GovConJudicata Weekly Debrief (5/16–20)

This week's Weekly Debrief covers space news!

Space

SpaceNews – Drawing lessons from the first ‘commercial space war’

• "Throughout Russia’s invasion and offensive in Ukraine, some of the most compelling images of the war have come from satellites in space operated by private companies. 'For many of us who have been tirelessly watching this conflict from our TVs or smartphones, some of the most iconic scenes which come to mind are those of a huge Russian military convoy, stretching more than 60 kilometers northwest of Kyiv,' commented tech industry consultant Chetan Woodun."

SPO – As Space Gets More Crowded, House Committee Still Questioning SSA Path Forward

• "Four years after President Trump assigned civil space situational awareness responsibilities to the Department of Commerce, Congress has yet to formally authorize the Department to take on that task. Based on a hearing last week, House Democrats and Republicans still have many questions. A Senate bill is slowly inching forward as part of the innovation and competition act, but what can get done in the limited legislative time remaining in this election year is anyone’s guess."

FedScoop – Space Force will likely add a component to Cyber Command, senior official says

• "As the newest military branch, the Space Force is currently leveraging the Air Force’s component to U.S. Cyber Command as its conduit and connection to the organization. But that may change, according to a senior official."

C4ISRnet – Space Force ‘reverse industry day’ to address gaps in sensing, tracking

• "U.S. Space Force acquisition officials are meeting with companies this week to discuss capabilities that could help the service as it looks to take on a new mission: tracking ground targets with space sensors."

Space.com – NASA, Boeing hail Starliner space capsule launch success despite thruster glitch

• "Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is officially on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) after 2.5 years of delays. A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday (May 19) at 6:54 p.m. EDT (2254 GMT), carrying Starliner aloft on an uncrewed mission called Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2)."

DefensePost – US Space Force to Form Three Intelligence Squadrons

• "The US Space Force plans to form three new squadrons in the next two years to bolster its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The announcement was made by Space Operations Command Lt. Gen. Stephen Whitingduring an online discussion hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on Tuesday."

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