Cybersecurity

Research portals, build-it yourself spacecraft and 3D craniums

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Digital Government

Smartphones in space

NASA is sending the next generation of Google smartphones to the International Space Station with the goal of easing some of the workaday load for astronauts.

Modernization

You can lead a horse to data . . .

The goal of a NASA lecture and lab series is to lower the point of entry for people trying to access data, and to teach them how to use it.

People

Learning to innovate like NASA

Start by thinking big. "There is always time later to rein in ideas to fit budget and schedule parameters," author Rod Pyle says.

Digital Government

The technology taking NASA to Mars

The space agency showcases some of its innovations, big and small.

People

'The critical link is giving people ownership'

Author Rod Pyle discusses what other agencies can learn from the culture and systems that have driven NASA's accomplishments.

Digital Government

NASA's new view of asteroids

NASA is partnering with Slooh, which has a global network of web-connected telescopes, to engage citizen scientists in helping track asteroids that might pose a threat to Earth.

Digital Government

Exit interview: Joseph Klimavicz

The outgoing NOAA CIO says that of the many innovations he has led at the agency, a recently unveiled big data plan is the "most out of the box" -- and he is sorry he won't be around to see it through as he heads to the Justice Department.

Digital Government

NOAA on target for polar satellite launch, says agency chief

A gap in polar satellite coverage could still occur, and there is no agency estimate on how long it might last.

Digital Government

Video: Are you smarter than a dinosaur?

NASA's newest crowdsourcing initiative seeks better algorithms for identifying humanity-threatening asteroids.

Digital Government

White House launches climate data website

The aggregation of climate info and tools is designed to help foster application development and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Digital Government

NOAA budget boost focused on data

The largest request for NOAA's five offices is the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, which would get an increase of about $165 million over fiscal 2014.

Digital Government

Budget requests for science, research mostly flat

One big winner is likely to be NOAA, which is gearing up to launch new weather satellites in 2016-17.

Modernization

Weather satellite program appears back on track

Four of six instruments designed for NOAA’s next-gen system are ready for integration on the spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch in 2016.

Modernization

NOAA satellites helped save 253 lives in 2013

The orbiting craft are part of a network that detects and locates distress signals from emergency beacons.

Digital Government

Commercial aerospace up, defense down

“Government customers of global defense companies continue to be challenged with affordability and competing domestic priorities,” says a new report from Deloitte.

Digital Government

Four instruments for next-gen weather satellite finished

The Solar Ultraviolet Imager is one of four space-weather instruments that will be aboard NOAA’S GOES-R satellite.

Digital Government

Latest GOES-R instrument ready for installation

SEISS is the third of six major instruments that will fly with GOES-R when it is launched in early 2016.

Digital Government

GAO: NASA needs to reflect IT investments in EA

NASA officials said their failure to comply with the PortfolioStat directive does not translate to a lack of oversight.

Digital Government

NASA begins exploring quantum computing

Scientists face numerous challenges in testing the D-Wave Two’s capabilities, beginning with mapping problems to quantum models.