President Donald Trump has signed a one page memorandum authorising the Pentagon to re-establish the US Space Command,which had existed from 1985-2002.It will be the eleventh combatant command,headed by a four star flag officer and a deputy.
Combatant commands are leadership nodes comprised of personnel from all the services working together in a joint manner to advance a common mission set.They are not separate armed forces.Among the existing combatant commands are US Strategic Command,;US European Command;US Special Operations Command,etc.The original US Space Command was abolished in the wake of the 9-11 attacks so that US Northern Command (including NORAD) could be established to protect the continental homeland.Its elements were absorbed by US Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command.
The complex new organisation will have a staff of about 1600 personnel:600 of them from existing space organisations,and 1,000 of them new hires.It is estimated it will cost about 800 million dollars to set it up over a period of years.The first step will come next year with the nomination of a flag officer for commander,plus a deputy commander,for approval by the US Senate.*
President Trump considers this a move in the direction of creating a new armed service,the US Space Force.It's widely believed,however,that it isn't possible to create the force in the immediate future,while the US faces immediate challenges in space from Russia and China.*
Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement while visiting NASA Kennedy Space Center and the US Air Force 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.He explained that:
The US Space Command will integrate space capabilities across all branches of the military.It will develop the space doctrine,tactics,techniques and procedures that will enable our warfighters to defend our nation in this new era.*
The Pentagon says that the renewed US Space Command is a critical step in accelerating our space capabilities and posture to defend our vital national interests and deter our adversaries.This combatant command will lead space operations and develop space warfighting doctrine,tactics and procedures.
Showing posts with label Vice President Mike Pence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vice President Mike Pence. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Orion Program Update:2018,a year of urgent tasks
The year 2018 will see a great amount of activity at NASA and contractor centres to prepare for the launch of the first integrated test of the Orion system,Exploration Mission-1,an uncrewed mission targeted for 2019.NASA aims to have all major hardware completed by the end of 2018.At the same time,construction for the first crewed mission of Orion,EM-2,planned for the early 2020s,has already begun and will continue apace thoughout 2018.*
In early 2018,NASA says the heat shield will be bolted to the EM-1 crew module.When
the ESA Orion Service Module,or powerhouse,arrives from Europe,it will be mated with and stacked beneath the crew module.In January,the US Navy and NASA personnel will again be refining capsule recovery procedures off the California coast.*
Over the course of 2018,the core stage of the new Space Launch System,the world's most powerful rocket,will be completed and its four RS-25 main engines,evolved from the Space Shuttle main engines and built by Aerojet Rocketdyne,will then be attached to it.*
In spring 2018,the mobile launcher will be rolled out to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center for testing of the fit between launcher and pad systems,then be trucked to the huge Vehicle Assembly Building for testing of mount mechanisms;ignition overpressure and sound suppression water pipes;nitrogen and helium supply lines;and access platforms.Then it's back to the pad once more for several months of full system testing.*
In summer 2018,critical software updates for command and control in support of EM-1 will be wrapped up.In 2019,the complete Orion system will be stacked,integrated,tested and rolled out to the pad to await launch.The ultimate goal of the program is to produce a flexible,reuseable and sustainable infrastructure that will support deep space missions of graduated complexity for decades to come.*
EM-1,besides testing the integrated Orion system,will also be carrying a payload of 13 small satellites for a broad spectrum of research projects.*
At the 68th International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide,Australia on 27 September 2017,NASA and the Russian Space Agency,Roscosmos,signed a joint statement on a common vision for human exploration.Indeed,the entire ISS partnership of NASA,Roscosmos,Canada,ESA and Japan are intent on ensuring that full advantage be taken of ISS technological development and demonstration,as well as of lessons learned from its assembly and operations for this future exploration.
