Industry News

Space Systems Loral has received additional funds from NASA through a contract modification to advance the design of a robotic platform for use in on-orbit satellite assembly work. SSL and its parent company MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates collaborate with NASA and aerospace firm Tethers Unlimited to develop the Dragonfly in-orbit satellite assembly system under the […] More

AeroVironment has introduced a long-range tracking antenna the company designed to increase the data transmission capacity of its Puma AE unmanned aircraft system. The company said Tuesday the LRTA upgrade supports Puma systems equipped with Digital Data Link technology and seeks to help operators collect intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data at a range of approximately 37 miles. […] More

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wants information on industry vendors that can help develop and implement an “employee-centric” employment verification process. USCIS said in a FedBizOpps notice posted Friday that it aims to partner with industry on the development of identity verification and management tools that will help individuals validate their identity and work authorization status. […] More

Rockwell Collins has integrated a new avionics system for the French air force’s C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft as part of a modernization contract from France’s defense procurement agency. The company said Monday that the Flight2 avionics system offers communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management capacities that comply with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. […] More

A SpaceX-built Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to leave the International Space Station on Sept. 17 to bring approximately 3,800 pounds of cargo back to Earth. NASA said Monday the cargo will include science samples from human, animal, biology, biotechnology and physical science studies as well as education activities. SpaceX launched Dragon from the Kennedy Space Center […] More

Comtech Telecommunications‘ enterprise technologies unit has created an online portal designed to help the Civil Air Patrol simultaneously track search-and-rescue aircraft in real time. The company said Monday it used the Location Studio technology to develop the web-based CAP platform that works to monitor flight patterns, altitude, speed and global positioning system location of SAR planes. […] More

Boeing has signed a deal to design and build seven medium earth orbit satellites for SES to deliver data communications services for clients worldwide. O3b mPOWER satellites will feature Boeing’s digital payload technologies along with customized electronics from the 702 satellite platform, the company said Monday. Paul Rusnock, chairman and CEO of Boeing Satellite Systems International, […] More

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky subsidiary has found that issues associated with the flight control software caused the Aug. 2 hard landing incident involving the S-97 Raider aircraft prototype, Vertical Magazine reported Monday. The incident occurred as the prototype carried out a vertical take-off operation at the start of the test flight at the company’s flight center […] More

Northrop Grumman‘s Amherst Systems business has received a contract to supply radio frequency signal generation technology in support of the U.S. Navy‘s Next-Generation Electronic Warfare Environment Generator program. The NEWEG program aims to incorporate threat laboratory and free space simulation features into the Navy’s generator, Northrop said Monday. Northrop’s RF generation platform is equipped with an advanced pulse generation […] More

Harris has received a contract from MBDA to supply carriage and release technology for the latter’s SPEAR precision strike missiles. Harris said Tuesday it will deliver four internal bay-compatible SCORPION lightweight ejection rack units for each of the weapon bays of two U.K. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. “The MBDA SPEAR weapon, combined with our delivery system, […] More

Huntington Ingalls Industries will help the U.S. Navy procure and manage long lead-time materials for cruiser and destroyer ships under a one-year, $12.8 million contract modification. The Defense Department said Monday the company will help plan yard services for the service branch’s CG-47 cruisers and DD 63 destroyers. HII currently provides engineering, technical, planning, ship configuration, data and […] More

Science Applications International Corp. has secured a $34.6 million contract to help the Missile Defense Agency further develop an analysis technology to support modeling of the Ballistic Missile Defense System‘s expected performance. The Defense Department said Monday SAIC will support analysis efforts by the MDA director for engineering’s quick reaction team and the agency’s BMDS research, development and […] More