Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Congressional panels put their stamp on space priorities

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National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays.

In this week's edition:

• Committees advance bills shaping military space programs

• Space Force on-ramps Blue Origin

• Redwire's VLEO satellite selected by DARPA

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Today's highlights:

House Appropriations pares back Space Force budget

The House Appropriations Committee last week advanced an $833 billion defense spending bill for fiscal year 2025, slashing $16.5 billion from President Biden's request. Some cuts impact space programs:

- $900 million less than requested for the Space Force

- $185.9 million cut from GPS satellite procurement

- Rejected Air Force plan to reallocate $117 million for "Resilient GPS" program using commercial tech

Resilient GPS Program Faces Scrutiny

Appropriators expressed skepticism over the $1 billion Resilient GPS initiative, questioning if smaller commercial satellites truly boost resilience against jamming threats. They directed cost analysis and review of alternative PNT systems.

NDAA Moves in Senate, House

The Senate Armed Services Committee cleared its version of the 2025 NDAA on Friday, including a compromise on integrating Air National Guard space units into the Space Force.

The House passed its NDAA version the same day, but with controversial social policy riders that could derail negotiations with the Senate.

Key Space Provisions in Senate NDAA

- Requires the Air Force to transfer certain space functions to Space Force without reducing state Air National Guard end strength

- Directs engagement with private equity on space industrial base opportunities

- Authorizes a commercial space reserve program and directs an insurance study

- Mandates the establishment of a Space Command & Control integration program office

What's Next?

With the defense policy bills now teed up, intense negotiations loom as the House and Senate reconcile differences on topline spending levels and contentious policy matters.

The Space Force shook up the national security launch market last week, selecting Blue Origin to compete in the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program against incumbents SpaceX and United Launch Alliance for about 30 missions worth up to $5.6 billion over five years.

It's a big win for Jeff Bezos' rocket company, marking the first time Blue Origin will be allowed to launch sensitive national security satellites. The upstart's New Glenn rocket is expected to attempt its first orbital flight later this year.

The NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts cover lower-risk missions to low-Earth orbit from fiscal years 2025-2029, including Space Development Agency and spy satellite launches.
Although the trio have the field to themselves for now, the Space Force will open up on-ramping opportunities for new entrants like Rocket Lab, Relativity Space and Firefly to attempt to qualify starting next year.
The higher-stakes Lane 2 procurement for heavier national security payloads is still in play, with up to three contracts expected this fall. Space Force officials say the strategy aims to nurture competition and drive down costs — while maintaining the all-important "assured access to space" through redundant capabilities.

Join our expert panelists as they dive into the growing race for moon resources.

In other news 🚀

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is turning to the commercial satellite imagery industry for help monitoring objects in Earth's orbit. The agency on June 12 released a request for information seeking input from companies in the emerging non-Earth imagery (NEI) market.

NGA said it wants to better understand unclassified non-Earth imaging capabilities and data analytics, including imagery of uncooperative platforms.

Redwire was selected as the prime mission integrator for a DARPA satellite with a novel propulsion system for very low Earth orbit (VLEO).

SabreSat, Redwire's VLEO satellite for government intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, will house "air-breathing" electric propulsion systems being developed through DARPA's Otter program.

"We are taking an innovative approach to developing a new breed of spacecraft that bridge the gap between air and space," said Spence Wise, Redwire senior vice president for missions and platforms.

LeoLabs plans to build a new type of radar under a $1.2 million AFWERX contract.

The S-band 2-D Direct Radiating Array will be designed to track rocket launches and spacecraft in very low Earth orbit, said Dan Ceperley, LeoLabs founder and chief operating officer.

While LeoLabs' older S-band radars include a couple hundred antennas, the new Direct Radiating Array will have hundreds to thousands of antennas.

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