In a bid to boost the ability to track orbital debris that could endanger satellites, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) is seeking methods for the uncued detection of objects in low-inclined low Earth orbit (LILO). The LILO project is part of Darpa’s OrbitOutlook (O2) program to bolster the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN) with new sensor, database and validation capabilities. The SSN is tasked with observing and tracking space objects.

ON HOLIDAY: The U.S. House of Representatives recessed for the holidays without taking up a Senate version of legislation to extend third-party indemnification for the space-launch industry, but contracts already in the works will not be affected when indemnification expires at year-end. Both houses of Congress have adopted extensions of indemnification, which protects launch companies if third parties are injured in a launch failure. But the House bill extends indemnification for only one year, while a Senate measure adopted Dec. 12 would grant a three-year extension.

MMT deferred a “go/no go” decision on resupply mission

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The new U.S. National Space Transportation Policy and a U.S. Air Force office developed in parallel with the policy should improve the prospects for government hardware riding on commercial communications satellites as hosted payloads, according to a White House staff member who helped draft the policy.

NEW DELHI — India’s Mars orbiter successfully completed its first course correction on its way to the red planet, a senior space scientist says.

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An external cooling system pump module aboard the International Space Station shut down on Wednesday, prompting a round of troubleshooting by NASA's Mission Control team and a decision to power down non critical solar powered systems in three U. S. segment modules.