For its part,industry is currently devising a series of study and risk reduction concepts for NASA's Deep Space Gateway,which is to be a small space station in lunar orbit for support of Orion missions,and for the transport needed for Mars exploration.Those awarded contracts for the effort include Bigelow Aerospace;Boeing;Lockheed Martin;Orbital ATK;Sierra Nevada Corporation;and Nanoracks.Five of the six companies have been chosen to develop full-sized ground-based engineering prototypes of habitation systems to be completed in 2018.NASA has also solicited industry for proposals for studies on concept development of a power and propulsion element,which will be the first pieces of Deep Space Gateway architecture to be placed in lunar orbit.*
NASA and The National Space Council,chaired by Vice President Mike Pence,is committed to carrying on in the spirit of international and industry cooperation that has characterised the ISS.*
Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc,NYSE:AJRD
In early 2018,NASA says the heat shield will be bolted to the EM-1 crew module.When
the ESA Orion Service Module,or powerhouse,arrives from Europe,it will be mated with and stacked beneath the crew module.In January,the US Navy and NASA personnel will again be refining capsule recovery procedures off the California coast.*
Over the course of 2018,the core stage of the new Space Launch System,the world's most powerful rocket,will be completed and its four RS-25 main engines,evolved from the Space Shuttle main engines and built by Aerojet Rocketdyne,will then be attached to it.*
In spring 2018,the mobile launcher will be rolled out to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center for testing of the fit between launcher and pad systems,then be trucked to the huge Vehicle Assembly Building for testing of mount mechanisms;ignition overpressure and sound suppression water pipes;nitrogen and helium supply lines;and access platforms.Then it's back to the pad once more for several months of full system testing.*
In summer 2018,critical software updates for command and control in support of EM-1 will be wrapped up.In 2019,the complete Orion system will be stacked,integrated,tested and rolled out to the pad to await launch.The ultimate goal of the program is to produce a flexible,reuseable and sustainable infrastructure that will support deep space missions of graduated complexity for decades to come.*
EM-1,besides testing the integrated Orion system,will also be carrying a payload of 13 small satellites for a broad spectrum of research projects.*
At the 68th International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide,Australia on 27 September 2017,NASA and the Russian Space Agency,Roscosmos,signed a joint statement on a common vision for human exploration.Indeed,the entire ISS partnership of NASA,Roscosmos,Canada,ESA and Japan are intent on ensuring that full advantage be taken of ISS technological development and demonstration,as well as of lessons learned from its assembly and operations for this future exploration.
For its part,industry is currently devising a series of study and risk reduction concepts for NASA's Deep Space Gateway,which is to be a small space station in lunar orbit for support of Orion missions,and for the transport needed for Mars exploration.Those awarded contracts for the effort include Bigelow Aerospace;Boeing;Lockheed Martin;Orbital ATK;Sierra Nevada Corporation;and Nanoracks.Five of the six companies have been chosen to develop full-sized ground-based engineering prototypes of habitation systems to be completed in 2018.NASA has also solicited industry for proposals for studies on concept development of a power and propulsion element,which will be the first pieces of Deep Space Gateway architecture to be placed in lunar orbit.*
NASA and The National Space Council,chaired by Vice President Mike Pence,is committed to carrying on in the spirit of international and industry cooperation that has characterised the ISS.*
Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc,NYSE:AJRD
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Bulletin:Three US Troops Killed in Afghanistan - green on blue attack
US officials say three American service members were killed and a fourth wounded in Achin district of Nangarhar Province,Afghanistan on Saturday,10 June 2017.The incident is being labeled a green-on-blue attack,a NATO code word for an enemy infiltrator who opens fire on coalition forces while wearing an Afghan National Defence and Security Forces uniform.The treacherous attack occurred while US and ANDSF personnel were conducting a counterterrorist operation in the district,an ISIL-K stronghold that US and Afghan Special Operations Forces have been focused on for several months now.An Afghan official said ANDSF members shot the gunman dead.*
The Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the incident,calling the perpetrator a "mujahadid,"or freedom fighter.On Saturday,US Vice President Mike Pence mentioned the deaths and offered the American people's thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the victims.*
ISIL-K and the Taliban had been fighting each other,so it is possible they have begun to cooperate against the US and Afghan forces now.*
ISIL-K is short for ISIL-Khorasan.The Islamist extremists refer to Nangarhar as being their Khorasan Province.In April,two more US troops were killed in action in Achin district of Nangarhar during combat with ISIL-K.*
The US and its NATO Allies are considering upping the number of forces in Afghanistan in light of the persistent militant activity.
The Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the incident,calling the perpetrator a "mujahadid,"or freedom fighter.On Saturday,US Vice President Mike Pence mentioned the deaths and offered the American people's thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the victims.*
ISIL-K and the Taliban had been fighting each other,so it is possible they have begun to cooperate against the US and Afghan forces now.*
ISIL-K is short for ISIL-Khorasan.The Islamist extremists refer to Nangarhar as being their Khorasan Province.In April,two more US troops were killed in action in Achin district of Nangarhar during combat with ISIL-K.*
The US and its NATO Allies are considering upping the number of forces in Afghanistan in light of the persistent militant activity.
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