Innovation
Northrop’s New Radar Can See GEO Through the Clouds
Northrop Grumman ($NOC) announced the first demo of its deep-space advanced radar capability (DARC) last week, opening the door for the US and its allies to track objects in GEO 24/7, no matter the weather.
The successful test is the result of a multi-year development campaign, initially funded through a $341M contract from the Space Force’s Space Systems Command in 2022.
Artificial Intelligence
Space, Tech, And AI: What Astronaut Tim Peake Can Teach Us About The Future Of Humanity
When you’ve spent 6 months orbiting Earth in the International Space Station, your perspective on the planet and its problems is likely to change forever. Few people understand this more intimately than Tim Peake, the British astronaut, test pilot, and ambassador for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, who joined me for a fascinating conversation about space, AI, and the future of life on Earth.
Technology
Next generation of cancer drugs could be made in space
Many companies are racing towards the space economy, a commercial sector projected to reach 1.8 trillion US dollars in the next decade. We're already turning to the stars for holidays with tour operators, farming, and one day soon the atmospheric conditions of space. Tech Now visits a London based startup aiming to improve disease treatment by building a pharmaceutical factory in space.
Securing the new high ground: tackling export loopholes in space tech
Outer space, the new high ground, is no longer the solitary domain of state powers. The growing participation of the private sector alongside government initiatives signals a dramatic transformation in the space ecosystem.
Europe
10 lessons from the James Webb telescope that could shape European tech
Alexandra Vidyuk, CEO at Beyond Earth Ventures, explores the breakthroughs that the James Webb telescope can bring to tech companies
Space technology: Lithuania's promising space start-ups
I'm led through a series of concrete corridors at Vilnius Tech University, Lithuania; the murals give a Soviet-era vibe, and it seems an unlikely location for a high-tech lab working on a laser communication system.
But that's where you'll find the headquarters of Astrolight, a six-year-old Lithuanian space-tech start-up that has just raised €2.8m ($3.3m; £2.4m) to build what it calls an "optical data highway".
Policy
Space Force Unveils New Dress and Appearance Policy
Five and a half years in, the Space Force officially has its own dress and appearance policy. But a big revamp is likely coming soon.
The new policy, Space Force Instruction 36-2903, officially went into effect Aug. 14 after years of issuing interim guidance while the service largely continued following the Air Force’s rules. The 114-page document largely mirrors the Air Force’s own regulations, with a few key differences.