate one geostationary orbit satellite (HUGEO) and eight low Earth orbit satellites (HULEO) by 2032’
Gellért Jászai emphasized that the meeting, held in a friendly atmosphere, marks an important first step toward expanding cooperation between the parties.
He noted that this collaboration could facilitate the introduction of new technologies and foster the development of economic relations across the Atlantic.
As part of the HUSAT programme, the 4iG Group plans to launch, deploy, and operate one geostationary orbit satellite (HUGEO) and eight low Earth orbit satellites (HULEO) by 2032.
The programme aims to launch the first two satellites in the constellation (GEO+LEO) by the end of 2028.
4iG’s satellite development programme encompasses the entire value chain, including the production of satellites for low Earth orbit, satellite operations, and data processing, with the exception of launch services.
In recent years, Hungary has invested significant resources into the space technology sector.
Alongside plans to send a Hungarian astronaut to space in cooperation with the American company Axiom Space, the country’s space technology companies are also achieving remarkable success.
‘Hungary’s economic ecosystem, infrastructure, and intellectual capital collectively position it to become a significant player in the space industry,’ declared Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy in May.
He emphasized that Hungary’s satellite manufacturing capabilities are not just a matter of economic and security interest but also a question of sovereignty.
Nagy added that the sector has a bright future, as the space industry is among the fastest-growing and most resilient industries worldwide, with its value projected to rise from $630 billion in 2023 to $1.8 trillion by 2035, according to international surveys.
Nagy also highlighted that the space industry, representing the pinnacle of technological advancement, has an extremely strong multiplier effect, meaning that the innovations and technological advancements it spawns can manifest in many other economic segments.
https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/current/donald-trump-viktor-orban-hungary-us-space-technology-cooperation-satellite-4ig/
https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/1866243623290868200
Amateur Radio Operators Detect Signals From Voyager 1
December 11, 2024
At the time of its construction in the 1950s, the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory was the largest rotatable telescope in the world with a dish diameter of 25 meters.
It was quickly overtaken in the rankings but was used by astronomers for decades until it slowly fell into disuse in the early 2000s.
After a restoration project the telescope is now a national heritage site in the Netherlands where it is also available for use by radio amateurs. Recently this group was able to receive signals from Voyager 1.
Famously, Voyager 1 is the furthest manmade object from Earth, having been launched on a trajectory out of the solar system in 1977.
As a result of distance and age, the signals it sends out are incredibly faint. The team first had to mount a new antenna to the dish, which was not originally designed for signals in this frequency which added to the challenge.
They then needed to use orbital predictions of the spacecraft in order to target the telescope and also make the correct adjustments to the received signal given that there is significant Doppler shift now as well.
But with that all out of the way, the team was successfully able to receive the Voyager 1 signal on this telescope.
Only a few telescopes in the world have ever been able to accomplish this feat, making it all the more impressive.
Normally Voyager 1 is received using the Deep Space Network, a fleet of much larger dishes stationed around the world and designed for these frequencies.
But this team is used to taking on unique challenges. They also decoded the first ham radio station on the moon and made a radar image of the moon using LoRa.
https://hackaday.com/2024/12/11/amateur-radio-operators-detect-signals-from-voyager-1/
https://www.camras.nl/en/blog/2024/dwingeloo-telescope-receives-signals-from-voyager-1/
CSO outlines ‘Space Force truths’ during second-annual SFA Spacepower Conference
Dec. 10, 2024
As the U.S. Space Force prepares to celebrate its fifth birthday, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman reflected on the organization's remarkable journey and outlined the six core truths that shape the Guardian identity and the service’s purpose.
Speaking at the second annual Spacepower Conference, Dec. 10 in Orlando, Saltzman emphasized the Space Force has come a long way since its inception, with nearly 15,000 military and civilian personnel now serving the organization.
This represents a monumental administrative feat as the service has approximately tripled in size every year since its inception in 2019.
“We are here today because of you and people like you who accepted the uncertainty of a novel endeavor. The challenge of breaking the old to forge something new,” Saltzman said.
“It wasn’t easy then, and it isn’t easy now. There are a lot of challenges we are still working through… but we are here. The Space Force is here.”
Despite challenges, the Space Force has made significant strides, absorbing and becoming singularly responsible for critical missions such as satellite communications, missile warning and weather forecasting.
In the past five years, the organization has stood up Field Commands, activated Service Components, and built out institutions for the design, development, generation, and employment of space forces.
Saltzman also emphasized the Space Force is not just a support element; it’s a military service with a unique and critical role conducting warfighting operations.
“Space is a geographic region that the Unified Command Plan defines from 100 kilometers up out to infinity, and it's increasingly populated by other nations, commercial entities, civil agencies, academic institutions and so on," Saltzman explained.
“If space is a warfighting domain, and we are a military service dedicated to it, then Guardians have an obligation to contest and control that region, making it safe, secure and stable.”
