Space Alert

As the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awards early contracts for a satellite architecture demonstration program that could change the way the Defense Department approaches resiliency in space, the agency is working closely with the Air Force and other Pentagon stakeholders to make sure a plan is in place to transition to a formal program once the concept is proven.

A top defense budget analyst expects the added cost to create a Space Force or Space Corps could range from $1.5 billion to $2.7 billion over five years, depending on the scope of the new organization.

Air Force Space Command plans to work with gaming companies to improve the threat capabilities in its simulators, which officials say is one of the command's biggest training infrastructure gaps.

The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center plans to incorporate agile software development into its new Enterprise Space Battle Management Command and Control system, and is awaiting Pentagon approval for its acquisition strategy.

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters Tuesday he does not expect the intelligence community will be integrated with the proposed Space Force until later in the organization's evolution, noting there is disagreement within the Pentagon on how quickly the new military department should grow.

The National Space Council plans to make six recommendations regarding Defense Department space reorganization during today's meeting, a source told Inside Defense today.

Army Secretary Mark Esper this week pledged to be a "team player" in the Defense Department's effort to stand up a Space Force, comments that come in the wake of a press report the White House is considering sacking Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson for insufficiently supporting President Trump's controversial plan to establish a sixth military branch.

Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper recently approved waivers for two major programs, the next-generation T-X trainer and the GPS III Follow-on constellation, bypassing requirements to conduct pre-milestone B design reviews and industrial technical risk assessments.

The Air Force's decision to increase the contract ceiling of a popular space technology consortium will allow more large programs to utilize the prototyping mechanism, according to the service's consortium manager.