Global Aerospace Summit 2024

DAY 2 of Summit

11 September, 2024

 

Keynote – The Honorable Don Graves, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce

[Plan is] critical…as going through massive technology [changes]…really important for us as a federal government to be consistent and think about things in a holistic way…ways we can support leadership [from] providing satellites to commercial SSA providers…five component plan: 1) Coordination of regulatory functions…we aren’t reducing burden [we are] simplifying [so] private sector [doesn’t] go elsewhere. 2) Grow the customer base…Part of our effort is making sure goods and services sector [are] growing effectively. 3) Improve space safety and sustainability…space domain has changed…have to provide the type of safety of the way that we approach space…4) promoting innovation…come to US invest here, partner with US business, [and] grow small business sector. 5) advancing space-based earth observation capabilities… [thinking about] new uses and application for space…we have to listen to you then act based off what we are hearing… 

See plan here: https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/DOC-Strategic-Plan-2022%E2%80%932026.pdf

 

Too many objects are non-controlled…don’t have enough information about trajectories. Important for us to get this right. Defense has done a great job, time for us to migrate to the Department of Commerce…Phase 1 migration of data from Department of Defense. The plan is to integrate our SSA providers…to get basic data out there that is free of charge for operators…What don’t want to do is to replicate the more advanced data sets that commercial providers can provide…trying to get balance right…Move to phases two and three to focus on launch in the next couple of years.

 

Acquisition. Help drive the commercial marketplace by being an acquirer of data. Expand the amount of commercial data we will buy. We know that federal government largest procurer in the world…make sure providing ability of SSA providers and grow sustainability over the years.

 

Meeting with counterparts all across the globe on a daily basis [Indo-Pacific, Africa, and EU discussed]…Key though is standardization…want to make sure it’s our standards prevailing… …get out first and develop new standards before the rest of the world gets there…know that there are countries that don’t share our values and trying to displace our companies…really important for us to be first…the regulatory environment, things we do on a consistency basis…think about launch quite a bit…need to get approvals for licenses for launch down significantly…That is really important. Trying to figure out if your payload is going to get to orbit…type of things we need to do, whether SSA and developing standards…have to be fast…and responsive to private sector. 

 

Vital to build a workforce system bringing folks into these jobs…so companies can be successful…Work with Sen. Moran (R-KS)…one of the things we did was program called the Good Jobs Challenge…focused on building pipelines and ecosystems…one big investments made is in Kansas…hub [for] aerospace development…training is absolutely vital, can’t get that if don’t build a system. 

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat | Congressional Aerospace Priorities – The Honorable Jerry Moran, Senator (R-KS), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate

 

Its workforce and supply chain. Ability to meet countries needs economically and national security hindered by lack of supply chain…top of list in FAA reauthorization listed priorities internally…workforce is and was at top of the list…Successful in FY24 to fund workforce…highlight work going on technical colleges, community colleges, and universities… …using our opportunity to fund new programs that meet the private sector (aviation/aerospace) for businesses in Kansas.  

 

Appropriator for Commerce, Justice Science (CJS) and Defense. As talk about space CJS programs we ought not forget the role that space plays in the defense part of nation. Growing demand for assets in space to protect our nation…space at forefront going to be growing…trying to be certain that space receives attention it deserves…NASA has landed in many ways bringing private sector in space…Successful funding NASA at a higher level (modest) than what was requested. Trying to sort out how to meet desires of subcommittee. Comes to funding NASA my goal has been Artemis and return to moon is at forefront leads to additional exploration in space that follows…we are in a battle with other countries…hugely important for national security. NASA needs to be a priority and will continue to be one. So much going on private sector…

 

The component of that is how to fund things. Private sector encouraged…to develop policies that are designed to reduce the bureaucratic and governmental restrictions/inhibitors to keep the private sector from doing what capable of doing…getting rid of those barriers …Need to stay focused on advancing the technologies…sometimes get sidetracked by governmental agencies…We cannot afford a shutdown. Have a CR in place…not so long more CR’s or an omnibus spending bill…Want NASA to succeed…tried to address this…

 

[End Session]

 

Panel Discussion | The Future of Launch and Lift Capability

Panel: Lars Hoffman, Vice President, Government Sales, Blue Origin; Brett Alexander, Chief Revenue Officer, Firefly Aerospace; Daniel Murray, Executive Director of Operational Safety, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

Moderated by Loren Grush, Space Reporter, Bloomberg News

 

Alexander: Partner with Northrup Grumman…Early 2026 driving the launch business is the satellite side of things. Huge boom in LEO constellations…demand out there and need to match that with the supply. 

New Glenn, No longer be Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) Mission to Mars, Update

Hoffman: New Glenn is ready to go…getting ready for first launch in November…a lot of factors involved with launching two spacecraft to Mars. [Thinking about the] Mars trajectory window…Support NASA’s decision to move EscaPADE launch out. 

 

Hoffman: Full first couple of years, booked 12 Kuyper launches…other commercial launches, government launches…recently on ramped onto NSSL program phases 3, lane 1…compete in lane 1 going forward. [Support to commercial] civil an national security. 

 

Murray: FAA very busy…currently have 26 active licenses…working more than 50 companies all seeking authorizations…staffing resources important to keeping up with the pace of things…Make sure we can deliver what is needed to ensure safety…looking to grow our team with PB next year…Looking for them to take advantage and opportunities that we have built for part 450…26 active licenses, 20 of them still against legacy regulations…apply everything that they want to do at one time… Workload won’t increase significantly…not seeing the companies taking advantage of that right now [part 450]…

 

Murray: Multi-disciplinary…analysis, specialized environmental protection…look for people strong engineering background…right now 100 people actively doing that work…more people to build those teams out in all of those projects…

 

Murray: Work well with SpaceX resources…doing everything we can…dialogue has been really productive…work with them not as a partner but as regulatory [body] after mishaps…multiple flights after four they pivoted, we pivoted with them. Implemented test induced damage…do challenging test activities…done within bounds it’s not a mishap…work with them recently with docking programs and in their starship programs to increase their launch availability. Able to grant those waivers…had a great dialogue…prefer to have dialogue directly with them…

 

Murray: Companies scheduled for an evaluation largely set based on choices that the company makes…make sure continue to be responsive…to maintain good dialogue. Four critical choices to think carefully about…1) Scope of what they apply for (apply narrow is inefficient) 2) timing of application. 3) Completeness of the application…Formal application should be complete, have best work…spend a lot of time working through incomplete applications. 4) stability of the application…[companies] start making changes to it that is causing rework…

 

Murray: [A lot of things look at like] Clean Water Act, sonic boom, examination of potential for impacts for endangered species…coordination for fishing service…All of these things looked at in environmental document…changes in them since then drives schedule [changes.]

