Industry coalition forms to protect GPS – POLITICO – Politico

With help from Bryan Bender

An industry coalition forms to fight FCCs Ligado decision.

A House panel wants the Pentagon to look at an expansive oversight post for space, nuclear and missile defense policy.

Blue Origin national teams lunar lander is still on track despite the pandemic.

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A message from Northrop Grumman:

Space isnt just for exploring. Its an international proving ground and vital for national security. At Northrop Grumman, our work in intelligence, surveillance, communications, and early warning systems ensures America always has the ultimate high ground. Find out more about how were defining possible in space. Learn more

INDUSTRY GROUP FIGHTS TO PROTECT GPS: Five trade organizations are banding together to ensure the GPS signals their industries rely on remain safe in the wake of the FCCs April decision to allow Ligado Networks to operate in the portion of spectrum in close proximity to GPS signals. The Keep GPS Working Coalition was established on Tuesday to bring attention to the ruling, which some missed during the pandemic, said R.J. Karney, the director of congressional relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation.

We decided this coalition was needed to help elevate the issue and bring it back to the forefront because when the FCC order was announced in the height of quarantine and Covid response, it flew low under the radar, Karney told POLITICO in this weeks Q&A. I have spoken to other organizations that are starting to go beyond the issues just related to their Covid-19 response. Now they're able to turn their attention to some of these newer issues.

The groups top priority is supporting a bill that will hold Ligado Networks responsible for any GPS interference caused by its 5G network. The Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications, or RETAIN Act, which is expected to be introduced by Sens. Jim Inhofe and Jack Reed, would shift that burden away from both users of GPS and companies which make equipment that uses the signals.

NEW PENTAGON SPACE POST? The House Armed Services Committees version of the National Defense Authorization Act directs the secretary of Defense to consider realigning nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and space policy under one assistant secretary in order to streamline deterrence policy development and to adequately inform acquisition of capabilities to support strategic deterrence, according to a copy of the chairmans mark obtained by our colleague Connor OBrien ahead of next weeks release.

The committee notes the benefit and importance of establishing an Assistant Secretary of Defense for policy with responsibility for space, nuclear deterrence and missile defense policy in order to realign policy on strategic deterrence, it says.

WHAT ELSE DOES HASC WANT? Air Force Magazine compiled a rundown of space initiatives in the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittees portion of the National Defense Authorization Act. Some requests made by lawmakers in the bill include:

A plan for how to use more commercial satellite communications capabilities due in March 2021 A report on deep space mission requirements for national security due by December A report due Nov. 1 on what roles the Space Force, U.S. Space Command, National Reconnaissance Office and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency play in maneuvering assets in orbit A report due Oct. 30 on what progress the Pentagon has made to buy new military weather satellites

The House Armed Services Committee will mark up its version of the bill on Wednesday in a virtual session.

MOON MISSION PROGRESSES DESPITE PANDEMIC: One NASA contracting team vying to bring humans to the lunar surface says the coronavirus pandemic has not slowed them down, though some of the work has proceeded in unconventional locations like basements and patios.

The Blue Origin national team, which also includes Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper, has kept on track building its lunar lander, and employees told reporters Thursday that the work is providing inspiration in a dark time.

Its a new world to us. Its not something we have a lot of heritage in accommodating, said Seamus Tuohy, principal director of space systems at Draper, of working through a pandemic. It gives us a good reason to overcome whats been happening.

Theyre facing some familiar challenges working from home: a blurred line between work and home life. One of the things Ive really enjoyed is the geographical boundaries have disappeared with this ability to communicate, said Sally Richardson, program director for the human landing system at Northrop Grumman. It actually gives us more productivity and enables our workday to be that much longer.

INDUSTRY INTEL: Relativity to launch from West Coast: Relativity Space, a small launch company that 3D-prints its rockets, is building new launch facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, giving the company the ability to send payloads into orbit from both coasts.

The company on Wednesday announced it reached a Right of Entry Agreement with the 30th Space Wing to begin developing a launch pad to launch payloads to polar- and solar-synchronous orbits. Relativity also signed its first Vandenberg customer this week: Iridium Communications, the fifth customer overall, is expected to launch satellites on the companys Terran 1 rocket no earlier than 2023.

The company also has a launch facility at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 16 in Florida and two test sites at NASAs Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

NASA AWARDS NOAA CONTRACT: Ball Aerospace received a $96.9 million contract Thursday for NOAAs Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 spacecraft, which will take measurements of phenomena like solar wind while it orbits the sun. The contract runs through March 31, 2025, and the spacecraft is expected to launch in 2024.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Congratulations to Ed LaCroix, a trustee of the National Association of Rocketry, for being the first to correctly answer that Sally Ride spent six days in space on her first mission.

This weeks question: The European Space Agencys Mars Express mission launched 17 years ago this month. How many months did it take the spacecraft to reach the Red Planet?

The first person to email [emailprotected] gets bragging rights and a shoutout in next weeks newsletter!

A message from Northrop Grumman:

Space isnt just for exploring. Its an international proving ground to show off the best of what America has to offer and it is vital for national security. Thats why Northrop Grumman is always pushing the boundaries in space, whether through reliable navigation systems or powerful, integrated C4ISR to give our warfighters the complete picture. Because building and maintaining the very best in intelligence, surveillance, communications, and early warning space systems is what gives America ultimate high ground and thats what we do best. Find out more about how were Defining Possible in space. Learn more

Satellites documented Covid-19s impact from space: The Verge

NASA names headquarters for first Black female engineer: The New York Times

SpaceX's maiden voyage for astronauts could return Aug. 2: Space.com

NASA is offering up to $20,000 for a better space toilet design: Business Insider

New study says 110 humans needed to start Mars colony: National Post

Elon Musk shares latest progress of Mars-bound Starship: The Independent

NASA's next Mars rover delayed again by 'contamination concern': Space.com

Griffin departure stirs questions about future of Space Development Agency: Space News

China reaches new milestone in space-based quantum communications: Scientific American

Mars mission would put China among space leaders: Science Magazine

Russia plans to take first tourist on space walk in 2023: Phys.org

Lisa Kudrow doesn't know why her Space Force character is in prison: Screen Rant

WEDNESDAY: The House Armed Services Committee marks up its version of the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

WEDNESDAY: Astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken conduct a spacewalk outside the International Space Station thats expected to last up to seven hours.

WEDNESDAY: The astronauts and cosmonauts expected to launch to the International Space Station in October speak at a press conference.

THURSDAY: The Aerospace Corporation holds a virtual event on the future of commercial spaceflight with former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden.

THURSDAY: The Secure World Foundation hosts a virtual event on space sustainability.

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Industry coalition forms to protect GPS - POLITICO - Politico