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Archive for the ‘Space’ Category

Cubic Digital Intelligence Expands TAKTICS Platform With New Intelligence Feeds for Enhanced Situational Awareness

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025

Delivering powerful radio frequency (RF) intelligence directly to the tactical edge

SAN DIEGO, May 12, 2025 -Cubic Digital Intelligence (CDI), a leader in geospatial and full-motion video software solutions, has announced the integration of advanced RF data and analytics from HawkEye 360 into its TAKTICS platform. These capabilities provide mission-critical insights directly to Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) users, strengthening decision-making at the tactical edge.

“This integration reflects our commitment to delivering powerful, real-time intelligence tools that support the operational needs of modern defense missions,” said Paul Sartorius, VP and General Manager at CDI. “By adding these advanced RF analytics to TAKTICS, we’re giving users the ability to act faster, with greater precision and context.”

TAKTICS is a trusted, web-based hub that rapidly delivers geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) data to users operating in time-sensitive and bandwidth-constrained environments. With the addition of HawkEye 360’s advanced RF data and analytics, TAKTICS now offers enriched intelligence derived from space-based RF signal detections, streamlining access to high-value insights through a single, integrated platform.

Enhanced Domain Awareness

HawkEye 360’s RF geolocation data enhances situational understanding across land and maritime environments by continuously detecting and analyzing emissions from signals of interest. This data supports daily updates to the TAKTICS platform and enables users to identify strategic threats without needing access to classified sources. By providing only the most relevant detections, it supports tip-and-cue workflows that allow analysts to efficiently direct additional sensors, such as EO or SAR, for further investigation. The result is persistent, unclassified insight that reduces analyst workload and strengthens mission planning in high-risk and contested areas.

A Unified Tactical Picture

Through these integrations, TAKTICS continues to evolve as a comprehensive intelligence dissemination platform, enabling secure access to critical GEOINT and RF-derived intelligence across desktop and mobile environments.

With TAKTICS, CDI reinforces its mission to get the right data to the right place at the right time – empowering tactical edge users with superior situational awareness, mission planning, and execution capabilities.

US Army Conducts First Battalion-Level All-Domain Home Station Training Exercise

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025

YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, Wash.—Within the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, the 1st Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB) from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) conducted the Army’s first battalion-level All-Domain Home Station Training (HST) exercise, Static Focus 3. Held from March 3-14, the exercise took place at the Yakima Training Center in conjunction with Project Convergence Capstone 5 (PC-C5).

Static Focus 3 enabled live training of the MDEB’s family of systems used to conduct Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) and non-kinetic effects execution. 1MDEB, activated concurrently with 1MDTF in 2020, integrates the task force’s information, intelligence, cyber, electromagnetic warfare, and space capabilities.

A highlight of the training was the network extension integration and deep sensing capability of High-Altitude Balloons (HABs) and the experimentation with ultra long-endurance, solar powered Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

“This is our first real exercise integrating government owned and operated ultra long-endurance UAS specifically designed for long-range deep sensing,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, commander of 1MDEB.

Prior to the exercise, the unit spent two years testing and training with the platform alongside the long-endurance UAS system’s contractor, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace. It wasn’t until this event that the Soldiers were able to independently operate the system.

“We’ve got trained pilots and mechanics gaining valuable experience on the platform now,” Lt. Col. Mroszczyk added. “They’re logging hours and providing crucial sensor data, enabling us to serve as the task force’s eyes and ears, and as key contributing Army sensor to the Joint Force.”

During Static Focus 3, 1MDEB logged over a hundred UAS flight hours in various configurations.

“From a maintenance perspective, I was astonished by how little time and resources the platform demanded,” said Sgt. Jake Meyer from the UAS platoon from 1MDEB’s Extended Range and Sensing Effects (ERSE) Company. “Compared to traditional platforms, which require several months to get familiarized with, we were up and running in just two days.”

Max endurance testing was included in the experimentation of the platform, to include multi-ship flights.

“Multi-ship flight operations are the most complex missions, but the autonomous capability allows me, as an operator, to focus on the mission instead of my continuous direct management of each aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Jacob Wilbert from the UAS platoon from 1MDEB’s ERSE Company.

Complementary to the long-range deep sensing UAS, the unit also experimented with HABs from three vendors, sponsored by the Army Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Task Force for inclusion in the event and in conjunction with PC-C5.

