Ideas

If a Satellite Falls on Your House, Space Law Protects You – but There Are No Legal Penalties for Leaving Junk in Orbit

Looking at environmental law here on Earth may give some ideas on how to improve the current legal regime with respect to space debris.

Digital Government

FAA Knows It Needs More Tech Experts, Just Not How Many

The Federal Aviation Administration needs IT experts, as well as specialists in emerging technologies like drones and 3-D printing, but doesn’t have hard, quantitative data on those workforce gaps.

Emerging Tech

Elon Musk Is Maybe, Actually, Strangely, Going to Do This Mars Thing

From his private Cape Canaveral, the billionaire is manifesting his own interplanetary reality—whatever it costs.

Cybersecurity

Biden Administration Likely Retaining Trump Doctrine on Cybersecurity in Space

Vice President Kamala Harris is prioritizing cybersecurity as chair of the National Space Council, an official said.

Digital Government

Pentagon Watchdog to Examine How the U.S. Military Handles UFOs

The inspector general launched an evaluation into “actions regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” just before a similar report is due to Congress.

Ideas

Space Tourism – 20 Years in the Making – Is Finally Ready for Launch

With companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin hoping to build a future for humanity in space, space tourism is a way to demonstrate both the safety and reliability of space travel to the general public.

Artificial Intelligence

A Better Way to Spot Deep-Faked Satellite Images

Training AIs to look at 26 subtle features may help thwart attempts to peddle fraudulent imagery.

Modernization

Space Command moves for tighter cyber integration

U.S. Space Command is standing up a dedicated joint cyber center to improve integration with U.S. Cyber Command.

Ideas

NASA Reaches for the Wright Stuff

Just being able to successfully hover off the ground will be a huge victory for the Ingenuity helicopter.

Emerging Tech

FCC to Consider Proposal Enabling Spectrum for Commercial Space Launches

Companies currently are approved on an ad-hoc basis to share the federal spectrum during specific operations. 

Digital Government

COVID-19 Drove .Gov Search Traffic in 2020 But Not Always About Health

Data on searches performed on .gov websites shows people wanted information on every aspect of the pandemic, as well as continued interest in NASA and immigration.

Podcasts

Critical Update: Let’s Talk About UFOs

What’s behind unidentified aerial phenomena observed by military officials? Are we alone in the universe? Nextgov asks some experts.

Ideas

Securing Space: The Next Frontier of Credential-Based Attacks

Like many other sectors, the space industry needs to secure its supply chain from start to finish.

Cybersecurity

Space Firms Put Aside Rivalries to Share Threat Data

A new clearinghouse has begun gathering and distributing information about threats to space networks, products, and services.

Ideas

Mars Perseverance Mission Already Producing Amazing Moments

Watching the rover plummet only to perform a delicate, ballet-like finish was breathtaking.