AUSA Show Daily | Jam-proof satellite terminals to shrink dramatically

View this email in your browser SpaceNews show daily, Oct. 9-11 October 10, 2017 SPACENEWS' DAILY COVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY Jam-proof satellite terminals to shrink dramatically Sandra Erwin — The satellite communications systems that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency uses to send targeting data to interceptor missiles are huge — about the size of a building. Such high level of SATCOM security has been unheard of in small systems that troops could take to the battlefield aboard a helicopter. But the technology is available, said industry officials. The only question is who will fund it. As long as the Army was only fighting counterinsurgency wars in places where electronic threats were minimal, there was no urgency to invest in satellite terminals that can operate in "denied" environments. The reality has changed as the U.S. military believes the next war might be against peer competitors that have technologies to disrupt satellite signals. Orbital ATK eyes investments in advanced rocket motors Sandra Erwin — A new market for super high-speed weapons is fueling investments in rocket engine technologies as companies seek to gain an edge. The industry foresees a demand for advanced rocket engines, particularly if the U.S. military moves to acquire revolutionary missiles that fly at hypersonic speeds. The Pentagon expects to invest $2 billion over the next five years in high-speed weapons including lasers and hypersonic missiles that travel at five times the speed of sound. The future of missiles and propulsion technology is about going "further and faster," Pat Nolan, vice president of Orbital ATK, told SpaceNews at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference. Army wants "adapt and buy" approach to speed telecom acquisition Caleb Henry — The U.S. Army wants to accelerate its network modernization programs by making greater use of commercial telecommunications technology. In doing so, the Army recognizes the need to step out of its own way by resisting the urge to make highly specific requirements for needed technologies — both satellite and terrestrial — that generally bog down their development. The desire to leverage more commercial technology came after the Army concluded that a pre-planned modernization path would have taken until 2032 to complete, and ultimately would have cost more than desired, James Mingus, director of the Army's Mission Command Center of Excellence, said Oct. 10 at the Association of the United States Army conference here. Blue Origin shows interest in national security launches Jeff Foust — The new chief executive of Blue Origin told the National Space Council his company is in discussions about certifying its New Glenn rocket for government missions, a shift in strategy that could put the company in competition with a customer. In a presentation to the first meeting of the reconstituted National Space Council at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, Oct. 5, Bob Smith said that the New Glenn rocket the company is developing could be used for both commercial and government missions, the latter requiring the company to go through a certification process with agencies like NASA and the U.S. Air Force. "Our New Glenn launch vehicle will be more capable than existing launch vehicles flying today, and can be used not only for human spaceflight and other commercial missions, but also for civil and national security payloads," he said. "Therefore, we are in early discussions with the national security community and NASA about how to certify New Glenn for their use." Follow SpaceNews Advertise with Us SN FIRST UP Satcom is sent out every Wednesday by SpaceNews Staff Writer Caleb Henry and SpaceNews Editor-in-Chief Brian Berger. Copyright © 2017 SPACENEWS, All rights reserved.