26 July, 2023
Speakers:
-Even Rogers, CEO, True Anomaly
-Col. (ret.) Dean Bellamy, Executive Vice President, National Security Space, Redwire
-Jason Kim, Senior Policy Analyst, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
-Arthur Herman, Senior Fellow
-Peter Huessy, Senior Fellow
-Chris Shank, Vice President of Defense and Space Programs, Maxar
Peter Hussey
Opening Statement:
-Good afternoon everybody. My name is Peter Hussey and I am a senior fellow here at the Hudson Institute. I'm also President of Geostrategic Analysis. Back in 2014, I started a space policy seminar series with the aim of taking issues that weren't necessarily in the news but needed to be discussed. And one of my first speakers was. Congressman Rogers and Congressman Jim Cooper. I didn't know it at the time, but they said they would like to create a space force. And a lot of what we're doing now in the space business is where are we going? And there are an enormous number of commercial and military actors. There's the US government, both civilian and military and industry think tanks and so forth. And so today's panel was suggested by a number of our panelists as a way of looking at the cooperation between the commercial and military space operations, how to protect our assets in space and how to work cooperatively with the US government.
Jason Kim
Opening Statement:
Jason Kim, the Department of Commerce, Office of Space Commerce, which is within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. We are the space industry's advocate voice inside the government when there's all these interagency policy debates and discussions about dual use technologies. And we have to find the right balance between national security and foreign policy and commercial economic interests. And so we're that voice. But we also have a couple of new mission areas that just within the last year we've taken on, were restructured so that we took on the licensing function, the regulatory function for commercial remote sensing satellites in the United States. And we've also been assigned through a presidential directive to take on the mission of providing space situational awareness or spaceflight safety information to commercial and civil satellite operators. So we're expanding and we are hiring right now.
On Progress in Space Technology
-It's kind of funny because I've been in this job for over 25 years and we were making those arguments to the DOD and the intelligence community 25 years ago that, Oh, this would be a stabilizing technology if people could see what's going on in other countries or across the borders.
-Just the fact that you could take pictures from space without a spy satellite, basically a commercial satellite. In the beginning of this industry in the 90s, we created the regulations.
-We were just talking about one meter resolution imagery back then. And now we can get down to much better than that.
On Government and Commercial Cooperation
-And I think you're going to see some news coming out by the end of the month about new capabilities that we're allowing to come out into the commercial marketplace, because we all now recognize as a government that this is in our benefit.
-Well, I mean, a lot of the licensing and oversight for commercial communication satellites is done through the FCC.
-We were advocating for inside the government. And I think you're going to see some news coming out by the end of the month about new capabilities that we're allowing to come out into the commercial marketplace.
-The commercial sector has absolutely a role to play in demonstrating norms of responsible behavior in space.
-The commercial industry is part of that. But, you know, again, space sustainability in general is a huge concern for all of us, not just for national security, but for commercial and for civil space.
On Space Security
-Secure World Foundation also has a good publication on Counter Space capabilities that are out there, and I can neither confirm nor deny whether they're accurate. But they're eye-opening capabilities.
-Even the astronauts, I mean, their lives are at stake if we don't have sustained sustainability in space, that's going to prevent debris and catastrophic kind of explosions in space from threatening their lives.
-That's what we're trying to build with our space situational awareness capability. That's leveraging a lot of commercial capability that's out there that's better than or at least provides better coverage than what the DOD is covering right now.
On the Future of Space Exploration
-I'm thinking five, ten years down the road. I mean, by then, we'll actually have the landings on the moon and the cislunar activity taking place.
-We're going to have, you know, things like the starship Operationalised where we're going to have access to space, that is. I mean, hundreds of times cheaper than it is right now.
-We're going to need more government involvement. I don't want to say regulation, but we need more oversight of what's going on.
On International Cooperation in Space
-The EU has always been a great ally in terms of space cooperation across a whole number of areas.
-We've created an international committee on gas where we kind of align our standards and our commitments and our transparency, our documentation so that we can all work together and get the benefit.
-I think it's just a, you know, Google does that kind of stuff every day, right? Taking all kinds of diverse information, putting it together. We can get there, too. It's just going to take some work.
On Space Regulations and Oversight
-We also need to clear the field so that regulations don't hold back all this commercial innovation.
-We've been able to pack more and more and more flights into the same airspace. Why? Because we have better situational awareness.
-We need to develop the standards and the data transfer capability and the formatting to make sure that, you know, they use a metric system. We don't, you know, that they can actually input the same data together and come up with a better product.
On Shared Responsibility in Space
-It's in our national security to allow this capability. And oh, by the way, everyone else in the world is already providing this or a lot of other folks are providing similar capabilities.
