Wallops Rocket Launch Re-Set for June 24
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Wallops Flight Facility scrubs its ninth attempt to launch a Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket designed to release colorful clouds in space, reports Delmarva Now. The 10th attempt is scheduled for Saturday, June 24, between 9:07 and 9:22 pm. Southern Maryland skies are in viewing range.
During a two-second window, NASA found an unusual red object 1 billion miles beyond Pluto, reports The Daily Caller. Dubbed 2014 MU69, the object has a diameter of about 30 miles and orbits the sun once every 293 years, which meant the space agency could only study it during a two second period when it briefly crossed in front of a distant star.
Despite calls from defense experts and the military itself, a House Armed Services sub-committeel did not mention BRAC in the Readiness Subcommittee’s portion of the National Defense Authorization Act, reports The Hill. The subcommittee’s markup will be live streamed Thursday at 9 am.
US spy satellites detect new activity at North Korea’s underground nuclear test site, reports CNN. Military options for North Korea have recently been updated, and will be presented to President Donald Trump for a decision to act if there is a nuclear test.
Washington and Seoul face a growing rift over North Korea, reports Nikkei.com. Ties between the US and South Korea have cooled after a special adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in suggested scaling back joint military exercises.
The Navy’s top commander visited Japan to meet with the families of seven sailors killed in a weekend accident, as investigators continue their probe into the cause of the collision with a cargo ship, reports Japan Times. Navy Times on the launch of the investigation into the collision with USS Fitzgerald also reports on what is known now.
Flight Global provides an updated rundown on the Paris Air Show.
The Navy might get to skip carrier Ford‘s shock trials ahead of first deployment, reports Defense News. New language in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act would strike the requirement to send the ship into shock trials before its first deployment. Carrying out full-ship shock trials has been the plan since Congress mandated it in the 2016 NDAA.
The effort by Senate Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act picks up steam, as GOP leadership promises a first look at their bill before the end of the week, reports PBS.org. Democrats remain unable to stop it on their own, but have mounted a public relations attack as Republicans counted votes.
Tropical Storm Cindy slowly move inland with the potential to produce life-threatening flash flooding, reports The Washington Post. Cindy’s maximum sustained winds were near 60 mph Wednesday morning with slight weakening expected to begin Thursday. The main danger appeared to be from rain.
Contracts:
SOS International, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $12,278,434 firm-fixed-priced contract for intelligence technical support services, intelligence analysis, operations and planning, security support, information systems operation, maintenance and sustainment services. Five bids were solicited and five bids were received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 13, 2023. US Army Contracting Command, Kaiserslautern, Germany, is the contracting activity (W564KV-17-D-0002).
