Optical and space technologies developer ARKA has invested $85 million in expanding its Danbury, Connecticut, facility by 14,000 square feet. The expansion, spanning over two years, is aimed at bolstering the production of smallsat systems, payloads and optical coating capabilities as well as enabling multi-shift payload production.

Viasat has secured a four-year contract from Northrop Grumman to provide a company-built satellite system in support of a U.S. Air Force initiative that seeks to connect commercial space internet services for military users. As part of the deal, Viasat said Thursday it will supply its ViaSat-3 Satellite Communications Network to facilitate high-bandwidth satellite internet connectivity on existing aircraft or ground vehicles for the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet Call 003 program.

South Korea's Ministry of Defense has implemented Iridium Communications' satellite communications products and services to advance the South Korean army's position and data tracking capabilities. Arion Communication, an Iridium service provider, helped facilitate the deployment of over 1,000 Iridium Connected satellite position reporting equipment devices, Iridium said Wednesday.

Northrop Grumman has demonstrated new combat edge processing software designed to receive and share situational awareness data on warfighters' handheld devices without linking to a cloud server outside the battlefield. 

The Potomac Officers Club will host the Achieving Transformative Cooperation for National Defense Forum on March 14 to explore the future of Combined JADC2 and its impact on international security. Register here!

Government agencies can enjoy expanded broadband communication coverage with the help of Low Earth Orbit satellite services like the one offered by Hughes, according to Rick Lober vice president and general manager of the government, defense and intelligence systems division at Hughes Network Systems. In an article Hughes released Wednesday, Lober underscored that LEO satellites can provide coverage to remote areas that cannot be reached by other forms of communication while still offering low-latency internet connection in support of a variety of applications like videoconferencing or VPN access.

Kiran Rathod, an experienced business and technology executive, has joined Connected Logistics and its joint venture, Canopy Health, to serve as chief technology officer, according to the business management consultant's LinkedIn post. As a member of the senior management team, Rathod will be responsible for providing both organizations with technical expertise to help ensure that tech offerings meet customer requirements.

Robert Conrad, vice president of U.S. business development at Kepler Communications, told Breaking Defense in an interview published Monday that optical communications capabilities could help warfighters speed up the decision-making process to ensure national security by gaining access to remote sensing satellite data in near-real time.

Conrad will serve as a moderator of a panel discussion on optical space data relays and human spaceflight communications at the Potomac Officers Club's 2024 Space Summit. Register here to attend this key event.

Verizon has incorporated C-Band coverage and deployed redundant Wi-Fi and other connectivity platforms and services to support North American Aerospace Defense Command’s initiative of helping children track the whereabouts of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve via a toll-free hotline. Verizon said Tuesday it will provide 5G connectivity service to the command's commercial network and supply equipment, including Wi-Fi jetpacks, Cradlepoint routers and Verizon Frontline mobile assets, to enable volunteers to quickly respond to children’s calls as part of the NORAD Tracks Santa initiative.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Castle Rock, Colorado, has chosen Verizon to set up push-to-talk-enabled lines for more than 400 5G ultra wideband smartphones intended for essential DCSO operations. Verizon’s Frontline Crisis Response Team will supervise the delivery of the service in support of DCSO law enforcement officers and staff, the company said Wednesday.

James Clevenger, director of government sales at Hughes Network Systems, said government agencies transitioning to the General Services Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract should consider deploying low Earth orbit satellite connectivity to expand their broadband capacity and transport options. In an opinion piece published Friday, Clevenger wrote that LEO satellites have the capability to deliver low latency connectivity in remote locations, supporting videoconferencing and other latency-intensive applications.

Verizon's public sector business is partnering with various divisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs to help provide broadband internet and telehealth services to veterans residing in rural and remote locations. The project is the focus of a cooperative research and development agreement signed by Verizon Public Sector with the Veterans Health Administration, the company announced Tuesday.

On Dec. 6., the Potomac Officers Club will host the 2023 Healthcare Summit to provide a venue for discussing changes in the U.S. healthcare system since the COVID-19 pandemic. Register now to take part in the event.

CesiumAstro completed an over-the-air demonstration of a Ka-band satellite communications terminal it developed with SES and Hughes Network Systems. The OTA demo, which took place in Austin, Texas, focused on the connectivity of CesiumAstro's terminal with SES’ geosynchronous orbit satellite and Hughes' HM400 software-defined modem located at a ground station in Maryland.