Alexander: Operating 450…about that implementation. No major concerns about the regulation itself…

Hoffman: Constructive relationship, what is the FAA’s response to criticism about part 450…do you feel like this is the 

 

Murray: Part 450 does not require substantial changes…very interested in industry. Suggestions based on lessons learned…end of sept. 2020 is when issued it…not a perfect rule…that said not broken either…very clear what application requirements are (public safety, system analysis, environmental reviews…). Probably some underestimation on behalf of the industry of how long it takes to get through…they commit the time/resources…not a duty for one member…it is an integrated approach…when see company adopt an integrated approach can get through… …granted six licenses on part 450…encourage those companies to share how navigate the process.

 

Alexander: Eastern range in Florida has become much more [crowded]…[our] MLV in Virginia…partnership with Northrup Grumman…stay away from congested areas…alpha S range in Sweden…launch out of there as early 2026…where we launch from definitely matters… 

 

Hoffman: West Texas range and…New Glenn repurposed launch sites at the Cape…good problem to have…launch industry/space industry is growing and thriving…repurposing launch pads/renovating…delivers commodities that support range safety requirements…work closely with Del 45 …good neighbor and good partner. 

 

Murray: Robust environmental policy review…requires us to look at 14 resource areas (noise, air, etc.) our process allows us to interact with the public…we address those comments…

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat | Christopher J. Scolese, PhD., Director, National Reconnaissance Office

Early 90s recognized that we needed to be public…it takes a while before people recognize…build satellites that look down on earth, look listen and sense. [Provide resources to] IC communities, give to DoD they do what we do…what’s less known is also give to many civil agencies. Provide that information very quickly to the first responders…the information we provide can prevent a future conflict…

 

A little easier…natural disaster occurs…what is the first thing…what is the situation on the ground what are the pathways that will allow them to get to the areas that need assistance…environmental more complicated…provide to scientists. Take lots of different data sets and they make assessments…

 

Do most of our work on the ground. In order to get into space, have to do a lot of things…constantly be innovating not only in technology…most technologically capable systems…innovate in a way work with industry, internationally, and other government agencies…working across a broad spectrum. New respondent with small space crafts…others commodity spacecrafts take advantage of those and merry those up with sensors allow us to provide proliferated architecture faster than community before. Also with new entrance, provide opportunities to do that…working with companies to provide SCIF space so have opportunity to go work with us…training programs to help work/test. 

 

NRO responsible for everything from technology development, concept, design, launch, acquisitions, operations, and ultimately ending our mission. Gives perspective not all organizations have…allows us to see how all the pieces come together…end to end sensor responsibility…constantly innovate [and] stay ahead of competitors. 

 

Want to encourage that…start from very beginning have things like the director’s innovation cell…try to encourage small businesses and academia. To introduce them not only to the NRO, is for us to learn about capabilities…Go off and say who we are…business opportunities help and train small businesses to work with us.

 

Most important thing is the people…can’t do the job without the brilliance of the capability… recruit across the nation…represent diversity of our nation…diversity always part of the NRO…

[End Session]

 

Panel Discussion | National Security Space Satellite Systems – Main Plenary

Panel: John Serafini, Chief Executive Officer, Hawkeye 360; Christina Cook, Chief Revenue Officer, True Anomaly; Ron Lopez, President, Astroscale U.S. Inc.

Moderated by Rob Geckle, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus US Space and Defense

 

Lopez: Threat that continues to evolve by bad actors…vocal about posture taking in space. Next biggest challenge is to make sure that we are able to counter that threat…funding for on orbit servicing…unique capabilities in space…niche capabilities up on orbit…

Cook: Space has become a contested domain; adversaries Russia and China have advanced capabilities more quickly…opportunity see with True Anomaly to see us respond to that rapidly…really have capability to respond to threat and the timelines. 

Serafini: Constellation of satellites (30 of them today) detect signals…this stage of development earned right to sayleader in defense tech industry…taken steps to build capabilities that are causable by defense and cyber hardened…As a whole we are at a crossroads…Made an investment to build out threats…various investment in RDT&E capabilities. Defense tech capabilities…been proven operationally relevant and valuable…1) move that into at scale deployment…answer is have to get to programs of record…have to move towards congressionally appropriated programs of capability….2) industry needs is a level playing field all, up against international competitors…signals intelligence capabilities…because of ITAR not a level playing field…needs to be regulatory assurances [so]…companies defense tech ecosystem can be successful. 

 

Serafini: Best summed buy commercial when we can…build what you must…[with a] preference for buying American…many people would agree somewhat of a say/do gap…say what going to do in terms of relying upon commercial and what actually do…the intention is there…the funding isn’t there…need a material tactical revelation in way that finance commercial technologies…need single way in which procure US capabilities…remote sensing should get immediate access to it…have power to do that with PPBE process, customers, and congressional appropriations…

Geckle: tension between OTA’s and commercial contracting?

Cook.: Short answer, not really. True Anomaly is a bit different that our customer is the government…don’t provide commercial to leverages as government as well…Anytime open the aperture get a robust domain…[strategy] doesn’t change our go to market or our investments…[if DoD] wants to interact as commercial service happy to do that, directly [also] happy to do…reiterate point buy what can and build what we need. Why investing our capitol to build the capabilities today, not after a five-year cycle. 

Lopez: How does our strategy change…same as Christina…doesn’t change. Always part of strategy and our plan. To address things globally…commercial strategy is fantastic start, but a lot more needs to be done. Developing commercial capabilities. A lot of that capability development needs to be underpinned…all commercial unrealistic…right now it’s not…seat change in acquisition…funding programs…not just more, but differently…better use of OTA and other contractual mechanisms to help companies across valley of death. 

 

Lopez: Pictures of client object…50 meters…robotics, RPO, what we do defines that mission area or market space commercial. Market perspective on orbit serving capabilities is real mission area bring to market. 

 

Cook: Thesis of company…founders’ former operators…provide to National Security…didn’t see capabilities to come online [while in] went on to build capabilities in market and bring back to former colleagues…feel strongly place for us to play as National Security Space commercial companies continue to grow.

 

Serafini: JADC2 sensor shooter…not censored to think [about data]. The data that you are collecting and streamlining is extremely important and has to be taken seriously. Number one is mission accomplishment…do that through real focus on humility…one component of many systems…have to be interoperable…know our position…sun does not revolve around defense tech company…sun revolves around the warfighter.

 

Lopez: Funding getting things into the POM…seeing commitment…mean dollars…not just generals standing on stage saying this is important…other thing worry a bit is about the regulatory environments…one example is mission authorization…leverage commercial capabilities…but never going to get there until certain key things like mission authorization are resolved…smaller companies aren’t spinning their wheels on what area go to get authorization…

Cook: Acquisition strategy…company like ours can move quickly as a differentiation…doesn’t matter how quickly you can move if [government] can’t take advantage of it…

 

Cook: Hardware and software work together…[historically seen] built in separate silos mashed together at the end…we have done taken operators and end users sitting next to software engineers/spacecraft engineers/so solution that is provided is full stack…Jackal [as the] spacecraft is controlled by Mosaic software…software [also designed to] work with any spacecraft or open system. 

