Keith’s note: According to a press release “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy expressing her serious concern regarding NASA’s relationship with the Department of Defense (DoD).” More below.

Keith’s note: It looks like the White House is taking a totally different tack on finding a new NASA Administrator. A pivot in a military direction. According to Military.com: “The White House made the unusual move of reaching out Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for advice on who should serve as the next NASA administrator, causing experts to worry about military influence on the civilian space agency. … At a news conference Thursday, President Donald Trump said that “Gen. Caine is going to be picking somebody” for the top role in NASA, which is separate from the Defense Department, and that somebody “will be checking them out.” FYI the current Deputy NASA Administrator nominee Matt Anderson has a long affiliation with military space activities.

Keith’s note: The DNI has posted a NCSC/FBI/USAF Bulletin titled “Safeguarding The U.S. Space Industry” which opens by saying: “According to US financial sector estimates, the global space economy is projected to grow from $469 billion in 2021 to more than $1 trillion by 2030. The United States is the main driver of this growth through its role as a global leader in space investment, research, innovation, and production. Space is fundamental to every aspect of our society, including emergency services, energy, financial services, telecommunications, transportation, and food and agriculture. All rely on space services to operate. Foreign intelligence entities (FIEs) recognize the importance of the commercial space industry to the US economy and national security, including the growing dependence of critical infrastructure on space-based assets. They see US space-related innovation and assets as potential threats as well as valuable opportunities to acquire vital technologies and expertise. FIEs use cyberattacks, strategic investment (including joint ventures and acquisitions), the targeting of key supply chain nodes, and other techniques to gain access to the US space industry.” More

Could 2020 be any stranger? The (supposedly) civilian International Space Station is rented out by @NASA to the U.S. #SpaceForce to endorse military activities while one ISS partner (Russia) is simultaneously mounting a massive cyberattack on another ISS partner – the U.S. pic.twitter.com/3RyGlYrRhk — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) December 18, 2020

Space Force releases 1st doctrine, defines “spacepower” as distinct form of military power “The Space Capstone Publication explains why spacepower is a vital element of U.S. prosperity and security – now and in the future – and guides its employment in multidomain operations. As the USSF continues to grow and mature, we will continue to evolve our doctrine to stay on the cutting edge of defending our interests in space.” […]

Space Admiral? House Lawmakers Want Navy Ranks for Space Force, Military.com “House lawmakers have signed off on a proposal calling for the military’s sixth branch to adopt the Navy’s ranks and structure. The amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, proposed by Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, would require the Space Force to use “the same system and rank structure as is used in the Navy,” according to a summary […]

Defense Innovation Unit Solution Brief Solicitation: Orbital Outpost, Defense Innovation Unit “The Department of Defense (DoD) seeks solutions for a self-contained and free flying orbital outpost. The solution must be capable of supporting space assembly, microgravity experimentation, logistics and storage, manufacturing, training, test and evaluation, hosting payloads, and other functions. Prospective bidders are invited to submit their proposals (“Solution Brief”) per the guidelines below.” … “Desired future capabilities (available as […]

Mike Pence: It’s time for Congress to establish the Space Force (Opinion), Washington Post “Since taking office, President Trump’s top priority has been to strengthen our national defense and protect the American people. We have made historic investments to rebuild our armed forces. We have removed unnecessary restraints on our commanders, giving them the rules of engagement they need to defeat our enemies. And to meet the emerging threats in […]

Keith’s note: According to the White House Vice President Pence will visit the Department of Defense on Thursday and will be joined by Secretary of Defense Mattis at an honor guard ceremony and a DOD briefing. Following that briefing the Vice President will give formal remarks. Among the topics to be covered with be President Trump’s proposed Space Force. – Watch live starting around 11:15 am EDT – President Trump […]

“The United States depends on space across the full spectrum of military operations. These space systems, both U.S. government satellites and those of commercial and international partners, are vulnerable to a wide array of threats, ranging from jamming and cyberattacks to direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. While the need to improve the resiliency of space systems to different forms of attack is often discussed publicly, the progress other nations are making […]