For NASA, Another Historic Space Launch

NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, left, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi are seen as they speak to members of the media after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission. NASA photo

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Four astronauts were launched into orbit Sunday evening atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a trip to the International Space Station, reports Reuters, in the first operational flight of a commercially developed Crew Dragon capsule. This was NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.

NASA officials described it as “a picture perfect launch.” NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency blasted off from Kennedy Space Center at 7:27 pm Nov. 15. Mr. Glover is breaking barriers by becoming the first Black astronaut to join a long-duration crew on the space station, reports CBSN Los Angeles.

A US government spy satellite, NROL 101, was launched into orbit Friday after a week of weather delays, reports UPI. United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

Acting DefSec Christopher Miller shared his first message with US troops on Friday: “It’s time to come home,” reports Fox News. Here is a copy of DefSec Miller’s memorandum.

Some senators want the US Army to move more quickly to buy vehicles capable of operating in the Arctic, reports Defense News. Focus on the Arctic is increasing as sea ice is receding, opening up economic opportunities but also competition as Russia continues to project power in the region and China looks to capitalize on investment in minerals, natural gas, ocean fisheries, and trade there. The US Navy is back in the Arctic Circle after being gone for 30 years, reports Defense News.

The impact of climate change might be most visible in the Arctic, but BRIG GEN Stephen Cheney, former commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC, said that it and other coastal bases face drastic threats from the warming planet, reports Military.com. He warned that a sea wall around parts of Parris Island might be necessary.

Former DefSec Mark Esper’s plans to build a 500-ship Navy are still intact despite changes at the Pentagon last week, reports Military.com. Battle Force 2045, the plan to nearly double the size of the Navy fleet, is still underway.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations have signed the world’s largest trade agreement they say will aid their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, reports UPI. The Trans-Pacific trade deal moved forward without the United States, reports The Washington Post.

 

 

The US Air Force aims to increase the number of bases where you can get a decent mobile phone connection, reports Breaking Defense. The immediate plan is to upgrade 20 installations to 4G LTE networks — which are the essential foundation for a future 5G system.

Active coronavirus cases among Department of Veterans Affairs patients reached their 14th consecutive day of record-high levels over the weekend, surpassing 10,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic, reports Military Times.

Pharmaceutical company Moderna said its COVID-19 vaccine is proving to be highly effective in a major trial, reports The Associated Press. The company said its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective. Last week, Pfizer reported its COVID vaccine appeared similarly effective.

Concerns about a lack of air cargo capacity for the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines – even those requiring the maintenance of extremely low temperatures during transit – are unfounded, reports Flight Global.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for stronger COVID-19 prevention measures during his first public appearance in 25 days, reports UPI.

The US Army wants to convert Navy missiles into land-based mid-range weapons that complement its short-range rockets and long-range hypersonic missiles, reports Defense One. The goal: new land cruise missiles by 2023.

The US Navy has announced that an Expeditionary Sea Base-6 class ship will be named in honor of Marine Gunnery Sgt. John L. Canley, who fought off multiple attacks in 1968 as his company moved into Hue City, the heaviest of urban fighting the corps would see in Vietnam, reports Marine Corps Times.

Officials at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport worry that fewer flights might mean fewer troops get to go home for the holidays, reports Task & Purpose.

The Navy is revisiting fire safety protocols for maintenance periods, reports USNI News, as part of an ongoing conversation following a fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship fire in July.

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community has built a 5-acre memorial near Scottsdale as a tribute to those who were aboard the USS Arizona when it was attacked and sank at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, reports Stars and Stripes.

The newly opened National Museum of the US Army at Fort Belvoir, VA, has exhibits that recognize the role of women in combat during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reports dailyrepublic.com.

Contracts:

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $9,473,511,245 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-2117. The contract modification exercises an option for construction and test of the lead and second ships of the Columbia class SSBN 826 and SSBN 827, as well as associated design and engineering support. This modification to the integrated product and process development (IPPD) contract supports the fiscal 2021 construction start of the lead ship (SSBN 826) and advance procurement, advance construction, coordinated material buys and full construction of the follow hull (SSBN 827) in fiscal 2024. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (36%); Newport News, Virginia (25%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (17%); with other efforts performed at various sites throughout the US (each less than 1%) (22%), and is expected to be completed by April 2030. Efforts within the ship include the Common Missile Compartment which is a joint US/United Kingdom effort. Fiscal 2021 National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund (NSBDF) funding in the amount of $545,186,307 (96%); and fiscal 2020 NSBDF funding in the amount of $19,936,251 (4%) will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This action leverages the acquisition authorities contained in 10 US Code §2218a, NSBDF. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Progeny Systems Corp., Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $9,428,513 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6267 to exercise options for engineering services. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (88%); and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) (12%) funding in the amount of $3,900,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

CORRECTION: The contract awarded on Oct. 30, 2020, to BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, for $13,365,920, listed the incorrect contract number. The correct contract number is FA8720-21-F-0042.