 

Serafini: We have been blessed with Pete Muend (Director of the National Reconnaissance Office’s Commercial Systems Program Office (CSPO)), Dr. Scolese …seeding and developing new geospatial commercial capabilities…see him equipped with regulatory authority and grow engagement with NRO…BAA [originally had] six companies on contract…of those six three are gone…highlights the fact that this is hard…defense /intelligence and scaling at velocity needed…money to build said constellation and infrastructure is hard…faster move to put programs of record at scalable capitol…improve our capabilities…not only [for] Hawkeye will be but defense technology industry will be at large…

 

Lopez: Sustainability gets brought up as juxtaposed with National Security….those two things are not different things. Strong posture on national security is critical to ensuring safe sustainable environment in space for U.S. allies to operate in in freedom of action in space…

 

Lopez: Double down, need to get programs funded, programs of record into POM…need acquisition community to be partners in innovation not a diode. Thinking about OTAs and other mechanisms and allow warfighter to leverage great information…

Cook: Acquistion community being partners more creative new ways to contract…other point make don’t have perfect be the enemy of good. Seen in space domain move to perfection…with pace adversaries are moving need to keep pace…might not mean perfection all the time…step forward take risks…

Serafini: Dr. Ash Carter…put emphasis upon RDTE and TRL 2 – 6 that we are creating an environment companies…problem aren’t mechanisms to provide scalable production value…picking the winners…the IC community needs to pick its winners…scalable capital in production programs of record…

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat with the Chair of the FCC – The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman, Federal Communications Commission

Communications today depend on satellites in the sky…. Got to FCC [realized] need to reorganize to support US leadership in this area. Streamlined the process for filing satellite licenses, set aside spectrum for space launches/satellites use, updated orbital debris policing, in space serving satellite activities. [Back up to] satellite communications in skies when terrestrial fails…

 

Reorganize a federal agency…going to congress/authorizers and appropriators. 10,000s satellites applications before us…not just broadcasting space…introducing broadband. Satellite imagery military, resources crop production, explore zero gravity…all of those things require communications…make sure have resources

 

[When] gather [international countries] now talk more about communications than ever before…much bigger part of global economy…embrace ideas of more actors in LEO…open to that competition because know will bring innovation. 

 

Issue of space launch…every space launch has some spectrum available for communications…Up in skies have to make sure a good space actor…more things put in space more have to invest in space sustainability. 

 

FCC grow work in this area… grow relationships with other agencies that works on these matters…held forum on launch activity with FAA and Department of Commerce…also done a lot of work with orbital debris with colleagues in NASA. Talking to them how think about lunar communications…make work smarter and better…Every communications market that has competition is stronger…economy doesn’t benefit from monopolies…got to invite many more space actors in. 

 

A lot of new companies not familiar with processes at FCC…outreach explaining what we do…and how applications get filed with us. Transparency initiative incredible…

 

[End Session]

 

Congressional Keynote – The Honorable Sharice Davids, U.S. Representative (D-KS), Member, House Committee on Science and Technology and Co-Chair, Congressional Sustainable Aviation Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives

 

Big picture reason sustainable aviation caucus…Help educate members of Congress of improatnace of sustainable aviation space. Members of Congress ready to do that…area see bipartisan efforts. 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat with U.S. Space Force – Brig. Gen. Brian A. Denaro, Director, Plans and Programs, Office of the Chief Strategy and Resource Officer, U.S. Space Force

Building two years out from now budget for FY26. Hoping to get through FY25 and ensuring budget is properly resourced…Space Force and the Air Force need to cooperate and be successful independently in order to be successful together…Secretariat is focused on re-optimizing for great power competition. Space force big part of that looking at new command, standing up ne officer training course, operational training infrastructure…looking at as build FY26 budget… 

 

A large percentage of the space force budget is devoted to providing services to the rest of the joint force.Services that we all enjoy in public…are also used by DoD…my job and USSF job to make sure those services are available to joint force…enjoy Space Force environment that was benign…that was looking to disrupt our capabilities…take those capabilities and make sure available in spectrum of conflict…GPS/Missile Warning/MILSATCOM…looking to pivot some of that architecture in more resilient architecture…A little over 40 percent of budget resilient architecture…looking at bolstering our launch capabilities… 

 

Secretary of the Air Force recently [said] the Space Force budget needs to be two – three times higher…resilient and available, need to invest in new capabilities…new things we can do in, from, and to space. Joint force has a demand for these ideas…to pivot to any of those…it is a concern this year that it actually went down. 

 

Benign domain, now contested and congested…both China and Russia have demonstrated willing to put capabilities on the ground…producing 1000s of debris on orbit…need to make sure fielding capabilities that change the calculus of potential adversaries if they do things on orbit or on the ground…look to disrupt GPS/MILSATCOM…make it such that not worth it for them to take those actions…ultimately deter them in the long run…good spot with deterrence but always have to be prepared if deterrence fails.

Followed a DoD commercial strategy, tightly nested. Codified a lot of things endeavored to do…so much innovation but wan to be able to harness that…got after that with reverse industry days…opportunity for companies to come forward…great learning opportunity and enabled us to close some lines of communication…commercial industry and Space Force is through the SSC Front Door…find ways to get involved…It is a growing industry, need to be able to leverage and apply [commercial technologies] in new and creative ways. 

 

Front Door will point to a lot of opportunities…space enterprise consortium…hundreds of companies’ ways to stay plugged into to requests for information… 

 

Move through next couple of months, DoD, particularly Space Force, any sort of CR is hampering ability to compete against potential adversaries…as try to start new programs, continue the good ones that we have, passing a budget on time is something I’m focused on, a big focus is making sure re-optimized for the Great Power Competition…

 

[End Session]

 

CEO Fireside Chat – Dirk Wallinger, CEO, York Space Systems

 

Always about delivering capability that thought was needed in the future…solid execution with focus on profitability. Kind of a changing environment now. Eight years ago a lot of speculation in the industry…. focused on good execution, good product, and profitability…needed a partner. A lot of knowledge in how to be efficient, how to scale production…Challenge for newer customers now, it is such a changing environment…a lot of debt, folks with good execution…shift where the financing is coming from growth

 

Last 7 years bespoke industry…going to be a real industry…proving stuff in orbit…propulsion maneuver, link 16…government’s investment is spurring the commercial market…mining the asteroids…fortune 500 now filling those capabilities and taking the capabilities from military and applying them to more secure networks…supplying a little more nationalistic. Exciting industry become major part of the US economy…

 

Creating value for the customer…PLEO architectures get a lot of resiliencies in distribution in risks among a lot of different satellites…laser focused need to continue to create value and commercial suppliers…focused on strong supply chains, efficient supply chains, needs to provide value to the customer. 

 

…supply chain issues is used quite a bit not sure real accurate thing…yes major supply chain issue when covid hit…very global and had to move into more nationalistic one…if still struggling with supply chain thing…need to look at internally…. government and commercial sector has been really helpful in helping us fins an supply. Now need to continue to help them. Continue to be dedicated and focused to help supply chain succeed…A lot of these suppliers are small, have to buy ahead of the need…so not buying 1000s of things at once…continue to invest in suppliers.

