Weekly GEOINT Community News

Hawkeye 360 Announces Successful Deployment of Next-Generation RF Sensing Satellites, NGA Launches Neurodiversity Pilot, Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Validation Test of New Rocket Motor for ULA, and More

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Hawkeye 360 Announces Successful Deployment of Next-Generation RF Sensing Satellites

HawkEye 360 announced that Cluster 2, the company’s second cluster of satellites, successfully deployed into orbit. After launching aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 on Jan. 24, the trio of satellites was dispensed from Spaceflight Inc.’s Sherpa-FX orbital transfer vehicle and has established communications with the HawkEye 360 satellite operations center. In the weeks ahead, the satellites will be fully tested, commissioned, and moved into their final formation to detect, characterize, and geolocate RF signals. Cluster 2 follows the company’s first Pathfinder cluster of satellites, launched two years ago, but is significantly more powerful. The new satellites can process data at a faster rate — leading to increased geolocations with an even greater degree of accuracy — and are equipped with new software-defined radios (SDR) that can simultaneously collect signals from a wide range of frequencies. These workhorse satellites provide significant capacity increases to meet the demand for robust space-based RF data and analytics required by HawkEye 360’s customers.

NGA Launches Neurodiversity Pilot

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) launched a pilot program in December to increase opportunities for neurodiverse individuals, including those on the autism spectrum. The Neurodiverse Federal Workforce pilot program is a collaborative effort between NGA, MITRE, a not-for-profit R&D company, and Melwood, a D.C. nonprofit providing job opportunities to people with disabilities. Following an intensive one-week training and interviews workshop, the six-month pilot program will place interns in geospatial and imagery analysis roles supporting NGA’s mission.

Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Validation Test of New Rocket Motor for ULA

Northrop Grumman conducted a validation ground test of an extended length 63-inch-diameter Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM 63XL) today in Promontory, Utah. This variation of the company’s GEM 63 strap-on booster was developed in partnership with United Launch Alliance (ULA) to provide additional lift capability to the Vulcan Centaur rocket. During the static test, the motor fired for approximately 90 seconds, producing nearly 449,000 pounds of thrust to validate the performance capability of the motor design. Additionally, this firing verified the motor’s internal insulation, propellant grain, ballistics, and nozzle in a hot-conditioned environment.

Aerospace Announced the Opening of Aerospace UK, a Wholly-owned, UK-based Subsidiary

As an extension of Aerospace’s role as an objective technical advisor for the space enterprise, Aerospace UK will support a key U.S. ally under contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). Aerospace UK will provide technical support as the UK develops a new set of space policies and initiatives. For 60 years, Aerospace has operated a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) dedicated to solving the hardest problems for the U.S. space enterprise and its allies.

Deloitte Consulting Completes Acquisition of HashedIn Technologies

Deloitte Consulting completed its acquisition of HashedIn Technologies Private Limited, a leading cloud native software engineering and product development firm. Together, the two organizations will help clients to imagine, deliver, and run their futures with cloud technologies.

Peer Intel

NGA selected six new members for induction into the Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame. This year’s selectees are Barry M. BarlowLouis A. Bauer (posthumously), Stacy L. Gardner Jr. (posthumously), John H. (Jack) HildJames E. Johnson, and Paula Webb Roberts.

Maxar Technologies appointed the University of Texas at El Paso President, former Congresswoman, and former Air Force SecretaryDr. Heather Wilson to its board of directors. Dr. Wilson will serve as a director for a term expiring at the company’s 2021 annual meeting of stockholders when she will stand for election by the stockholders. 

Raytheon Technologies announced that Marie R. Sylla-Dixon has joined the company effective as chief diversity officer (CDO). Sylla-Dixon will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Gregory Hayes and serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team. As CDO, Sylla-Dixon will be responsible for leading Raytheon Technologies’ diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. The role will integrate initiatives across the four pillars of talent management, community engagement, public policy, and supplier diversity, and shape externally how the company shows up in its communities.

Featured image: Illustration of Hawkeye 360’s next-generation RF sensing satellites. (Credit: Hawkeye 360)

Weekly GEOINT Community News

Peraton announced its completion of the acquisition of Perspecta Inc, Norwegian Space Agency launches new NorSat-3 maritime tracking microsatellite, TCarta created products for two project pilots to enable NOAA to test the use of SDB, and more.

Weekly GEOINT Community News

Dr. Stacey Dixon of NGA nominated by the President as Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, NRO to sign deals with commercial providers of satellite radar imagery, and more.

Weekly GEOINT Community News

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