SpaceNews This Week | FAA bill boosts commercial space office • Northrop declines GPS 3 bid • News from GEOINT 2018

April 27, 2018 View this email in your browser presented by FAA reauthorization bill boosts commercial space office Jeff Foust, COLORADO SPRINGS — A reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration passed by the House April 27 includes several provisions intended to support its commercial spaceflight activities, including a major increase in authorized spending levels. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was approved by the House on a 393–13 vote after a day and a half of debate on the bill and dozens of amendments. The bill primarily deals with the FAA's role in regulating commercial aviation. Several amendments approved by the House during its debate, though, involve the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, or AST, and its role in regulating commercial spaceflight. More civil space headlines NASA will pay more for less ISS cargo under new commercial contracts House passes commercial space regulatory bill Bridenstine sworn in as NASA administrator Space industry expresses support for Bridenstine's confirmation Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in conversation with SpaceNews A year since taking office as Secretary of the Air Force, Heather Wilson has been at the center of major changes in national security space. Responding to congressional critics who questioned the Air Force's commitment to space, Wilson has moved to accelerate the modernization of military satellites and build a more "defendable" space architecture. Wilson sat down with SpaceNews at the recent Space Symposium in Colorado Springs to discuss the ongoing reorganization of the Space and Missile Systems Center, space investment priorities and her plans to secure congressional support for budgets and management reforms. More military space headlines and news from GEOINT 2018 Northrop Grumman declines to bid on GPS 3 contract New concerns about U.S. Central Command's access to weather satellite data NGA's GEOWorks platform will continue to evolve with new datasets, tools and challenges, CTO says Companies offer life preservers for analysts drowning in data Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA Intelligence community, companies give out satellite imagery to motivate app developers Can artificial intelligence help U.S. SOCOM track weapons of mass destruction? Satellite operators, data analysts agree on need for speed Lockheed Martin confident about winning GPS 3 competition DIUx invites traditional and nontraditional defense contractors to build prototypes To keep foothold in government market, satellite imaging companies have to gain trust Defense intelligence chief: 'A lot of technology remains untapped' NGA assembles jigsaw puzzle of diverse commercial, government geospatial data sets Boeing, Lockheed, ULA corner the government-funded space market. SpaceX moving up A test for Air Force space technology buyers: Fast prototyping Sponsored Message: Maxar Technologies is a leading global provider of advanced space technology solutions, delivering unmatched capabilities in satellites, Earth imagery, geospatial data and analytics. The world's foremost businesses and governments trust Maxar Technologies and its commercial space brands (SSL, MDA, DigitalGlobe and Radiant Solutions) to solve their most mission-critical challenges with confidence.   Yahsat takes majority stake in Thuraya Caleb Henry, WASHINGTON — Emirati fleet operator Yahsat on April 26 said it is acquiring a majority stake in fellow Emirati operator Thuraya for an undisclosed amount. The purchase folds Thuraya's two L-band satellites into Yahsat's fleet, growing its constellation to five satellites. "The acquisition of the UAE's first home grown satellite operator, Thuraya, will significantly expand Yahsat's current satellite solutions portfolio for both commercial and government verticals, as well as its global footprint," Yahsat said in an April 26 statement. More commercial space headlines Eutelsat takes French telecom regulator to court over Inmarsat's EAN license LEO constellation rush not a threat to Iridium, CEO says Space resources company co-founder sets sights on next wave of space startups Globalstar merging with FiberLight for $1.65 billion Iceye and Ursa Space forge SAR data-sharing partnership Speedcast posts 136 percent revenue jump, seeks debt refinancing With Hylas-4 in orbit, Avanti hopes to take lead in African HTS Single space payload seeking shared condo, orbital slot Eurockot conducts final Rockot mission with Sentinel-3B satellite Caleb Henry, WASHINGTON — Eurockot Launch Services' last mission using the Russian-German Rockot launcher took place successfully April 25 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia. Rockot, an intercontinental ballistic missile converted into a space launch vehicle, lifted off at 1:58 p.m. Eastern with the 1,200 kilogram Sentinel-3B Earth observation satellite. The three-stage vehicle deployed the satellite in a low Earth orbit roughly an hour and a half later. ESA confirmed the satellite phoned home to a ground station in Sweden. Anna Zorina, Eurockot's program and customer support manager told SpaceNews by email April 25 that the Sentinel-3B "is the last Rockot mission by Eurockot." More launch headlines  China launches five commercial remote sensing satellites via Long March 11 Boeing executive to become ULA chief operating officer Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base Avio eyes larger chunk of smallsat launch market Arianespace cancels Ariane 5 launch over ISRO satellite issue Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Advertise with Us | Privacy Policy | Subscribe Copyright © 2018 SpaceNews Inc., All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: SpaceNews Inc. 1414 Prince St, Suite 204 Alexandria, VA 22314