 

Some things gone well. Areas need to continue to work on. Government great, supporting small businesses…Supporting small business in aerospace is not a fault…more you talk to them the more they are going to help. Dr. Tournear and the Space Force have spurred innovation…Acquisition is challenge need to work on…not that government doesn’t want to support…built around a construct 5 – 10 years to execute…are other processes needs to shrink to meet the two years or less timeline. 

 

CEO to CEO talks what going to do to make sure [avoid] collision…some more established rules of the road think good for everyone…not a problem today and won’t be if we are responsible.

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat – Congressional Insights

Panel: The Honorable Marcus Molinaro, U.S. Representative (R-NY), Member, Aviation Subcommittee, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representative; The Honorable Susie Lee, U.S. Representative (D-NV), House Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives

Moderated by Rodney Davis, Head of Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

 

Rep. Molinaro: New York meets Massachusetts…birthplace of IBM, birthplace of air flight simulator, major manufacturer for defense contracts…our migration of people and business…needs to see rebound…engage in pressuring local governments…BAE, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin…all invested in district…need an opportunity to grow economically…

 

Rep. Lee: Happy to represent Las Vegas, [that has] Nellis, Creech, and Nevada Test Site…Comes to appropriations and defense how going to get out of the cycle of CR’s. Know each other from bipartisan/try to work together…how going to correct and right that ship…do a lot of work around quality of life for servicemembers…Creech interesting no barracks/housing…incitive pay for those types of assignments…Go early, go often, make sure have a specific ask [to congressional members], we want to work with people in our districts…

 

Rep. Molinaro: More of us…less toxic than admit knowing…much what we do happens in bipartisan…things we must do become more partisan matter…whole host of other issues…widespread bipartisan…I don’t have a single legislation that is not bipartisan, that is by intent…

Rep. Lee: Congress is ultimate relationship body…really takes time …find those times and really try to build those relationships…taken time to get to know each other…member new democratic coalition (100 members…) business friendly moderate democrats…people like to hear about our fights…American public hears more about dysfunction than actually the friendships and relationships…

 

Rep. Lee: This CR addition say back as a writer…playback over and over…need democrats to get some things done. [My prediction] Senate going to pass the bill it’s going to be clean…going to be up against the wall [with the House]…

Rep. Molinaro: Our credit, sometimes our side of aisle don’t want to do thing to do thing that must be done…Coalition of republicans and democrats to adopt and which I will be a member…

 

Rep. Molinaro: Terrorist strikes and the weaponization of technology against this country

Rep. Lee: Dysfunction in our government outside, bad actors look as opportunity. Agree with the weaponization of technology. 

 

[End Session]

 

CEO Fireside Chat – Peter Cannito, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Redwire

Have to show we are a viable industry in the space…Continue to address capitol…$310 M forecasted in revenue…dancing closely to profitability…also fairly young as an industry…looking to be emerging growth industry. Focused on strategic balance. Have to have revenue and want to scale… 

 

Our goal twofold: 1) is scale like to be a billion dollar company, a lot of cost associated with regulatory government. 2) free cash flow…want to create a cycle where self-sustaining…economic business…Have a portfolio respect throwing off profitability and cash…that will be a key milestone for the company. After that starts to scale and your mature products are feeding new products. 

 

…space is a warfighting domain…[we] are in serious competition for secure operations in space to include around the moon…emergence of the Space Force…own level of warfare as a domain in space. As looking at architecture. Is idea of proliferated LEO…Had to evolve because of the threat…now administration has informed general public. Focusing our strategy on is what is the next thing…VLEO big leader on…National security perspective…why want as piece of portfolio. Focused on with AFRL…

 

Our approach to come up with initial design…early stage concepts of the art of the possible…DARPA put an RFP out as Otter program and [we] won as the prime contractor…emerging market …we are early stage believe that will spin off…really critical to not only national security but evolution of satellites in general…sustainability and this idea of having congested environment in VLEO. A lot of great benefit…

 

…third of revenue comes from Europe…subcontractor to Thales…building the VLEO spacecraft of that program. Informed us this is going to be really important from a national security perspective…difficult for aerospace companies working national security to share technologies…

 

Overclassification is covered a lot in defense forums. The second is ITAR…become a little bit more commercial and really important ITAR regulations try to keep pace…truly have global supply chain. 

 

always be part of our strategy. Focus on scaling…ten deals in three years. Continue to use that as a tool in our tool kit.

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat – Tim Keating, Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Vice President, Global Government Relations, Sierra Space

Second flight of Vulcan needs to go off…until do certification flight, can’t fly national security payloads…one of the things we have to do…but we are ready…Importance to get a [commercial space] station…take a look at what China has does…don’t want to give anyone an edge

 

150 days get a license…like to know where you go to get that license in 114 days…until you complete that to satisfaction, that’s when clock starts…company like ours been working on it literally for year…one and done license…the FAA is very careful in how they are doing this…instead of getting the one and done license…giving exceptions and giving a one flight license…everyone that is in this business knows that safety is first…not so certain that is making us safe…am certain is that it is making us less competitive…not following the same rules that Europe is or Asia is and it is going to be a problem…once the FAA gets through the process once, it will probably get better…the pass backs are log and hard. It is a very difficult process. Not meant to be easy, but don’t think it needs to be as hard as it is right now. 

 

What government needs to…encourage a lot more innovation and work across borders. What we are doing is “wickedly expensive” if you can share burden, sometimes that helps …also need to encourage government to loosen up regulations…capital is not free…there is a timeline…if I’m investing want something to happen quickly…can’t lose sight of geopolitical world.

 

Government has to move faster…One of things need to do is invest instead. Some of the regulations that have been put in place…not doing what intended to do…don’t be afraid to go fix it. Budget certainty…this game every year going through the CR battle and not knowing if funding or not funded and new starts can’t go forward. 

 

…where are our adversaries investing…they are investing “wickedly in space” [don’t want] China in front of us…not placed for someone’s health…one tell sign that we have a problem…Provide technology that doesn’t exist right now…Don’t want a fair fight, we want to have the best technology.

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat | Future of Space-based Nuclear Power and Propulsion 

Panel: Amy C. Roma, Partner, Global Regulatory, Hogan Lovells; Matthew Forsbacka. Ph.D., Director of the Mission Assurance Standards and Capabilities Division, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA; 

Moderated by Joey Roulette, U.S. Business of Space Correspondent, Reuters

 

Forsbacka: Getting launch pad and getting to authorization of Launch….every time launched nuclear power source, that decision went up to the White House…use an ADHOC process historically…authority for launch up to certain levels…purely commercial mission goes to Osmosis…set the stage of where we are today…what is next for in commercial…

Nuclear Power Considerations

Roma: [Differentiate between] radio isotopes power systems…and fusion power systems…number clients radio isotypes systems…no pathway to that…unique applications entirely commercial, vs. government system…put visionary actor in space…entirely different conversation, novel legal and policy issues…only a handful of regulators have authority to oversee construction of nuclear reactor. Atomic energy DOE in some instances. DOD…then NRC has licensing authority only in United States.

