Weekly GEOINT Community News

Northrop Grumman Successfully Launches 14th Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station, NGA Challenge Offers $50K for AI Solutions to Detect Circles in Satellite Imagery, CACI Awarded $59 Million Task Order to Provide Mission Systems Support for the Office of Under Secretary of Defense, and More

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Northrop Grumman Successfully Launches 14th Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station

Northrop Grumman successfully launched the company’s Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft, the S.S. Kalpana Chawla, to the International Space Station. After the nine-minute ascent, the S.S. Kalpana Chawla, named for the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space, was deployed into orbit. Approximately two and a half hours later, the vehicle’s Ultra-flex solar arrays successfully deployed, and the spacecraft is currently operating nominally. Cygnus is scheduled to be grappled by the crew on the International Space Station on Oct. 5 at approximately 5:20 a.m. EDT. Live coverage of the spacecraft’s berthing will be available on NASA Television at http://nasa.gov/ntv.

NGA Challenge Offers $50K for AI Solutions to Detect Circles in Satellite Imagery

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is offering $50,000 in prizes for artificial intelligence solutions designed to help detect circles in satellite images. As part of the Circle Finder challenge NGA is looking for novel automated approaches to help detect, delineate and describe circular shaped features using satellite images. These features vary in size and physical composition. Examples include agricultural irrigation areas, fuel storage tanks, buildings, traffic circles and fountains. AI detection algorithms currently require large volumes of data to define a single discrete object. While AI algorithms are maturing, it is still difficult for machines to accurately define specific shapes within an image scene, said Jack Brandy, GEOINT Capabilities Integration Officer at NGA. 

CACI Awarded $59M Task Order to Provide Mission Systems Support for the Office of Under Secretary of Defense

CACI was awarded a four-year, 10-month task order, with a ceiling value of more than $59 million, by the Office of Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (OUSD(C)) to provide enterprise expertise and technology in support of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s Comptroller critical mission systems. Under the task order, CACI will provide onsite operational support to the program and budget systems of OUSD(C) in the areas relating to system maintenance, information security/assurance, integration, conversion, migration, report generation, documentation, training, and guidance. This work will include continual, on-site software maintenance, technical support, and development support of software products for OUSD(C)’s automated mission systems, which assist the Comptroller in managing the Defense Department’s budget, which for fiscal year 2019 totaled more than $686 billion. CACI will provide continued delivery of rapid, cost-effective software and support for enhancing the systems and for resolving defects, as well as complete life-cycle support, management, and documentation for the OUSD(C) Resource Management Systems suite.

Carahsoft Awarded Information Technology Enterprise Solutions

Carahsoft awarded an Information Technology Enterprise Solutions – Software 2 (ITES-SW2) contract from the U.S. Army Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS), in coordination with the Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, to support the Army’s IT software requirements. ITES-SW2 is open to ordering from the Department of Defense and all Federal agencies and authorized systems integrators on a worldwide basis. The contract is effective through August 30, 2025 with a five-year option period for a ten-year total period of performance. Under the contract, Carahsoft will provide software, software maintenance, and related services and hardware to support Federal agencies’ enterprise infrastructure goals.

Peer Intel

Accenture announced changes to its Global Management Committee, with the appointment of a new chief strategy officer and leadership moves in its U.K. and Ireland business. Bhaskar Ghosh was named chief strategy officer, effective immediately, with responsibility for the company’s strategy and investments, including ventures and acquisitions. Simon Eaves has been appointed managing director of Accenture in the U.K. and Ireland, effective Jan. 1, 2021, with overall responsibility for Accenture’s industries and services in those countries. Simon Eaves was also appointed managing director of Accenture in the U.K. and Ireland, effective Jan. 1, 2021, with overall responsibility for Accenture’s industries and services in those countries. And Olly Benzecry, who has served as managing director and chairman of Accenture in the U.K. and Ireland since 2011, will continue as chairman until he retires at the end of August 2021.

Featured Image: Northrop Grumman successfully launched its Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft, the S.S. Kalpana Chawla, to the International Space Station. | Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman

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