“For me, the highlight of the event was witnessing the successive launches from all three HAB vendors and creating a constellation. Being part of this was exhilarating, because each vendor offered their own unique features and capabilities,” said Sgt. Antonio Morales from 1MDEB’s ERSE Company’s HAB platoon.

Previously, the unit had to travel to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to access the same level of training. Static Focus 3 not only reduced the cost of traveling to Arizona to train, but also served as a valuable technical rehearsal for future employment.

“The progress that we’ve made over this last week greatly enhanced our capability as a task force,” said Mroszczyk.

As a theater-level unit and Joint Force enabler, assigned to the Indo-Pacific, the 1MDTF plays a vital role in synchronizing long-range precision fires layered with long-range precision effects to create multiple dilemmas and neutralize adversary anti-access and area denial networks. The MDTF’s proven innovation, agility, and lethality have led the Army to direct five full MDTFs in strategically significant locations worldwide.

PC-C5 is an Army hosted experiment that provides Joint and Multinational participants various locations that supports individual modernization efforts while solving problems through applications with Combined, Joint All Domain Operations (CJADO). PC-C5 ensures that the Army, can rapidly and continuously converge effects across all domains – air, land, sea, space, and cyber, to increase operational tempo and generate decision advantage over our adversaries. These structured series of experiments demonstrate transformation and modernization efforts, expand war-winning capabilities, and deliver the Army of 2030 while designing the Army of 2040.

By SSG Brandon Rickert

Rapid Deployable SATCOM Systems for USVs, Small Vessels and Special Operations Forces : Orbit Showcases Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) at Sea Air Space

Friday, April 4th, 2025

Compact solution features roll-on/roll-off capability enabling SATCOM connectivity in minutes

Sea Air Space, Washington DC, April 7-9, 2025 | Booth #T415

April 2, 2025 – Tel Aviv, Israel – Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. (TASE: ORBI), a leading global provider of ground, airborne, and maritime SATCOM terminals, tracking ground station solutions, and mission-critical communication systems, will highlight its MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka SATCOM Systems at Sea Air Space 2025. Specially designed for space-constrained platforms such as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) and small naval craft and special forces operatrion, the MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka offer powerful, secure, and reliable satellite communication in a compact and lightweight form.

Based on Orbit’s battle-proven Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT), the MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka deliver broadband SATCOM connectivity in minutes, thanks to their rapid roll-on/roll-off capability. With plug-and-play functionality and single-button activation, they are ideal for missions requiring rapid deployment and immediate operational readiness—even in GPS-denied or hostile environments.

The systems support GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO satellite constellations, ensuring comprehensive global coverage. With high EIRP and G/T values and efficient EIRP Spectral Density (EIRPsd), they provide optimal performance with reduced bandwidth consumption—making them especially suitable for defense forces operating large SATCOM fleets.

Their ruggedized, MIL-STD-compliant construction enablesreliable operation in extreme maritime conditions, while theircompact footprint makes them a perfect fit for small vessels, where every inch of space matters.

“Modern naval operations increasingly rely on unmanned and small platforms that still require robust connectivity,” said Daniel Eshchar, CEO of Orbit. “The MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka rapid deployable systems bring advanced SATCOM capabilities to even the most compact maritime systems, ensuring operational effectiveness and mission continuity.”

GA-ASI’s Gray Eagle ER Makes First PLEO Flights

Thursday, March 13th, 2025

SAN DIEGO – 12 March 2025 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted its first flight test series of the Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) using a Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) satellite constellation for aircraft communications. Contracted by the U.S. Army, the flight tests began in January 2025 and mark a significant milestone, making GE-ER the first U.S. Army aircraft to be controlled over the new satellite service. Gray Eagle is also the only U.S. Army UAS capable of leveraging Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and PLEO constellations for secure, inflight adaptable and resilient communication, navigation and data management.

The initial testing focused on flight-critical operations, including core aircraft control functions as well as sensor and communications systems. To date, GA-ASI has conducted two GE-ER flights and a series of ground test events using PLEO. Future flight testing is in the planning stages and includes operations across the full flight regime.

The Gray Eagle family of UAS is built on a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) design that includes standardized interfaces and protocols. This approach has enabled rapid integration of the PLEO constellation and other significant capabilities without major technical efforts or extended timelines for integration and testing so new capabilities can be fielded faster.