 

Roma: Companies with small reactors are also developing space applications as well…there is not a clear path forward …doesn’t mean can’t be done…map out who are stakeholders…what role do they have and what role should have…

Forsbacka: One nuclear reactor/demonstration mission…biggest structure built…a lot of lessons learned…brain trust of people studying this for decades…[Mission at DRACO was] TRL’s first of kind never been demonstrated, opportunity to show that all of process mess up together in an environment. Ultimately push a human crew or some sort of body exploration mission…

 

Roma: Pathway forward is different fission/radian isotope…fully government vs. fully commercial. Different regulators, different set of regulations that apply…different range of public liabilities protections…insurance protections…and different regulator involved…with a lot of these companies…mapping out regulatory framework…

 

Forsbacka: Standards on what safety should look like be open and transparent…so government and all other priorities can ensure that safety is baked in the process…Develop rigorous technical standards handful of things…to streamline. 

 

Forsbacka: Artemis architecture, ways for using nuclear power for planned and propulsion capability long term

Roma: One of things can incentivize, profile want to develop, survive the night capability (two weeks) limit hat sources are that can power those systems. Places in shadows on the moon…

Challenges Regulatory and Financial 

Forsbacka: How can do in cost efficient way…don’t have objectives…clear end point in mind…all other things have to be brought together…for mission application. Providing commitment and make sure providing safety that we need…

Roma: Government may have different objectivities, national security element…different stakeholders have different objectives…sometimes those objectives can have a misalignment…nuclear space had lost it competitiveness to Russia and China…China building a lot of systems…way more technologies under development…

 

Forsbacka: Looking back at Artemis by definition a partnership with international partners…NASA clear not doing this alone…areas where commercial sector can innovate…ESA partners are good…all of partner..

Roma: International collaboration in nuclear space is pretty common…way to work cooperatively is with standards…

[End Session]

 

Congressional Insights Panel | Capitol Views The Honorable Salud Carbajal, U.S. Representative (D-CA), Member, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Co-Chair, Congressional Aerospace Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives

Goal is to see what we can to do to continue to support congressional engagement…What that means for country [is] innovation…making sure that we are making right investments in space and technologies in space launch…quite concerned about a potential CR…which is likely this point…that impact…not to mention continued [impact on] expansion of commercial launch.

See complexity and the intersection of commercial aviation and space launch challenges in terms of the airspace…also allows me to see intersection of peripheral technology that is in play and impacts some of the things trying to do…some of the weapons in department of defense …have an intersection with all trying to achieve in space…consider hypersonics…all important weapons, currently working on with systems…

 

Extremely important address [this in] Space, but through FAA significant amount of investments made towards developing pipeline workers in aviation…in NDAA trying to achieve the same more so through university partnership. Two of most extraordinary University of California, Santa Barbara and California Polytechnic State University that produce and have engineering program …extremely important in my region, but considering we need to do this nationally. Partnerships go towards keeping us in pace,…keep up in the workforce to build up [and] sustain this industry.

 

We are trying to look at innovate ways to streamline government processes especially in terms of procurement. NSSL strategy that we embark in allows us to continue to have two lanes. Continue to have bigger companies (SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin) but also a lane smaller or new companies to have an onramp to implement and have their technologies be procurement. How might be able to help have procurement opportunities. Don’t rely on old practices. In some way obsolete…challenge in future for those exquisite satellites. Need that we need to proliferate with smaller satellites…kind of like what Rocket Lab is doing…

[End Session]

 

Panel Discussion | Space Situational Awareness

Panel: Araz Feyzi, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Kayhan Space; Tony Frazier, Chief Executive Officer, LeoLabs; Richard DalBello, Director, Office of Space Commerce, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Moderated by Jeff Foust, Senior Staff Writer, SpaceNews

 

DalBello: Most people know 2018, National Space Council published space policy directive three. That policy directive acknowledged that DoD policies in space tending away toward safety and more towards National Security Space…need to split these responsibilities…safety responsibility to another agency…safety responsibility go to Department of Commerce, Office of Space Commerce…got tagged with implementation…eventually got a budget in 2023…18 months commitment to Congress and OMB have something in fall of 2024. Also, convinced to them to let us do this as an agile development program. Agile program, assumption is minimal capability, and that tool is continuously upgraded…often referred to as minimum viable product…this month initiative MVP for TraCSS…that acquisition is completing this fall…will be using the DoD website to store the data for operators…able to take DoD information, take operator information, to create conjunction data messages…for satellites that recovered…first step. Over 2025…we will build out the system…satellite owner operators to users. And begin transition to all spacetrack.org who are not national security customers, with goal of completing in end of 2025.

 

DalBello: In initial phases not going to be dramatically difference…receiving owner/operator information separately. Will produce conjunction data messages…stored in portion of uniformed data leverage…for a while operators will go to DoD website. Operators working with us know that this is not operational data yet, not relying on safety services yet…get comfortable for processes and access…once transportation layer is set…formal transformation and tracs.gov will be stood up. 

 

Fraizer: Track capital and create enterprise…important to see demand signal. Company was founded in 2016 saw this trend of exponential growth…capability to support that market…what LeoLabs does have availability roadmap, safe space operations…ten active radars across the sites…monitor activities in LEO…run analytics on that to support…space domain awareness and space traffic management…

 

Fraizer: 2019, 900 active payloads…today over 9000…10x increase over past five years. Also seen increased growth in space debris…were tracking each day…also seeing that with other countries like China…Continue to innovate and provide the means for customer to be able to operate safely…

 

Feyzi: Congested and contested environment…be a shortage of attention and also maybe skill on the safety side of things…want to make sure safety is maintained for all operators. Developed modern solutions that operators can use from launch to early orbit things to end of life deorbit to this mission pathfinder product…Expanding our offerings to capture more services prior to launch constellation management…develop software as a service…Trends in areas of concern: propulsion more operators up to make their satellites maneuverable…can’t do collision avoidance….starting raising awareness about this issue, taking actions prior to launch education and responsible operations more mature operators don’t have this problem…

 

DalBello: Working with…using as a baseline going to be buying commercial innovation also…two complicated systems running and one of those systems new or different or different information at higher…opportunity cities to get misaligned…this problem is manifests ten times as bad internationally…working very closely with Europe…more broadly no functional relationship with China. New SSA systems coming online Japan Australia and Canada….everyone has an SSA system and everyone has their own truth…flying confidently based on info government providing…question talking internally bilaterally…Issue front and center have to get together with ability to do coordination and collaboration, hard problem don’t have answer but we are asking the question…

Fraizer: Spent a lot of time exploring…how this creates opportunity to export capabilities commercial operators in us to enable other nations as they develop their systems for security. Several other nations to develop various capabilities. Creates opportunity to enable operability. Data collecting with sovereign sensors. See that as a large market opportunity…having commercial data be a means of facilitating…

