In the defense appropriations measure approved on July 20, Senators took a heavy swipe at some troubled space programs. They chopped $230 million from the Transformational Satellite Communications program “due to concerns over the amount of program growth,” said the panel’s release. It went on to note that, “due to uncertainties” about the Space Radar program, it sliced $100 million from the Air Force request. As for the Space-Based Infrared System, it managed to avoid a cut.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.