“The PLEO integration and flight testing continue to show that the current GE-ER open architecture is real. We are practicing rapid integration now which will prove critical to the platform’s survivability and mission success in Multi-Domain Operations,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Army Programs Don Cattell.

Building on the GE-ER, the Gray Eagle 25M (GE 25M), takes MOSA to the next level with a government-owned, government-controlled open architecture that enables plug-and-play capabilities to ensure the platform’s rapid, low-cost adaptability to changing threats. GE 25M incorporates open architecture with ground systems, advanced and modular datalinks, and an upgraded propulsion system. These powerful additions significantly enhance the platform’s ability to rapidly add new capabilities, provide resilience to electronic threats, and deliver expeditionary employment to austere locations. PLEO will be a baseline capability for the 25M system.

The PLEO capability for the GE 25M is just one of several features of the system that maximizes the survivability of the platform. It also provides a low-cost opportunity to drastically increase the operational flexibility of both the Gray Eagle ER and Gray Eagle 25M. The 25M’s MOSA architecture enables use of the higher data rates available on the PLEO system and supports flight operations across the globe from pole to pole. These capabilities, combined with longer-range sensors, anti-jam navigation, and expeditionary ground control systems allow the Gray Eagles to operate outside the threat weapons envelope, but deliver effects hundreds of kilometers beyond the Forward Line of Own Troops, making GE 25M the most survivable aircraft in the Army inventory.

SPACECENT Breaks Ground on Space Campus Project in CENTCOM AOR

Friday, January 31st, 2025

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (AFNS) —  

In a significant milestone for the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Forces – Central officially broke ground on the Space Campus at Al Udeid Air Base, Jan. 14. The ceremony, attended by key personnel and stakeholders, marked the beginning of a new era in space capabilities for the region.

The Space Campus is a major initiative aimed at enhancing the base’s space operations and capabilities in the area. The project is designed to provide a state-of-the-art facility for personnel to work together and advance the mission, supporting the growing demands of space-related activities.

Col. Frank Brooks, Space Forces Central deputy commander, delivered remarks during the ceremony, highlighting the importance of the Space Campus and its role in advancing the base’s space operations.

“[The Campus] represents the ever-growing partnership between the United States and Qatar, a bond forged in trust and strengthened year by year since the 1990s,” Brooks said. “Al Udeid Air Base has been more than just a military installation; it has been a foundation for collaboration and mutual respect.”

The Space Campus is the first project to break ground on the Space Campus site, and its completion is expected to have a significant impact on the base’s ability to support space-related missions.

“This complex will soon become a beacon for the vital space systems and operations that underpin U.S. CENTCOM’s mission of promoting stability, security, and partnership across the region,” Brooks said. “It will stand as a testament to our shared vision for a safer, more secure world.”

The U.S. Space Force continues to play a critical role in regional and global operations. Committed forces maintain 24/7 operations to ensure the safety and sustainability of space and protect our way of life. In addition to protecting the joint and combined forces from space-enabled attacks, Guardians are uniquely trained in warfighting activities in, from and to the space domain. Their mission protects and enables precision navigation and timing systems like GPS, missile warning and satellite communications, as well as helping the general public to find their destinations, track online purchases and get money from an ATM.

The completion of the Al Udeid Space Campus is a major milestone in the development of space capabilities, and its impact will be felt across the region and beyond.

Courtesy Story, United States Air Forces Central

U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Violette Hosack

Gilat Receives $9 Million in Orders for Multi-Orbit SkyEdge Platforms

Tuesday, January 7th, 2025

Gilat’s SkyEdge IV and SkyEdge II-c Platforms are used to deliver the widest range of connectivity applications

Petah Tikva, Israel, January 6, 2025 — Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: GILT), a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions, and services, announced today that the Company has received $9 million in orders from major satellite operators.  The orders are for its advanced satellite communications platforms, SkyEdge IV and SkyEdge II-c equipment and services. Delivery is scheduled within the next 12 months.

The world’s leading satellite operators use Gilat’s cutting-edge SkyEdge technology to provide unparalleled connectivity across multiple satellite constellations. SkyEdge platforms are designed to deliver robust, high-performance satellite communications for a variety of applications, including maritime, cellular backhaul and enterprise solutions.

