Category: Insights

TraCSS Delivers Space Situational Awareness to Spacecraft Operators 

3D illustration of Huge cloud of satellites, junk and debris around planet Earth. High quality digital space art in 5K - ultra realistic visualization.

New Space Traffic Management Program Lays Foundation for Future Space Capabilities

The Rise of Commercial Space in Christian Davenport’s “The Space Barons” 

Rocket flies through the clouds at sunset

Washington Post Reporter to Release New Book, “Rocket Dreams,” in 2025 

SPAR Institute Begins Latest Effort to Develop Nuclear Propulsion for Space 

Atom molecule abstract

If successfully developed and deployed, nuclear-powered systems can unlock a broad range of capabilities: from ”maneuvering without regret” and in-space assembly and manufacturing (ISAM), to orbital clean-up and natural resource extraction. 

Department of Defense Budget Must Realign to Space-Based Threats 

Resourcing Strong and Capable Space Force Begins with Budget Reform The United States Space Force requested $29.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), a two percent drop from the previous year. The final budget, however, has yet to be passed as the federal government is operating under a continuing resolution that expires in mid-March. While… Read more »

Quantum Technologies to Reinforce Position, Navigation and Timing Capability 

3D rendering of GPS satellite orbiting Earth

Chinese Advancements Raise Stakes for Faster Adoption of Quantum Sensors  China’s advancements in quantum technology have triggered a call-to-action for the United States to accelerate their own investments in quantum research and development. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Critical Technology Tracker, China surpassed the United States in published quantum research in 2021. China’s… Read more »

Defense Civilian Training Corps, Certificate Programs Emerge to Develop Space Workforce

Academic Institutions Prepare to Meet Space Force’s Accelerating Human Capital Needs Ms. Katharine Kelley, the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital with the United States Space Force, recently announced the military’s newest service was engaged in a pilot program called the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC). While similar to the Reserve Officer Training… Read more »

Defense Science Board Offers Commercial Pathway to Integrated Deterrence

Study Recognizes the Value of Commercial Space Systems in Military Requirements  In November of 2022, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering commissioned the Defense Science Board (DSB) to study commercial space systems and how they can be leveraged in support of Department of Defense (DOD) objectives. As the Federal Advisory Committee to… Read more »

2024 Election Presents Promise and Peril for PPBE Reform to Deliver Space Superiority 

Incoming Administration Must Implement Commission’s Recommendations, or Risk Losing Great Power Competition  China’s rapid rise in adopting and deploying innovative technologies has sparked a new “Great Power Competition,” particularly in the space domain. Meanwhile, the budgetary process the Department of Defense (DOD) uses to acquire military capabilities – Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) –… Read more »

Space Force, DOD Initiate New Partnerships to Enhance Mission Readiness

Integrated Mission Deltas, Inter-agency Agreements Extend Readiness Across Time Horizons In the spirit of the United States Space Force’s Line of Effort #3 – Partner to Win, Chief of Space Operations General B. Chance Saltzman announced last year the Space Force was creating “Integrated Mission Deltas,” or IMDs, a new organizational structure designed to integrate… Read more »

STRATFI and TACFI Programs Catalyze Funding to Overcome Valley of Death

SpaceWERX Aims to Find, Fund and Field Space Capabilities for the Warfighter  SpaceWERX, the space innovation arm of AFWERX, recently announced the nine recipients of its first funding opportunity specifically tailored to bring space capabilities across the ‘Valley of Death,’ or the difficult transition of scaling a high-potential capability into a formal program of record…. Read more »