🚀 FROM COLD WAR TO DYNAMIC SPACE OPERATIONS 🛰️

Today, I was at the Space Mobility Conference & Expo, part of Space Week here in Orlando. The wide range of topics covered the strategy and integration of the United States Space Force and the broader commercial space industry.

The landscape of space operations has undergone a remarkable transformation across three distinct ages.

👉 Space Age 1.0: The Cold War Era: When space programs focused idealogical battle with the Soviet Union, with little overlap between civil, commercial, and national security sectors

👉 Space Age 2.0: Post-Cold War: When there was significant international collaboration, integration of Russian technology into US launch vehicles for “assured access to space”, civil space activities centered around routine low Earth orbit travel (e.g., space shuttle), and there were no perceived threats in the space domain.

👉 Space Age 3.0: Since 2015, we've witnessed a revolutionary period marked by SpaceX's innovations in reusable launch technology and an unprecedented convergence of civil, commercial, and national security sectors. This era has ushered in "dynamic space operations," emphasizing on-orbit logistics infrastructure for more responsive space capabilities.

COMMERCIAL INNOVATION MEETS NATIONAL SECURITY

A robust and competitive commercial space industry has become crucial for driving innovation, reducing costs, and meeting national security requirements but faces several key challenges and opportunities:

🚀 Launch Vehicle Capacity: There's a pressing need for new launch service providers and reduced barriers for emerging companies

⚠️ Supply Chain Security: The industry must address supply chain security threats, including resources (such as titanium), and space cybersecurity (such as "white labeling" practices, espionage, industrial equipment vulnerabilities)

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INDUSTRY GROWTH

To maintain U.S. leadership in space, various panelists suggested the following:

🤝 Acquisition Reform: Implementation of multi-year service contracts and commercial solutions for government space operations

🛰️ Technology Development: Creating clear pathways from testing to full production, addressing the "valley of death" gap that often hampers innovation

💰 Funding Diversity: Establishing partnerships across private, local, state, and federal levels (think: who should own and fund spaceports!)

The future of commercial space operations hinges on balancing innovation with security, while maintaining the agility to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges. Meanwhile, from a Space Force perspective, military needs are essential, even over efficiency and cost-effectiveness when developing space mobility solutions.

👉 NET OUT: As we continue to evolve, the industry must focus on resilience, sustainable growth, and fostering an environment that encourages calculated risk-taking and innovation.