Serving as the throughline of his speech, Saltzman outlined six ‘Space Force truths’ that define the service and the Guardian identity:
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USSF capabilities are critical to the Joint Force and the American way of life.
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The USSF must defend its capabilities, or the Joint Force will be unable to project power.
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The USSF must protect the Joint / Combined Force from space-enabled targeting.
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Space is a warfighting domain.
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The USSF is responsible for organizing, training, equipping, and operating space capabilities.
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Guardians are uniquely trained for warfighting in, from, and to space.
These truths, Saltzman said, are non-negotiable and form a common thread among Guardians. They connect the organization's members, regardless of their backgrounds or positions, as part of something far bigger than themselves.
“Not only are Guardians warfighters in space — Guardians are the only warfighters with the unique, career-long specific training, education, and experience required to achieve space superiority,” Saltzman explained.
“Other services have space operators, and they certainly contribute to the fight in space, they certainly have equity in the domain, but only the Space Force grows its Guardians from day one to be space warfighters.”
As the Space Force looks to the future, Saltzman encouraged Guardians to be unapologetic about these truths and to embody the Guardian identity.
"We still have a lot of education to do — even within our service, there are people who don't fully understand," Saltzman noted. "But the only way we're going to make progress is if we embody our Guardian identity and act as one."
During a brief fireside chat following his keynote, Saltzman also spoke about the Space Force’s plans to streamline part-time Guardians in 2025, and the service’s lessons learned within four broad categories — force design, force development, force generation and force employment.
“We have all of the components of each of those categories in place … they’re working now, but I think we just have to get them right,” Saltzman said.
“Document them, get the reps and sets so that we fully understand and continue to refine what we already have in place.” With its fifth birthday on the horizon, the Space Force has much to celebrate.
With its own identity, and an important mission, Guardians should reflect on the outstanding progress the service has made in becoming the best space-minded warfighters in the world.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3993285/cso-outlines-space-force-truths-during-second-annual-sfa-spacepower-conference/
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3993006/remarks-by-cso-gen-chance-saltzman-at-the-2024-space-force-associations-spacepo/
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3993531/cso-cmssf-announce-guardian-arena-winners/
B-Line #1 Recognition
Dec. 10, 2024
Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna introduces "The B-Line," a new quarterly memo that will serve as a direct line of communication between the Space Force senior leader and Guardians.
Fellow Guardians,
As your Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, I've had the privilege of engaging with our community, listening to your feedback, and identifying areas for growth. Two key concerns that have emerged are communication and transparency.
In today's rapidly evolving environment, it's more crucial than ever that we prioritize open and honest communication, aligned with our core values of Character, Connection, Commitment, and Courage.
Earlier this year, I unveiled my three key initiatives aimed at enhancing the Guardian Experience: Elevate the Journey, Cultivate the Warfighter, and Create the Future.
As we work tirelessly to bring these initiatives to life, I'm committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. These initiatives are designed to drive meaningful change and empower you to excel.
To foster a culture of transparency and trust, I'm excited to introduce "The B-Line," a new quarterly memo that will serve as a direct line of communication between me and each of you.
The B-Line will add to my other modes of communication used to share events and thoughts: Facebook, Instagram, Perigee Podcasts, etc.
Through this channel, I'll be sharing updates, insights, and information on topics that matter most to our Officers, Enlisted, and Civilians – our Guardians.
In this inaugural issue of The B-Line, I'd like to share some thoughts on the topic of recognition. This week, I had the opportunity to serve as a Special Advisor for the Space Force's centralized Polaris Awards Board.
The Polaris Awards were established as our pinnacle service-level recognition program, built from our four Guardian Values. By consolidating our awards under the Polaris banner, we're ensuring that our highest honors remain meaningful and extraordinary.
However, while formal awards programs are one way to recognize excellence, I want to encourage you to think differently.
Instead of relying on formal programs alone, I want to empower each of you to recognize and appreciate the dedication of your fellow Guardians in your own way.
I believe it's essential that we embrace the importance of informal recognition. As Leaders and Teammates, we can acknowledge or appreciate someone's efforts, achievements, or contributions in an authentic and meaningful way anytime.
From a simple "thank you" to a memorable coin presentation, recognizing someone's efforts and contributions can go a long way.
When we're part of a team that's pushing the boundaries of what's possible and creating a culture of collaboration, we know that our work is making a difference, and that's what drives us to keep pushing forward.
That's the Guardian Experience of the Space Force, and it's what we're trying to cultivate through our approach to recognition. We want to encourage Guardians to focus on continuous improvement, collective operational excellence, and a lasting commitment to our service's objectives.
In the months ahead, you can expect "The B-Line" to tackle a range of subjects, provide updates on our key initiatives, and discussions on the latest developments in the field.
I'm committed to fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and open dialogue, and I look forward to engaging with you through this new platform.
As we embark on this journey, let's rise to the challenge together and build a Space Force that is truly Always Above.
