Defense

Startup Dark Fission Space Systems announced plans on March 22 to build and demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket engine in orbit within five years.

The COVID-19 pandemic may be abating, but for suppliers such as Canada’s Magellan Aerospace the effects continue to hit home.

A Canadian satellite recently came “dangerously close” to another nation’s satellite, a Canadian Space Agency official says.

The Northrop Grumman B-21A Raider is a U.S. bomber under development that is projected to reach initial operational capability in the mid-2020s. It is

NASA plans to extend its Human Landing System contract with SpaceX to cover a second crewed landing on the Moon and launch a parallel procurement leading to a second commercial provider for crewed transportation services to and from lunar orbit and the lunar surface.

Maintenance and upgrades were the focus of a nearly 7-hr. spacewalk conducted by two astronauts outside the International Space Station on March 23.

A spokesman for Turkey’s government on March 23 called proposal for sending the NATO country’s S-400 systems to Ukraine “quite unrealistic today.”

Propulsion startup Ursa Major on March 23 announced the delivery of its Handley engine to two separate customers for two different uses.

Forty GOP members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committee called for a 5% increase in the Pentagon’s budget in a March 23 letter to President Joe Biden, while the Democratic leader of the Senate panel is urging some patience and to wait for a new strategy.

An internal incident report posted on a popular social media site for airmen attributed the accident to a collapse of the left main landing gear. The pilot is in good condition.

General Electric has delivered the first engine to test the T901 turboshaft, marking a key milestone nine months behind schedule for a critical propulsion system in the U.S. Army’s aviation modernization plans.

NASA has not given up on the idea of creating artificial gravity for astronauts on long-duration space missions despite the many technical challenges associated with it, according to the agency’s space operations chief.

Viasat is still working to restore internet to some of its users after a suspected Russian cyberattack took thousands of KA-SAT satellite terminals in Europe offline starting Feb. 24.

As cooperation with Russia dwindles and Ukrainian suppliers vanish, ESA is reviewing its options in launch services and exploration.

The UK Royal Navy is developing seven uncrewed air systems to operate from its 65,000-ton carriers that will complement embarked F-35s.

UK Royal Air Force wants to be net zero by 2040; its counterparts are watching closely.

Isotropic Systems has completed all tests demonstrating that its GM2000 series military standard satellite terminal can track and link to satellites in multiple orbits from a single, solid-state, software-defined communications platform.

The Biden administration’s pick to lead the National Nuclear Security Administration’s military programs told lawmakers he would review the plan to increase production of plutonium pits at two NNSA locations, as it becomes increasingly evident the administration will likely fall short of the goal.

The White House’s pick to take over weapons buying for the Pentagon will, if confirmed, come into a department that is continuing to grapple with high sustainment costs on its biggest acquisition program.

A minor production issue will delay the arrival of the first flight engines for United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan rocket to the middle of the year, paving the way for the booster’s debut launch no earlier than late 2022.

AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm active in U.S. aerospace and defense, has led a $75 million Series B funding round in Firefly Aerospace, a space access startup recently caught up in Ukraine-related issues.

SpaceX has abruptly severed its long-standing relationship with customer Spaceflight Industries, which purchases rideshares and dedicated missions from launch service companies.

The U.S. defense industry needs multiple, simultaneously running production lines for key equipment such as munitions and drones to maintain a healthy stockpile for potential conflicts and avoid supply chain problems that could damage national security, the nominee to lead Pentagon acquisition told lawmakers.

Building on its $550 million investment in startup OneWeb, Paris-based Eutelsat Communications on March 22 announced a partnership agreement to distribute broadband services from OneWeb’s satellite constellation in low Earth orbit to its maritime, aviation, business, government and other customers.

Whether it’s on the Moon with astronauts or in Earth orbit observing climate change, NASA intends to advance its science and technology and widely share the data from its efforts to benefit humanity as a whole, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy says.