Weekly GEOINT Community News

DIUx Redesignated as Defense Innovation Unit

The Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense redesignated the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) as the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The removal of “experimental” reflects DIU’s permanence within the Department of Defense. Though DIU will continue to experiment with new ways of delivering capabilities to warfighters and national security professionals, the organization itself is no longer an experiment.

Hexagon Awarded NGA Data Support Contract

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) selected Hexagon US Federal for a $9 million ID/IQ contract to provide content management services as part of the agency’s navigational safety efforts. The company will assist in NGA’s Janus Maritime Tactical Ocean Data and Littoral Planning Charts operations for one base year and four one-year options. The contract tasks Hexagon with supporting maritime products and datasets, performing content management and product finishing functions, leveraging existing geospatial data, and developing strategies to ensure timeliness and high data quality.

SAIC Wins Navy C4ISR Contract

SAIC was awarded a maximum seven-year, $861 million contract to produce integrated C4ISR platforms and support equipment for the U.S. Navy. Work also covers setting up hardware and software security applications, engineered cable assemblies, and mounting kit assemblies designed to help soldiers communicate and obtain information.

TCarta Awarded NSF Grant to Enhance Bathymetry Tech

TCarta Marine was awarded a research and development grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to enhance and automate satellite-based bathymetry techniques. The “Project Trident” research seeks to apply machine learning and computer vision to photogrammetry methods to enable fast and accurate depth retrieval in variable water conditions. If successful, this would have positive impacts on operations related to oil and gas exploration and production, coastal infrastructure engineering, environmental monitoring, and more.

Spaceflight Announces SSO-A Rideshare Mission

Spaceflight announced details for the largest single rideshare mission from a U.S.-based launch vehicle to date. The SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission will fill a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with 70 spacecraft from approximately 35 organizations, launching to sun-synchronous low earth orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The stack is one of the most complex and intricate endeavors the company has undertaken and represents investment and support for the burgeoning commercial rideshare industry.

Air Force to Select Launch Service Agreement Partners

The Air Force plans to reveal this month which companies it selected for the next phase of its launch service agreement program, which seeks to use commercial rockets for national security space missions. SpaceX, Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems), ULA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Blue Origin are believed to be in contention. The Air Force has said it wants to develop at least three launch system prototypes and narrow it down to two competitors by 2020.

Peer Intel

The board of directors of General Dynamics elected Christopher Marzilli executive vice president of the company’s Information Technology and Mission Systems segments, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Marzilli will succeed S. Daniel Johnson, who plans to retire at the end of this calendar year.

Continental Mapping Consultants hired former NGA senior executive Chuck McGaugh as senior director for its Defense & Intelligence sector. McGaugh will seek to continue growth, particularly on the company’s two JANUS contracts.

Photo Credit: TCarta