Feyzi: Challenge two satellites fly in space get a conjunction. Today no functional way for tow operators to coordinate…if both operators take similar actions create a risk verses reducing the risk…There is a space safety coalition guideline come up with recommended rules of road …what we did implemented that into our software as a practice…automatically apply those rules… …going to have more systems around the world they need to be able to talk to each other….Use…pathfinder…two entities are not talking to each other… 

 

DalBello: As a government colleagues…are interested. Us and Japan [have] comprehensive space dialogue. Japanese colleagues multi-lateral forum…quad civil equipment of diverted group…all organizations [discussing] these and getting great response…simple ways to start to address understanding of someone sees a conjunction and if takes action would be hugely important. I’d issue decide collectively real. Next stage what is minimum we can do to address…In 2025 get more serious with that issue…

 

[End Session]

 

Day 1 of Summit

 

Keynote: Michael G. Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration 

A lot has happened…a lot of changes at Boeing. Comprehensive plan well published. Been comprehensive plans before, goal now is to make sure that it is executed. Much more into inspection, we capped production. Safety metrics exactly where need to be to grow. Justice department implementing protocols. 

 

Making sure groups are all working together. Airports all different, but a lot of ways to add safety. Better signage, simulation and training, arrival technologies…Safety model as many layers as you can get. 

 

Situation with COVID…almost no training happened during that time. Still way behind…and hire directly from the source. A little concerned about the long-term trends within the profession. 

 

Two rules pushing through. 1) ground digital line of sight for drones. Game changer…flexibility to allow operations to take place. 2) Power lift also coming out, third type of flight.  

 

Drones been around for a while but haven’t taken off. Think that is about to happen. Getting protocols and operating rules in place will allow them to take off…

 

Not where we need it to be…2024 has been about safety, reviewing oversight model, and dealing with Boeing issues. [In]2025 looking at bigger strategic issues…one of those is how were structured and funded. Everyone agrees shouldn’t be impacted by government shutdowns…problem is a lot of people have tried to fix it and had little success. So 2025, want to engage with industry…need their inputs and to push some of the work like setting standards and understanding new technologies coming into the market.

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat- RTX Insights: Greg Hayes Executive Chairman RTX

Three things most important safety, safety, safety…incident at Boeing caused entire industry to ask what we can do better…key is people designing products understanding if they see an issue, they say something… 

 

We were completely unprepared for COVID…interesting is recovery in U.S. much quicker… …internationally, especially with China have not seen full recovery…the real issue the supply chain has not recovered…lost a lot of talent, people left the industry…

 

Try to dual source all key components…Russia invaded Ukraine…and we had to leave Russia… …also trying to minimize the geopolitical risk…not to pull out of China but to make sure we have alternatives if and when something happens. 

 

Commerce does a phenomenal job in helping identify opportunities to near-shore some of this work…biggest customer is DoD. They have been transparent with us in terms of where the risks are…DoD comes to us tells us to get out of a country…well do it…really good lines of communication. Who’s your friend today, may not be your friend tomorrow. 

 

Part of solution is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)…problem is availability…SAF is part of the answer, real answer is innovation change design of the aircraft, propulsion system, and auxiliary system…we need to continue to spend on innovation and partner with airlines and also with government… 

 

Commercial space aviation…on aviation…supersonic transport, urban air mobility,…

 

Fireside Chat – Airbus Insights: Guillaume Faury, CEO Airbus

Not about speed, about managing supply chain…ones holding us back…a few suppliers’ difficulty delivering on time, slowing us down, but slowing everyone down.

 

A lot of people left the industry during COVID. Underestimated time it takes to onboard people, training, depth, processes, way we work, and needs to be done…

 

Come to conclusion, more prominent to adjust timeline of production 2025 to 2027…prudent for airline customers because we have to slow down…2027 will stabilize production…

 

Placed sustainability as the very goal…Force a mandate, level playing field…Need to go through the cost curve long enough to see the scale effects…both systems need to be combined…and need a global framework. (US Europe, China, Middle East) come into an agreement…lack of global framework is holding us back…

 

Generally speaking tariffs bad for the economy…aviation players understood lose-lose thing…stay away from tariffs and hope…

 

[End Session]

 

Advanced Air Mobility Panel (Advanced Air Mobility)

Panel: Blane Newton, Chief Operations Officer at BETA; Robert Rose, CEO, Reliable Robotics; Tyler Painter, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Wisk

 

Newton: Certifying fixed wing aircraft and vertical lift aircraft…targeting cargo/medical field initially. 

Rose: remotely pilot aircraft…enable pilot to automatically taxi, takeoff and land the aircraft without in the Aircraft…certification with FAA…target model is cargo…planning on delivering this technology to the U.S. Air Force

Whisk: Hope to be first commercial electric aircraft in the marketplace…

 

Painter: …type certification…designing systems from the aircraft together…longer path…but allow us to scale safe, quickly, and economically. Type certification and also production certificate, our intention is to be the operator …working with FAA what do they need to see to feel that we can integrate into the airspace…Not using AI/ML for safety mission critical activities…

Rose: Not using AI/ML is really key…do within decade, follow existing rules as can…creating new rules recipe for pushing certification…AI/ML technologies that have never been put into the sky within a safety context…fit technology within existing standards…

Newton: Demonstrate level of safety of these aircrafts. Certifying electric motor initially…building and sharing data on new technologies to get regulators and public comfortable…not pushing edges on rule making and meeting the regulator where they are…

 

Rose: Challenge when looking at scaling advanced air mobility…tackling things initially by changing as little infrastructure as possible…remote pilot system autonomy needs to be able to integrate in with ISR…infrastructure enables communications data link, satellite communications (CLBDC)…technology leverages a lot of those satellite communications (key infrastructure piece)…need to solve detect and avoid problem…so enabling rada …partners FAA, NASA, OTA…technologies for traffic management and other airspace elements…for cybersecurity as well as economic reasons. 

 

[End Session]

 

Shaping the Future of Aviation Cybersecurity (Panel)

Panel: JR Williamson, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Leidos Holdings; Jason Layman, Senior Vice President, Federal Technology Strategy, BigBear.ai; Denneen DeFiore, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, United Airlines, Inc. 

 

Williamson: Very deep into platforms…worries us is really the supply chain…yes concerned about AI/adversaries using technology to improve speed…need to move a lot closer to human on the loop…use technology to figure out how get in. Proactive defense techniques…

DeFiore: Commercial side…velocity of the threat around how fast things are accelerating…used to have couple weeks to respond…now its hours…potential threats…harm operation…Not going to be able to prevent everything…it’s how we respond. How do we respond collectively. 

 

Layman: Aggregating data…all things connective platforms…. historically cyber safe, because it has been disconnected…To aggregation is a real challenge…AI has a data problem…always wants more…cyber has a data opportunity…cyber defensive or offensive tabletop sitting on….Picking right subset of activities and building that trust most critical. 

Williamson: Systems are largely closed…main compensating control closed network…So much happening at a pace that those systems cannot deal with. If cannot deal with that, we are at risk..

