Weekly GEOINT Community News

UrtheCast Establishes CRADA with NGA

UrtheCast announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The CRADA focuses research and development (R&D) efforts to maximize the operational effectiveness of the UrtheCast’s OptiSAR constellation. R&D areas include multi-source fusion, improving and ensuring metric accuracy, and optimizing collection and dissemination strategies. UrtheCast expects to deploy the OptiSAR constellation over multiple launches beginning in 2020.

General Dynamics Completes Space Fence Radar Ground Structure

General Dynamics SATCOM technologies finalized the construction and walk-through of the 7,000 square-foot radar receive array structure that is part of the U.S. Air Force Space Fence radar system. The structure will be dismantled and shipped to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands for reassembly and integration into the Space Fence system. Space Fence is an advanced, ground-based system that will help the Air Force detect, identify, and track more than 100,000 pieces of space debris. Doing so will help protect commercial and government satellites, the International Space Station, and other space-based assets.

DISA Rolls Out New JIE Phases

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is making steady progress with its Joint Information Environment (JIE) initiative, reports C4ISR & Networks. DISA is improving existing joint regional security stacks underpinning JIE connectivity, even as construction continues on new JRSS facilities in the Pacific. As DISA and the services build out and enhance JRSS, they’re also decommissioning legacy security stacks. DISA also plans to enhance security architecture and further develop JIE to include a Joint Management Network, Mission Partner Environment, and Cross-Domain Gateways.

USGS Adds New Maps of Texas and Oklahoma

New topographic maps of Texas and Oklahoma are now available via the U.S. Geological Survey. Additions to these maps include topologically integrated geographic encoding and referencing road data, integration of wetland layers using data from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory, and the incorporation of crowdsourced trail data from the International Mountain Bike Association. Download the maps for free via the USGS store.

Top 50 Women in Technology

FedScoop recently revealed its “Top 50 Women in Technology for 2016.” This annual list honors women who have made the greatest impact on how government agencies have used technology to accomplish their missions. Employees of USGIF Organizational Members who made the list include : Teresa Carlson, Amazon Web Services; Janet Foutty, Deloitte Consulting; Julie McPherson, Booz Allen Hamilton; and Sue Gordon, NGA. See the full list and read about each woman’s contributions.

Peer Intel

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) selected Melissa Drisko as the agency’s deputy director, effective in August. Drisko currently serves as DIA’s lead for rank-in-person implementation. She has more than 35 years of experience in federal service.

Photo Credit: USGS