Adm. Timothy Keating, head of NORAD and US Northern Command, recently got to explain his rationale for moving NORAD’s air defense operators from their long-time home within Cheyenne Mountain AFS, Colo., to the NORAD headquarters at nearby Peterson Air Force Base to Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.). Allard told reporters following a tour of NORAD’s Peterson command center and discussion with Keating that his concerns about the move “have been alleviated.” (Allard also acknowledged that he had concerns about the combining the two commands, but said that he was “pleased” with what he’d seen.) Keating explained that consolidating at Peterson would enhance operations and interaction among various functions.
The Space Force awarded three contracts for rocket launches worth up to a combined $13.68 billion on April 4—and the usual players SpaceX and United Launch Alliance have got some competition in the form of newcomer Blue Origin.