This is the way!
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3993001/b-line-1-recognition/
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NSC / MJ12 Special Studies Project
March 7, 2024
https://unidentifiedphenomena.com/topics/nsc-mj-12-special-studies-project/
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/2021-06/40-654-209237722-045-010-2021.pdf
Aaron Rodgers Reveals Weird Conspiracy Theory About Jets Owner Woody Johnson’s Hometown New Jersey After Infamous UFO Sighting Claim
Dec 10, 2024 | 1:07 PM MST
Now that the Jets are almost out of the playoff picture with a record of 3-10, it seems their veteran QB has started focusing elsewhere.
After failing to help the Jets break their 13-year playoff hoodoo, Rodgers has moved on to debunking conspiracy theories.
Catching up with ESPN’s ‘The Pat McAfee Show’, the 41-year-old has taken an active interest in the weird things going on in New Jersey.
Well, there have been a few mysterious drone sightings that have caught everyone’s attention. And one of those people who right now lives and breathes the air of New Jersey.
Rodgers can’t help himself but ask, “Do you know what’s been going on in New Jersey lately? And I’m not talking about the football. There’s been some crazy things going on.”
Of course, Rodgers wouldn’t be interested in football lately because, what’s more, there to talk about this season.
But returning to Rodgers’s conversation topic, he added, “There’s been some drones in the sky in Jersey.” And then, McAfee proceeded to play viral footage where an unidentified object was roaming the skies of Bedminster.
What makes this conversation more interesting is that the Jets owner, Woody Johnson, is from there! “What is that? I’ve seen that video. Bedminster, that’s home to Trump’s golf course and our owner, Woody Johnson.”
And this conversation didn’t end there. As Rodgers went on to speculate, what could that possibly be? First, he said, “Maybe it’s some kids messing around…maybe not, though.”
Then, the four-time NFL MVP also added that maybe Trump was trying to play a quick round of golf.
But the one thought that Rodgers didn’t forget to mention is that there could be aliens, “It’s where you have a big kind of meditation circle and then you call in the aliens and you use little green lasers to bring them in.”
Guys! Let’s be real with ourselves. He is probably joking.
However, it isn’t the first time Rodgers has talked about alleged UFO sightings. Just last year, the Jets QB spoke about witnessing UFOs in the sky.
Aaron Rodgers zeroes down on UFO sightings
Sitting down on an episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks in August 2023, Rodgers recounted an event that happened to him 20 years ago.
When he was at his friend Steve Levy’s house, they saw something weird floating in the sky, “I was getting down to bed.
I heard this alarm in the distance going off. And Steve and his brother and I walked outside and up in the clouds we heard this sound and we this tremendously large object moving through the sky.
We saw this incredibly large object and froze, as anybody would.”
Well, that event led to Rodgers and his friends going into a state of disbelief. As he continued, “And again we just stood there in disbelief for another few minutes.
Nobody said a word. And we all kind of looked at each other like, did we just see what we think we just saw? What was that?” Rodgers was in complete shock and didn’t even manage to sleep thereafter.
The next day, he tried to look through the papers but didn’t find any evidence from what he saw last night, “We looked in the papers and online the next few days, and there was nothing about it.”
https://www.essentiallysports.com/nfl-active-news-aaron-rodgers-reveals-weird-conspiracy-theory-about-jets-owner-woody-johnsons-hometown-new-jersey-after-infamous-ufo-sighting-claim/
FBI Official Makes Very Troubling Claim About UFO Drones
December 11, 2024 10:32 AM EST
There are few answers available about the drones flying around New Jersey.
UFOs and unexplainable things in the sky are among the most popular topics in America for a very simple reason:
People simply don't have a clue what's going on.
The intrigue is what motivates so many conversations and theories. Well, the situation in New Jersey has hit a new level of concern.
FBI can't explain massive drones flying around New Jersey
Drones as large as SUVs and smaller drones have been spotted over New Jersey, and it appears the government is scrambling to find an explanation…..and failing to do so.
FBI Assistant Director of the Critical Incident Response Group Robert Wheeler told Congress during a Tuesday hearing that officials can't ID who is operating the drones.
In fact, it sounds like the FBI and the government have absolutely no clue what's going on.
That should help you sleep at night with a nice and warm fuzzy feeling in your stomach.
I'm glad to know the United States military has the world's greatest military, strongest economy, a seemingly endless supply of money for every project any lawmaker can cook up, but we still can't figure out what's flying around the sky.
Here's an idea we should let marinate. How about we shoot some of these things down and end the speculation once and for all.
Seriously, why are we not shooting these things down? There's speculation that it's POSSIBLE that a foreign country is behind UFO drones around sensitive American sights.
Take one down, and let's find out.
It's all endless speculation until that happens, and it should happen sooner rather than later.
https://www.outkick.com/culture/fbi-drones-new-jersey-no-explanation
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1866605940642025584