 

DeFiore: Relooking cybersecurity approach how operate today…threats, technology outcomes. Historically types of data trying to protect…network segmentation (pCI zone, high security zone)…doesn’t address the resiliency requirement that we have now. [With] cybersecurity to align with resiliency and operational integrity. 

 

Williamson: Communication. Find everyone has a playbook. Those playbooks shouldn’t harmonized…but need to be tightly coupled…need to be integrated, need to know the triggers and who/what to activate…they need information I have. 

Layman: Overlap people challenge of cyber behavior…challenges see is regulatory. A lot of enhancements make to drive trust. 

 

DeFiore: Digital identify, advancements in digital identity. What TSA …technologies advanced…devise manufacturers…much greater assurance of who people are…

Williamson: Persistent, all ecosystems. A lot of technology in there…make smooth reduce…won’t be factionless. 

Layman: Regulatory challenges of cyber and data remain. 

 

Panel Discussion | Sustainable Space

Panel: Jennifer Essigs, head of Sustainability at AE Industrial Partners; Troy M. Morris, Co-Founder & CEO, Kall Morris Inc.; Ellen Gertsen, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, NASA

Moderator: Douglas Gorman, Reporter, Payload Space

 

Morris: Self-imposed in the best ways. A lot in common with nuclear power industry…aerospace, Newton’s laws don’t care…propagate in an area…huge response from customers civil, commercial, and defense…how can we as humans do something…self-provision…continue putting satellite version 2…have to get version 1 out of the way. How can we enable that…space servicing…debris or active assets…how can we do this relocation, rendezvous…

Gertsen: Wear many hats…one of them is an operator…not just in LEO…but also as we think about what is going to happen in the moon…also commercial companies…how do we design our spacecraft for sustainability, operate, and what do we do at end of life…other interesting aspect is also crew safety…several instances have to take action because potential conjunction…want to be able to continue operating now and into the future. 

Essigs: Approach this vertical …looking at National security large part space…vertically enabled from thrust all the way up to firefly who launches…have to think about space sustainability from bottom up. Emissions, renewable energy use…safety of the employees, product, cyber safety…policy…do our companies have proper polices to keep them safe… 

 

Morris: …Project going up to the ISS with next cargo launch…capabilities nondestructively adhere and dock with commercial services…testing safety with ISS…continual conversation how do we do this efficiently and effectively for everyone here on the ground. Want to prevent conjunctions for collisions…what do you do after?…

 

Gertsen: Volume 1 of sustainability strategy [focuses on] Earth orbits…future volumes deep space cislunar…idea of holistic sustainability is important…trying to move conversation how think about risk …what are factors driving operational decision making…cost benefits…what does it mean if have to maneuver…risk can you tolerate from a business perspective…depending on what particular circumstance as operator…have range of choices, characterization/tracking, mitigation, a lot of research showing…these approaches may have equivalent costs/benefits…how lean forward so can make best possible investments… 

Who is Going to Pay for These Technologies

Essigs: Us to participate has to create value and be cost effective, because our investors expect returns…assets [we] buy aren’t sustainable…our job to turn the course…why track all of this…a lot of that is turning an asset…our goal find proving technology with government technologies behind it that we can commercialize and expand so can turn around sell it…Redwire think that’s a perfect example…more affordable great use case. 

Morris: Customers are concerned with capability or cost efficiency…repeated theme…at some point comes down to cost…been a leading edge for us…see economics as a driving factor… 

 

Morris: Risk appetite is very different…commercial interest is able to move faster but often wants to move second to what see from government and defense industry…Risk appetite and timing…using different parts of stool at once, commercial, civil, and defense

 

Gertsen: …number of commercial satellites launch…NASA important customer, but not only customer…recognition on policy front that space sustainability is a global challenge…there are global solutions that are needed…other companies that are trying to offer remediation services…policy challenges come from outer space treaty…how are we going to tackle? But no solutions yet…how do we create a global marketplace…

 

Gertsen: Europe, zero debris charter…UK Astra carter…Japan also interested…also see happening in additional to national/multi-national policies…underlying technical underpinnings and how do you use data to make informed decision making…how do you go and meet these kind of standard…a lot of collaboration underlying these policies. 

 

Gertsen- Europe would like more to sign on…right now really at information sharing stage what are those best practices. NASA data and NASA models…

Morris: Budget is important…not sure whose job it is to assign yeah you can go grab it…for these novel activities…so much happening in launch…a lot of head scratching line…authorization discussions…got preferences…like to see clarity of picture…ask everyone do it. 

 

Essigs: Policy, bring a commercial voice…going to comply and look for opportunities regardless …launch huge part of this in keeping environment safe, impressing issue as well…fisherman not getting access to ports…so much happening here. Want regulation enough to keep things safe…don’t want objects in space to get hit by debris…

Gretsen: Needing to understand space environment wholistically…not enough information yet to know how much of an impact here are…that should be part of the decision trade space when deciding what to do…re-enter, recycle, other kind of solution out there…moving conversation around risk to pieces of debris…Can improve ability to detect and track. As well as remediation/large and small debris…not just debris applications…kinds of foundational technologies…required to do remediation…huge implications. 

Morris: Technologies foundation of what do next…bed rocks build off next steps of entire field. Space servicing…mine asteroids, move stations, fuel in…need more data…can’t start making decision without data…now having initial data sets…

Eggins: National security as a sustainable effort. Sustainability and safety…know we are going to be putting capital behind. Safer more stable environment. A lot of innovation happening…opportunities finding the right buys and consolidating/vertical integration…extra fore comes from having…moving capital in right place…

 

[End Session]

 

Keynote Remarks- The Honorable Frank Kendall, Secretary, U.S. Air Force

 

Focused very much on modernization for Air Force and Space Force…came back in government in 2010, noticed immediacy what China was doing to modernize military…intent to defeat the United Stated…covering all the things to project power successfully…much about space, others air combat. At center of application of technology, advances in autonomy and AI. Aircraft, first increment of CCA controlled by a crewed fighter…operators of formation…fight as a team…committed to this…Airplane[s] set up three different software agents…different types of engagements…more recently generative AI and large language models…moving fast for all sorts of functions in the military. Efficiency or help those with automated decision making…How to bring AI into government, you need to just get out of way…trying to control/regulate is the wrong approach…do have to do some things to ensure reliable, safe do things consistent with our values…the idea that going to control very carefully how technology comes in that ship has sailed…adversaries have figured this out…we are in a race in superiority.

 

I think we are adopting how we do business to the needs, have gone well. Asked Congress for quick start authority…allows us to start new programs without waiting until bills are passed…staring at a possibility of another six month CR…we are using these tools…one of the things trying to get my team to do…to give industry our problems and ask them to help figure out how to solve them as opposed to give industry specifications…get a lot better ideas if do it that way. Big effort for reoptimizing Great Power Competition…trying to make ourselves more competitive organization…a big part of it is how we do business with industry and how we have a pipeline that continuously brings new things into the government…we define certain apartments about products/interfaces that we want to control. Once do that industry can fit into that business architecture. Nontraditional players open more…

 

Trying to expand quick start authority…only authority to use$ 100 M quickly proposed two programs. C3BM for air moving target indication and resumed GPS for the Space Force. 