“We are excited to support satellite operators around the world and being a leading supplier for multi-orbit solutions,” said Hagay Katz, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Gilat. “Our SkyEdge platforms were designed to meet the demands of next-generation networks, ensuring seamless multi-orbit integration. These orders underscore our dedication to innovation and our ability to empower satellite operators with the flexibility and scalability required to address diverse market needs.”

‘Buck Sergeant’ Training Program: 50th SFS Support Guardian, Airmen Development

Thursday, December 5th, 2024

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) —  

Acknowledging the U.S. Space Force’s mission, structure and unique demands, Space Operations Command leadership developed the Guardian and Airmen Development Program to foster a new generation of leaders. The program equips Guardians and Airmen with the necessary skills and traits to meet the current and future demands of the Space Force.

From monthly functional cross-organizational training with other military installations to mentorship and professional development opportunities surrounding topics such as Great Power Competition, contingency operations and mission command, units under Space Base Delta 1 are wasting no time supporting the GADP campaign.

The 50th Security Forces Squadron, located at Schriever Space Force Base, is on such a path.

“[GADP] is a program started by Chief Lloyd [SpOC senior enlisted leader] to equip younger Airmen and Guardians with the knowledge that’s integral to them developing their leadership skills,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Bryan Nelson, 50th SFS operations superintendent. “We created the Buck Sergeant Training Program, which is geared towards security forces first-line supervisors, second-line supervisors and really anybody, because the information there is valuable regardless of rank.”

“We go in-depth as to what leadership looks like from a security forces standpoint — how to prioritize and execute certain tasks … These Airmen at a relatively young age can find themselves supervising five, six or seven people at one time. And it’s not uncommon, depending on where you’re stationed, for staff sergeants and technical sergeants to have 20-plus people underneath them. So, how they prioritize their time and how they execute tasks is critical to avoiding task saturation and maintaining that work-life balance.”

The term “buck sergeant” refers to a legacy USAF rank established in 1976 describing a junior ranking noncommissioned officer.

At that time, USAF leaders changed the E-2 through E-4 grade structure to establish a three-tier enlisted force structure — Airman, noncommissioned officer and senior NCO. This change included an additional E-4 rank of “Senior Airman.” For the Senior Airmen to advance to the NCO “sergeant” rank — also E-4 and often referred to as “buck sergeant,” the Airman would have to meet certain criteria, including 12 months’ time-in-grade and completion of the NCO Preparatory Course,” according to A Chronology of the Air Force Enlisted Chevrons.

While the term “buck sergeant” is colloquial, it highlights the distinction between different levels of NCO ranks and the progression within the USAF’s rank structure — marking the transition from a junior Airman to a more formal leadership role. The 50th SFS “buck sergeant” program targets young leaders taking on supervisory responsibilities and addresses a range of development topics beyond leadership and management, such as counseling, progressive discipline, writing, interpersonal communication, etc.

“Once you go to Airman Leadership School, you come out and are ready to supervise — but you’re probably not equipped 100% with all the information that you need,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Edward Wilson, 50th SFS operations and training section chief. “That’s where we come in with this Buck Sergeant Training Program. Development in each career field is different, so we specifically looked at our career field to figure out what we need to enhance. We aim to fill in gaps where information may have been lost in translation or missed. This is to make sure we have our people humming on all cylinders.”

“There’s a saying, ‘each one teach one’ … That’s honestly what we’re doing. We’re trying to make sure that the knowledge that we have, collectively, is passed on to the next generation. And our expectation for them is they don’t harbor that information, and they continue to share it with their subordinates.”

Looking ahead, program leaders aim to expand the initiative, both in scope and impact, paving the way for broader development opportunities.

“I think this program is super beneficial,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eddie Jones, 50th SFS unit deployment manager. “If we can get it off the ground the way we intend, we would like to grow this program and even venture out of our career field — inviting other squadrons, other career fields to take part and share that wealth of information. I think that’ll build connections… It’s a ‘one team, one fight’ type of deal where we have these common goals, and the most effective way of getting to those goals is to train and learn together.”

To learn more about Space Base Delta 1 and the 50th SFS, visit here.

By Keefer B. Patterson

Soldier, Astronaut, Receives Rare Honor

Friday, November 29th, 2024

WASHINGTON — Huddled inside the International Space Station a million feet above the earth’s surface, Kate Rubins decided she wanted to go back.

