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Air Force gives 3D-printed rocket company Cape Canaveral launch pad
Relativity Space, a startup that aspires to create 3D printed rockets, has secured a launch pad at Cape Canaveral. The company announced Thursday a five-year agreement with the US Air Force that will allow the company to operate out of Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) at the at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
FBI investigates fake texts sent to House Republicans
Law enforcement is looking into one of the stranger digital attacks against US politicians in recent memory. The Wall Street Journal has learned that the FBI is investigating fake text messages sent to "several" Republicans in the House of Representatives, including Illinois' Adam Kinzinger. The currently mysterious perpetrator posed as VP Mike Pence's press secretary, Alyssa Farah, and asked representatives for both their availability for meetings and the whereabouts of other politicians.
Facebook, Twitter reportedly haven’t seen any China election meddling
Though President Trump and Vice President Pence have repeated claims that China is actively trying to meddle in the upcoming US midterm elections, officials at Facebook and Twitter have now said they haven't come across any such attempts. Anonymous press representatives at the two social media companies told Bloomberg that while disinformation campaigns have been uncovered and linked to Russia and Iran, none have been linked to China.
Next-gen GPS satellite launch delayed again
Vice President Mike Pence laid out plans for the US Space Force on Thursday, calling out an advanced type of satellite, GPS III, that is apparently resistant to tampering. According to Bloomberg, however, this specific orbital machinery has been delayed for the last four years, and the launch date has slipped yet again.
Vice President Pence lays out plan to create Space Force
Vice President Mike Pence has detailed a plan to establish Space Force as a new military branch. In a Pentagon speech, he laid out proposals to form a US Space Command (as was previously reported) that would focus on defending space. White House officials aim to establish Space Command by the end of the year and have a four-star general in place to lead it.
Mike Pence’s space council is big on business, small on science
Yesterday evening, Vice President Mike Pence announced the candidates asked to serve on the National Space Council's Users Advisory Group. Members will have to be officially selected by the Administrator of NASA (a position which remains open). The selections draw heavily from the space industry, including former astronauts and executives from private spaceflight companies, and a few conservative political appointees.
VP Mike Pence visits NASA
In a speech during his visit, the vice president said: "And with the National Space Council, we will grab that destiny with both hands and go to work with each and every one of you."
Revived National Space Council will guide Trump admin policy
Today Donald Trump signed an executive order reviving the National Space Council, an organization that existed in two previous iterations, from 1958 - 1973, and more recently from 1989 to 1993. President Obama raised the idea of reviving the council during a speech in 2008, but did not do it. In this version, the council will be chaired by Vice President Mike Pence while other members include the secretaries of State, Defense, Commerce and Homeland Security. The list doesn't stop there, but the council's exact responsibilities aren't quite clear. Its directive is to advise the president, plus coordinate and implement his space policy, however it "shall not interfere with the existing lines of authority in or responsibilities of any agencies."
VP Mike Pence used AOL email for state business while governor
The Indianapolis Star reports that in response to a public records request, the current governor of Indiana has released 30 pages of emails from the AOL (which is the parent company of Engadget) account of Mike Pence. The former governor and current Vice President is said to have used his personal email account for state business on a number of occasions, which the paper notes is not against Indiana law. It also notes that a number of emails were not released because the state considered them "confidential."
Trump's plan for energy independence sacrifices the environment
Shortly after Donald Trump was sworn into office, the White House's website changed. Beyond the splash image of him and Vice President Mike Pence, under the "issues" tab the President outlines what he plans to do next: eliminate the Climate Action Plan and Waters of the U.S. rule. These "burdensome regulations on our energy industry" have been keeping American workers down for too long, and by nixing them wages will increase by $30 billion over the next seven years. Somehow. And almost assuredly at the expense of the environment.
How to watch the US vice presidential debate
In this US election, the vice presidential debate matters more than ever -- both the Democrats' Tim Kaine and the Republicans' Mike Pence have had relatively little time in the limelight beyond their home states. You may want to watch just to see where they stand, not to mention how they handle themselves on the national stage. But how to do that online? Never fear: we've rounded up the major streaming options that you'll have when the VP debate starts at 9PM Eastern.
Where the would-be vice presidents stand on cybersecurity
Aside from sound bites on Russia and hacking, where Clinton and Trump stand on cybersecurity issues is generally unclear. In fact, they've devoted little time to this crucial and urgent subject. Which is weird in light of the epic amount of hacking shenanigans this presidential race has compelled us to endure. When it comes to cybersecurity, neither Clinton nor Trump has a position, a statement, a plan or a section in their "Issues" sections of their campaign websites. Only Clinton's website mentions it -- in passing: once on China's accountability to the U.S., and then again in a little line stating she will work to promote "cybersecurity at home and abroad." You'd think either one of them would have something substantial on a topic that's simultaneously consuming the nation and making them both look foolish. But apparently, that's where their VPs are supposed to come in and take up the very troubling amount of cybersecurity neglect we're witnessing. Which, as you'll see, is pretty lopsided.
