Industry News

Iridium Communications will launch the first line of its NEXT satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base on September 12. The company said Tuesday Thales Alenia Space and Orbital ATK have completed assembly, integration and testing of the 81 satellites on the assembly line, which includes 66 operational satellites to replace the current Iridium network. “After more than seven […] More

NIC has partnered with Utah and Mississippi to unveil a new series voice-activated state government apps for the Amazon Echo designed to allow users to receive license alerts and take practice exams through the Alexa Voice Services. NIC subsidiary Utah Interactive worked with the Utah’s departments of public safety and technology services to create a voice-based app that works to […] More

Orbital ATK‘s cargo ship Cygnus is set to proceed with three in-orbit scientific missions after the spacecraft completed its mission to deliver around 7,900 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. Cygnus, nicknamed S.S. Rick Husband, departed from the orbiting laboratory Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time after an 81-day stay there, Orbital ATK said Tuesday. The OA-6 mission represents the company’s fifth mission under […] More

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will conduct a Proposers Day on June 27 in Chicago to discuss the Prometheus program that aims to identify molecular biomarkers that could be used to predict contagiousness of an individual following exposure to a pathogen within 24 hours. “Many infections are spread by people who haven’t yet displayed […] More

The General Services Administration has asked industry and government agencies to submit comments on a draft request for proposals for the third generation of GSA’s charge card program. The agency said Monday it will use the feedback to the draft RFP in order to refine the requirements in the GSA SmartPay 3 program, including charge card […] More

Chantilly, Virginia-based information technology services provider NJVC has received Capability Maturity Model Integration level 2 rating from the CMMI Institute for the company’s approach to software development project management. The CMMI level 2 appraisal suggests that NJVC’s software services business executes projects in accordance with  policy, employs skilled professionals to produce outputs and works to monitor, review and evaluate if projects adhere to process […] More

A division of Airbus‘ defense and space segment has partnered with RapidSOS to demonstrate the use of a smartphone application to deliver emergency information to public safety answering points. Airbus DS Communications will show how its VESTA 9-1-1 call processing system can work to display multimedia data from RapidSOS’ Haven app during the National Emergency Number Association’s conference in Indiana from June 11 to 16, […] More

United Launch Alliance, the 50-50 joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has deployed a payload into orbit to support the National Reconnaissance Office‘s NROL-37 mission for national security. ULA said Saturday the payload was launched aboard a Delta IV evolved expendable launch vehicle from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Stationin Florida Aerojet Rocketdyne provided three RS-68A […] More

The Energy Department will award $10.5 million in federal funds to nine research entities in support of solid-state lighting core technology research, product development and manufacturing efforts. DOE said Friday the projects have a total public-private investment of at least $13.5 million that includes cost-share contributions, seek to aid the development of light-emitting diode and organic light-emitting diode lighting […] More

NASA has partnered with Deployable Space Systems and Space Systems Loral to develop solar cell structures designed to power government space vehicles or commercial communications satellites. Roll Out Solar Array will work to convert the sun’s rays into energy that could drive ion thrusters of solar electric propulsion spacecraft for NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission and other deep-space exploration programs, the agency said […] More