Space Weapons, SAIC, S. Cal. "Fire Drill", Pictometry Military Planner +News

China to test space weapon in launching moon satellite
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SETSN80&show_article=1

HONG KONG, Oct. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A Chinese submarine will send test signals that could change the course of a satellite when China launches its first moon orbiter, as part of the country's effort to develop space war technology, a human rights watchdog said Tuesday.
The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said two survey ships are deployed in the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean to send signals to maneuver the lunar exploration satellite, expected to be launched Wednesday. At the same time, a nuclear-powered submarine will send simulated signals to the satellite as a test, it said in a statement.
Once the satellite-maneuvering technology matures, the group said, China would have the know-how to destroy other satellites in space in wartime. China could launch cheaply-made weapon-carrying objects into space and change their courses to destroy or damage satellites of other countries by sending signals from submarines, the center said.
China shocked the world in January by firing a missile at an old weather satellite without notifying anyone in advance, showing off its anti-satellite weaponry and its ability to shoot down satellites without being immediately noticed. (cont..)

Forces want to be ready for space battle
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Forces_want_to_be_ready_for_space_battle/articleshow/2481792.cms

NEW DELHI: The armed forces now want to fully exploit the final frontier of space to add punch to their war-fighting capabilities. After IAF, it's the Army's turn to formulate a "space vision" and establish a "space cell" at its headquarters here. The Army, IAF and Navy are obviously keen on tactical, operational and strategic utilisation of space since they feel future wars cannot be fought without "effective exploitation" of this arena. "Network-centric warfare hinges on assets in space," said a senior officer. But even though China's test of an ASAT (anti-satellite) weapon in January came as a big jolt, the UPA government is yet to get cracking on even the long-standing demand for a tri-Service Aerospace Command. Be that as it may, the urgent need for space-based capabilities will figure in the deliberations of the country's top military brass this week, with the three services kicking off their commanders' conferences from Tuesday. Incidentally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address them on Wednesday to spell out his government's strategic and defence vision. The Army generals, for instance, will discuss the new 'Army Space Vision-2020' with the focus being on "desired operational capabilities" and the "related ground and space assets". The new Army Space Cell will act as the "nodal agency" in this new endeavour. IAF already has its own "Space Sub-Branch" to spearhead the integration of air and space-based assets, while Navy's Signals Directorate looks after all its space-related matters. "At present, the Aerospace Command is not conceived as an offensive command. It's basically for 'eyes in the sky'... having sensors in space in tune with our expanding strategic reach," said IAF chief Air Chief Marshal FH Major. But even such an Aerospace Command is still six to seven years away from becoming fully operational. India may have a robust civilian programme as far as space is concerned but its use for military purposes has been rather limited so far. The Defence Space Vision-2020, for instance, identifies just intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, communication and navigation as the thrust areas in the first phase till 2012. Towards this end, there is the Rs 1,000 crore satellite-based surveillance and reconnaissance (SBS) programme, which revolves around the dual-use Cartosat-I (launched in May 2005) and Cartosat-II (launched in January 2007) satellites. But the use of space for "real-time" military communications and reconnaissance missions, leave alone uses like missile early-warning, delivery of precision-guided munitions through satellite signals or jamming enemy networks, is still some distance away. ASAT capabilities also remain a mere pipedream so far. In sharp contrast, China already has several dedicated military satellites orbiting around the earth. Moreover, as was shown by the "direct-ascent" ASAT missile test in January, it has a lethal counter-space programme. Moreover, it's also developing hit-to-kill "kinetic" and directed-energy laser weapons for ASAT operations.

President Bush Requests Congress to add $45.9 billion funding to sustain the Global War on Terror
http://www.defense-update.com/newscast/1007/news/221007_gwot.htm

President Bush sent today to the US Congress an update of funding requirements for 2008 to continue funding the Global War on Terror and address other urgent national security needs. The request includes an amendment of $45.9 billion, added to the pending request for $150.4 billion, totaling $196.5 billion of which $189 billion are destined to fund the Department of Defense war effort (cont..)




Planned controlled burns and emergency drill on North Coast postponed because of weather and SoCal fires (what other controlled burn drills? news cycle control?)
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/breakingnews/story/173980.html

US might delay missile defense sites
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071023/ap_on_re_eu/gates_27

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The United States might delay activating its proposed missile defense sites in Europe until it has "definitive proof" of a missile threat from Iran, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday. (cont..)

Canadian ships play 'opposing force' in U.S. exercise
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=590aa092-d94f-46bc-94ec-a19cc44d3710&k=21434

VICTORIA -- The Canadian navy is sending five ships, two helicopters, a surveillance plane and more than 1,100 sailors to an training exercise off the coast of California Monday.
Most of the Canadian contingent will play the "opposing force" against a strike group of ships and submarines led by the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, said Commodore Nigel Greenwood, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific. (cont..)

SAIC GeoRover(R) Software Products Selected for National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Workstation
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NETU01423102007-1.htm


SAN DIEGO and MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Science Applications International Corporation announced today that its GeoRover(R) geospatial software was selected by the National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency (NGA) as part of the NGA Integrated Exploitation Capability (IEC) workstations baseline, Version 6.1.
GeoRover software products provide flexible user interfaces ideal for use in a fast-paced geospatial intelligence environment. Additionally, many of the products provide optimized capabilities for NGA analysts deployed in operational and "disconnected" situations. There are more than 4,200 licensed GeoRover software product users within the DoD and intelligence community, many in support of ongoing efforts within Iraq and Afghanistan.
The IEC is an NGA capability that procures, delivers and integrates National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) imagery exploitation and information production capabilities within the geospatial intelligence community. The system is deployed on more than 2,600 workstations at 84 sites worldwide within the Department of Defense (DoD) and intelligence community. (cont..)

Georgia Tech-SAIC Sting Racing Team Departs for DARPA Urban Challenge
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071023005271&newsLang=en

Pictometry Military Planner™ to Debut at GEOINT 2007
http://www.directionsmag.com/press.releases/index.php?duty=Show&id=19590&trv=1





ROCHESTER, NY --Pictometry International Corp., the worldwide leader in digital, aerial oblique imagery and measuring software systems, announced today that it is launching the Pictometry Military Planner™ at the GEOINT 2007 Symposium, this week in San Antonio, TX.
The Pictometry Military Planner is the most advanced of a range of Pictometry 3D modeling analysis tools specially designed for military use. It rapidly creates 3D fly-through models from 2D data and uses Pictometry’s oblique images to automatically apply photo-realistic textures to the model, further enhancing the realism of the virtual scene. It also includes a number of important features including radar analysis, weapon range detection, flight planning, troop movement analysis, shadow analysis, slope analysis and the ability to digitize trees to create more realistic 3-D views. The Pictometry Military Planner is designed to work in theatre using an integrated Image Solver that allows for the geo-referencing of oblique or nadir images captured without any geo-spatial information. Once geo-referenced, the images can be used like any other intelligent image within the Pictometry Military Planner system. (cont...)

Rocket-Powered Prosthetic Arm Nearly Ready for Liftoff
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/15-11/st_rocket