In 2021, while on her second space mission, the astronaut chose to return to her roots in the medical science field and apply for a commission in the Army Reserve while continuing her career at NASA.

“I thought when I got back to the planet, this was one thing that I really wanted to do,” Rubins said.

She had worked alongside Army aviators and astronauts, including retired Army Col. Jeff Williams, who spent 28 years in NASA’s space program and served as commander of her first space flight in 2016. Retired Army Col. Pat Forrester, then the chief of the astronaut office at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, mentored Rubins during her first years in the space program.

Before NASA, Rubins researched the effects and treatment of infectious diseases as a microbiologist with Army researchers from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland, and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, to develop the first model of smallpox infection, research that would eventually jumpstart her career as a molecular microbiologist, studying and treating infectious illnesses in the U.S. and Africa.

That successful stint studying virology eventually led to her selection into NASA’s 20th astronaut class in July 2009. As an astronaut, Rubins would go on to log the fourth most hours in space by a female astronaut with two space flights under her belt. Rubins also became the first to sequence DNA in space during an expedition 2016.

For her achievements, the Army honored now-Major Rubins with the U.S. Army Basic Aviation Badge with the Astronaut Device and the Basic Space Badge, becoming the first Army reservist and fourth Soldier to receive the combined honor. The service presented the awards in a pinning ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes on November 21.

To qualify for the award, an astronaut must be a member of the U.S. Army and have flown on a space mission.

“This award is a really great opportunity to recognize both NASA and the U.S. Army, particularly the Army Reserve,” said Rubins a native of Napa, California. “People are excited about this award, but it’s not about me. This is really about the fact that it’s incredible that I get to serve my country in my civilian role as an astronaut and then in my Army Reservist role. So I think it’s pretty neat to see those two worlds come together.”

During Rubins’ years with NASA, she said she never forgot the call to duty that she felt working with Army astronauts and Army researchers. Rubins recalled seeing her own stepfather spend a decade as an Army chaplain.

Rubins reflected on her mentor, Forrester, an Army master aviator who completed Ranger School. He served as an advisor for astronauts during his 31 years in NASA.

“He’s an incredible mentor,” Rubins said. “I think every astronaut will say that Colonel Forrester left an indelible mark on the astronaut office.”

Williams, also an Army pilot and experienced astronaut, took the role of commander on NASA expedition 48, Rubins’ first space flight.

“He taught me everything I know about spacewalking,” she said. “It was incredible to serve with him. He was a very experienced astronaut at that point.”

Rubins went on her second NASA mission in 2020 to 2021 for Expeditions 63 and 64, joining a seven-person crew. On this six-month expedition at the International Space Station, Rubins once again felt the call to battle against a spreading disease. She had served as NASA’s deputy director for human health and performance after her first spaceflight and trained for her second spaceflight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rubins began filling out necessary paperwork for her direct commission aboard the ISS.

“It all came together like a lightbulb moment,” Rubins said. “I really wanted to serve my country when I get back. I can’t do it full time, but maybe I could sign up to be a reservist.”

Rubins wanted to use her skills in her previous career to help save lives as a Soldier. She said she realized that civilians with established careers can add value to the Army and Army Reserve.

“You’re bringing all those skills from the civilian world to bear… I think that’s great,” she said.

Rubins joined the Army Reserve as a medical service corps officer and microbiologist. In this role, Rubins explores using innovation and technology as a member of the Army Reserve’s 75th Innovation Command based in Houston, supporting Army Futures Command. Her work in continuous experimentation helps advance the Army’s modernization efforts, she said.

Rubins took a direct commission course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, joining the Army Reserve as an 0-4. She then completed the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where she trained to be an medical service corps officer, attending courses alongside doctors, nurses, social workers and psychiatrists. She said she learned how to care for Soldiers in deployed environments and how to set up field hospitals

From the lab to the last frontier

Rubins first dreamed of flying into space while visiting a California state park as a 5-year-old. Her parents brought her to stargazing parties as a child where she said she remembers peering into telescopes and gazing at celestial bodies.

During Rubins’ years at Vintage High School in California’s Napa Valley, HIV cases and the AIDS epidemic plagued much of the nation. By 1994, AIDS became the leading cause of death among adults ages 25-44, according to the American Psychological Association. She worked on a program to combat HIV transmission as a high school student.

