View this email in your browser

National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays.

In this week's edition:

• NGA doubling down on commercial space data

• More questions on Russia's potential space nuke

• Maxar's new WorldWide Legion satellites finally take flight

If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up for free here

Today's highlights:

Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth has a plan to harness the commercial space industry to boost America's maritime domain awareness:

The head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency announced on Monday that NGA is launching its first-ever "Commercial Solutions Opening" aimed at enlisting private companies to develop AI analytics capable of detecting illicit activities like smuggling and illegal fishing.

"We believe partnership with and among our commercial industry colleagues will unlock promising solutions to some of our customers' most challenging needs," Whitworth said at the GEOINT Symposium.
The maritime solicitation is just the latest opportunity for fill NGA's growing commercial appetite.
The agency recently kicked off its $490 million "Luno" program for broad commercial GEOINT analytics by issuing an RFP for "Luno B" after issuing the initial $290 million "Luno A" solicitation.

Cyber risks a concern: As U.S. intelligence agencies ramp up their use of commercial geospatial products and services, cybersecurity is becoming a major priority.

The warning came from Stacey Dixon, deputy director of national intelligence, who also spoke on Monday at the GEOINT 2024 Symposium.

"We create so many innovative solutions here in this country," Dixon said. "Yet we lose a lot of that innovation to adversaries because we aren't properly protecting it. Invest in your cybersecurity. Understand that people are going to try to steal your secrets."
The message to companies providing commercial geoint capabilities to the IC: Potential adversaries will try to get their hands on your products directly or through intermediaries.
"Figure out how to prevent that, because we don't want our American-made products or our western-made products falling in the hands of adversaries who will use them against us."

Russia's reported development of an anti-satellite nuclear weapon was a key topic of discussion at a House hearing last week, with lawmakers pressing the Biden administration to divulge details on the potential threat.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb faced questioning from Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) on the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee about Moscow's pursuit of an orbital nuclear capability.

"This capability could pose a threat to all satellites operated by countries and companies around the globe," Plumb warned, according to Turner's reading of Plumb's statement, "as well as to the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services we all depend upon."
While Plumb declined to get into specifics about the state of Russia's program in the open setting, he suggested a nuke detonated in space could render low Earth orbit unusable "for some period of time … It could be a year."
Turner has been sounding alarms on the issue since February, when he urged the White House to share intel about the alleged Russian weapon. The Biden administration has downplayed any imminent threat but says it's taking the matter "deadly seriously."

Speaking on Friday at the Center for Strategy and International Studies, Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for arms control, deterrence and stability, said the U.S. strategy is to do whatever is possible to prevent Russia from deploying the weapon, and to use all diplomatic means.

The Air Force is preparing for a space communications demo next year that could change how the military taps into commercial satellite internet providers.

The program, dubbed DEUCSI (Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet), is exploring ways for troops to access a hybrid network combining military satellites and commercial constellations on a single secure terminal.

A main event is a 2025 flight test showcasing new multi-orbit terminals developed by L3Harris. The company is one of several contractors selected to make satellite terminals for the DEUCSI program. Others include Northrop Grumman, SES Space & Defense and Intelsat.
If all goes well, the tech could start deploying across the services in 2-3 years.
The big idea in DEUCSI is giving forces combined bandwidth from military and commercial satellites through routine software updates.
The ripple effects could be significant if the demo paves the way for a global military "mobile network" blending satellites from SpaceX, OneWeb, Amazon, Viasat, Hughes, as well as DoD satellites.

Don't miss this webinar on AI and space.

We'll discuss the opportunities and challenges for space-based AI with experts from the Aerospace Corporation, Stanford University's Center for AEroSpace Autonomy Research (CAESAR), Magnestar, and Redwire Space.

In other news 🚀

Lockheed Martin has abandoned plans to acquire manufacturer Terran Orbital for more than $500 million.

Terran Orbital said it was notified by Lockheed on April 30 that Lockheed was withdrawing a proposal to purchase all outstanding shares for $1 each. The filing did not disclose a reason Lockheed gave for withdrawing it.

Lockheed Martin said in a statement: "We are committed to supporting Terran Orbital and other essential suppliers in the defense industrial base."

Maxar's WorldView Legion. Credit: SpaceX

Maxar's first two WorldView Legion high-resolution Earth observation satellites launched to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

These are the first two of a planned six-satellite WorldView Legion fleet of electro-optical imaging satellites — with resolution of 30 centimeters — that are expected to triple Maxar's capacity to collect high-quality imagery and map the planet.

BAE Systems, formerly Ball Aerospace, won a $365 million contract to develop an air-quality sensor for a U.S. geostationary weather satellite.

The GeoXO Atmospheric Composition instrument, known as ACX, will monitor air quality and measure pollution from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's next-generation Geostationary Extended Observations satellites.

Thanks for reading ! Please send comments, suggestions and tips to serwin@spacenews.com