 

A lot of lessons…effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of Air power…Russia inability to take control of Air…inability of either side has lots to do with relative stalemate over there. Effect become grinding slog on the ground. Introduction of new technology at scale…lethal UAV’s fundamental changing warfare…relatively inexpensive. Adaptability…initial capabilities fielded are very quickly involved…areas like electronic warfare…trying to get control of electromagnetic spectrum…might start out with a very commercial product, other side will very quickly figure out that there are cheap countermeasures…..both using a lot of commercial capabilities, space capabilities in particular are a big part of that. STARLINK put in place to help Ukrainians…Things neglected…such as electronic warfare is important on battlefield…cyber very important in general…still grinding, very bloody lethal environment.

 

Dependent on industrial base, fight with the tools with what industry provides to us. 

 

[End Session]

 

Fireside Chat with Jared Evans, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Office of Strategic Capital, U.S. Department of Defense

Stood up in 2022…tracking scaling of private sector capital towards national security capabilities…People a lot of small business nontraditional type of space….Look at funding profiles, see DoD and federal government…DoD small and diminishing role in comparison to the rest of the economy…That drives a need to participate more alongside to our private markets… …discovered over time difference between defense acquisitions contracts and financing…fundamentally different concepts in financial…needed to participate with private sector is fundamentally different… 

 

DoD long tradition understanding appreciating supply chains…what day to day looks and feels like in acquisitions form…focus on these types of things…

Gaps Filling In? Authorities?

Key players…government, cooperate side (domestic/international), financial banking institutions, investment community more broadly…fascination with VC…investment community much broader than VC…opportunity to participate with new federal credit program…came though with the authorities…DoD’s first title ten…federal credit program…also have an international side…don’t have a complete monopoly on good ideas…want to take advantage of them via our position… Credit community coming through, seeing a lot of venture…growth equity and private equity…

 

Long Historic traditions to develop these programs in house inside the DoD… Critical technologies and applications that matter most…Tesla’s supercharger network, funded with a government loan…paid back with interest. Us building our program…our ability to pull things together…is because have partnerships across federal space, Hill, and in the building. Average just under 2.5 years…on track to do that under a year…

 

Investment strategy walks through process how think about these things…Space technology not helpful from investment perspective have to subdivide that into more actionable spaces…Investment strategy is the public facing piece of how think about these things…FY25 investment strategy was the inclusion of the federal grant program…previous investment strategy written when didn’t have those authorities…how things are capitalized… 

 

…starts with empathy…what matters and what doesn’t. People bringing online. Hiring bankers not …sophisticated views on how this works, incentive structures to right size these products. Understanding of how these are going to be applied, in terms of commercial industry. Give them a loan, defense contractor…interphase directly with DoD. Completely separate or district from acquisitions system. Applying a good framework and a consistent framework, financial institutions/financial sector more broadly. 

 

Signing up for mailing list, part of the role out, part of the focus groups…Participating roll out is important. Different engagements, opportunities to provide inputs…Facilitating a lot of that communication. Providing value in way need to do it…opportunities to apply for financing…the idea of loan guarantee…offer loans on behalf of DoD (similar to VA home loan)…superficial awareness in roll out of programs…

 

.Consistency in terms of experience and process but also steadiness…from an investment standpoint need confidence in the future…make investment if got some kind of guarantee that something will happen in the future…government not in business of making problems like that…Much more consistent and maintain long-term perspective overtime. Step change more broadly, also more investment side. 

Capitol Views: The Honorable Dusty Johnson, U.S. Representative (R-SD), Member, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; 

 

Mutual respect, care about getting things done. Need to get something…globe going to embrace sustainable aviation…come from perspective of sustainment fuel. Market is massive. Seize on ten percent of that…

 

Farmers in south Dokota…no idea how this could be 95%…excited about (corn/soybeans). These are the kinds of things that can power our economy in a much greater degree. Repurposing 

 

Airbus neat things with hydrogen…let’s get a lot of lines in the water. Hydrogen big…advanced AMC things that can be promising…make sure that we have preferential tax treatment, regulatory environment conducive to innovation

 

Different Governments [compared to Europe] take different approach…more mandate approach. Don’t have a parliamentary system…more often a divided government. Preferential tax treatment a lot easier to come by than general mandates…

 

[End Notes]

 

Keynote Remarks – The Honorable Garret Graves, U.S. Representative (R-LA), Chairman, Aviation Subcommittee, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives

 

From an industry perspective got to make sure investing R&D dollars in tax structures to incentive right behavior…got to hit the sweet spot of economics…need to be thoughtful of that. Appropriate volumes do in a way that’s affordable to industry and others. 

 

Real rarity in congress, in the House…big four agreement. Chair/Ranking have to agree to move something forward…actually get to know someone. Begin figuring out how to work with them and developing a relationship with them….[there are legislators who] fight the [Hill], like Matt Gaetz but unsuccessful legislators in history of Congress…objective not to get these things done… Who actually gets stuff done…when thinking about who casting a vote…cannot continue on trend of Congress becoming reality TV… 

 

Asked for input from stakeholders. Bill while not perfect, was a success because of way this process work. Cargo industry in giving input…way congress is supposed to work. Stakeholders and the industry submitting concerns. 2000s submissions to come up with legislation. 

 

[End Session]

 

Keynote Remarks – The Honorable Sam Graves, Chairman, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; The Honorable Rick Larsen, U.S. Representative (D-WA) and Ranking Member, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

 

Graves: open process…committee membership understood and embraced it wasn’t the house it was then working with senate. Senate bigger problem… house bill very technical…

Larsen: Listening to members…passed a bill not just member priorities but also a policy framework…push FAA to implement things to do…things need to get done because aerospace is changing…safe integration of those technologies…

 

Larsen: Key part is to ensure US aviation/aerospace industry remains. Impetigo to do that give direction to FAA [to address] power lift, drone activity… Also ensuring FAA leads globally standerds of safety…

Graves: Understand technologies…[FAA] very keen on what is important to us his intent to get that rulemaking done as quickly as possible. 

 

Graves: workforce important…want FAA and find opportunities…stood up and office make sure coordinating that and enough of those individuals out there to keep up with the demand…

Larsen: Women and men in companies are part of supply chain. Need to develop part of the challenge. Expanded it and now working with the appropriators to fully build it…

Grow Industry FAA capacity to Test Infrastructure…

Larsen: FAA itself make sure that skills are broadened…knowledge on how industry is training…industry is changing quickly make sure supporting FAA supporting their people. 

Graves: FAA folks out there in field understand manufacturing technologies. Gulf Strean facility…testing program, new technologies…FAA slow to adopt those opportunities or very well defined testing procedures. Have to adopt those up to speed and not behind the curve when it comes to taking these techs and running …got to get FAA to point where they can say yes and not resistant to some of new opportunities out there.