She said the opportunity to contribute to the fight against HIV inspired her to make that the focus of her undergraduate studies at the University of California-San Diego where she earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology.

During her time as a fellow and principal investigator position at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research [MIT/Cambridge, Massachusetts]between 2007-2009, Rubins led a team of 14 researchers studying poxviruses, MPOX and smallpox, and filoviruses, Ebola and Marburg viruses Rubins and some members of her lab participated in missions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. There Rubins worked with Army research teams to prevent and treat MPOX infection.

Following her work for MIT, she never lost sight of her dream. A friend encouraged her to apply to be an astronaut when she saw a job posting on USAjobs.gov. Rubins said she thought she faced slim odds. NASA typically recruits engineers, military test pilots and physicists.

To Rubins’ surprise, NASA called back.

“It didn’t seem like biology was very big part of NASA’s mission,” Rubins said. “What I didn’t know is, it actually is. It’s a big part, and it’s become a bigger part in recent years with the research on the International Space Station.”

Still Rubins had to pass multiple medical tests and make it through several rounds of interviews before getting accepted into the space program.

“When I got the final call, I think I was just more surprised than anything,” she said. “I never had expected that. Of course, I was incredibly thrilled and excited, but it was a pretty big life change.”

Rubins had to undergo rigorous training that included field survival skills and learning to fly the T-6 Texan with the Navy. She also had to spend hours in a simulator at the Johnson Space Center. She underwent training submerged in water to simulate weightlessness in zero gravity conditions.

Rubins said she faced the most daunting portion of the astronauts’ two-year training while learning to spacewalk. Rubins said being able to navigate weightlessness amid the vastness of space humbles even the most experienced military pilots. Forrester assigned her to evaluate and monitor spacewalks for crewmembers following her first spacewalk.

“Spacewalking is just one of these things that’s on the limits of human existence,” Rubins said. “It’s like the limit of what humans can do. So we’re absolutely pushing our performance to the max, and nobody finds it easy.”

On July 7, 2016, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in southern Kazakhstan, Rubins would achieve something she once thought unreachable.

Rubins, as part of a three-person crew, launched into space. As the spacecraft torpedoed farther and farther from the Earth’s surface, Rubins focused on performing system checks, measuring oxygen levels and assessing the atmosphere.

Then her expedition commander told Rubins and another first-time astronaut to look out the window.??She said she gasped in awe at the vastness of the expanse and seeing the earth in orbit for the first time.

“I was speechless. I couldn’t talk for a full two minutes,” Rubins said. “It was so amazing to see the Earth and be orbiting the Earth. And my initial impressions were just that it was so bright and blue. It really looks like it’s glowing from space.”

“So you kind of just see this… blue ball suspended in the blackness of space. It was …. just a truly incredible sight,” she said.

On Rubins’ first two spacewalks she helped install a docking adapter to allow new vehicles to dock to the ISS. Rubins and Williams used a robotic arm to install the ring-shaped device. On the second spacewalk Rubins collapsed a radiator no longer used by the ISS and installed new high-definition cameras.

On her second spaceflight, Rubins led on a seven-hour spacewalk on Feb. 28, 2021, with fellow astronaut Navy Capt. Victor Glover and embarked on a six-hour, 56-minute walk with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

Rubins actively supports NASA’s future goals to return to the moon through the agency’s Artemis campaign. The goal of Artemis: to return to the moon to explore the unexplored polar regions on the lunar surface for technology discovery, scientific advancement, and prepare for deep space and Mars missions, with the expedition scheduled for September 2026, according to NASA.

Soldier in Space

Rubins said many of the skills she learned in the Army are transferrable to her work as an astronaut. She said skills she learned as a Soldier, including land navigation during Basic Officer Leadership Course, will be useful during missions to the moon to chart paths on the lunar surface.

“We don’t have satellite navigation around the moon,” Rubins said. “We don’t have magnetic fields or a compass, so we are going to be using maps and terrain association and land navigation. Some of the other similarities are that these are professional people in both areas, and they’re doing a challenging and a difficult task, but they’re relying on a team.”

“And so I find the work that I do with the U.S. Army Reserve, working in small teams, depending on each other, working together, those skills are very helpful in the job of being an astronaut,” she said.

By Joe Lacdan, Army News Service