-The commercial sector has absolutely a role to play in demonstrating norms of responsible behavior in space when they're doing things like, you know, rendezvous and proximity operations.
-So it's in all of our collective interest to maintain the sustainability of space and to keep it safe and to not allow a war to escalate into space.
On Collaboration for Space Sustainability
-It's in our national security to allow this capability. And oh, by the way, everyone else in the world is already providing this or a lot of other folks are providing similar capabilities.
-We can federate all these systems. They just need to be able to talk to each other. We need to develop the standards and the data transfer capability and the formatting to make sure that they can actually input the same data together and come up with a better product.
-That's where I'd like to see us go for space situational awareness that, yeah, we have our own system in the US. The Europeans have the SST system. Japan has a system that they're developing.
Chris Shank
Opening Statement:
With Max, we're roughly 4500 employees across the US. We actually divide the company up into two main areas: Earth intelligence, the commercial remote sensing imaging, as well as the space infrastructure side. So we build low Earth orbit, a number of imaging satellites where we actually max our and legacy space systems. Loral has built the largest number of geo satellite communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit for NASA. We're building the power propulsion element for the gateway that will be in orbit around the moon here in a few years, as well as the NASA psyche mission, which will be going out to the asteroid belt and doing that. So exciting a variety of missions from commercial defense and Intel as well as civil capability. I'm looking forward to this discussion.
On the Importance of Transparency for Democracy
-Transparency is a powerful tool for democracies and it is the bane of tyrants. So the images that you see that are high resolution and unclassified are shared with our international partners and allies, as well as the news media through the news bureau.
-Thanks to the Department of Commerce and the Office of Space Commerce in particular, last fall, they allowed us to then, hey, you can take images not just of on the earth now, you can now pivot our satellites around and look at bad actors operating in the low-Earth orbit regime as well.
-The ability, our ability to then take the transparency that you're seeing today in the past year and a half on the Ukraine war, we hope to be able to provide some transparency in the space domain as well.
On Mitigation of Risky Space Behaviors
-I was at NASA during that time of the Chinese shootdown of their weather satellite and you know that explosion in space and the orbital debris...our astronauts are having to take shelter in the space station because of the risky behavior.
-We need to thank you for allowing us to provide that transparency out there, because flights, we are all subject to the same flight safety risks and we need to mitigate those risks.
-When the US did its shoot down in the 2008 timeframe, it was purposefully done so that it would deorbit immediately. It was not, you know, it did not create this debris cloud like it has gone on.
On the Impact of Government Investments on Space Industry
-The most important thing which enabled SpaceX and Elon to take off was the government investments, both in the Air Force side and NASA side for his Falcon rocket and delivery of cargo and then crew to the International Space Station.
-The retirement of the space shuttle has allowed the US launch industry to really take off. Now we're filling them up now that it's so much cheaper to get into orbit and we have taken share away, launch, share away from a number of international competitors on this.
-The growth of satellite applications like what Evan is doing, what we're doing and others are doing is really taking off.
-The message that I have given to a number of guardians, space guardians, is that this is the most exciting time I've seen in my career, that everyone is working really hard. There will be failures along the way, but we're going in the right direction and it is an innovative direction and that is what is attracting the workforce into this.
On the Advancement and Opportunities in Space Industry
-This is the most exciting time I've seen in my career, that everyone is working really hard. There will be failures along the way, but we're going in the right direction and it is an innovative direction and that is what is attracting the workforce into this.
-Our growth in international partners has really been skyrocketing because they want to be able to leverage our capabilities as well. We'll be launching our next generation satellites here soon.
-The growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning in order to handle this much data is necessary. And we are hiring like crazy. If you know a C plus Java, etcetera, Python, give us a call.
On the Emergence of Commercial Space Industry
-Now, the satellite applications, the growth of satellite applications like what Evan is doing, what we're doing and others are doing is really taking off.
-For us in terms of commercial, remote sensing and commercial imaging, what we're seeing as a result of our transparency operations in Ukraine is that our growth in international partners has really been skyrocketing because they want to be able to leverage our capabilities as well.
-We'll be launching our next generation satellites here soon. And we're going from handling 4,000,000km² a day of imagery to 525, the growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning in order to handle this much data is necessary. And we are hiring like crazy.
On Mitigation Techniques Against Space Threats
-Electromagnetic pulse is a dangerous threat. Can't talk about it too much in an open forum, but this is something that has been pursued from near-peer competitors with that capability and mitigation.
-There's a couple of mitigation techniques in terms of hardening, using different frequencies, that kind of thing that you can do.
Evan Rogers
Opening Statement:
Good afternoon. My name is Evan Rogers. I'm the CEO of True Anomaly. About 18 months ago, I was in uniform. I was a space operations officer in the DOD for ten years, and I hung up the uniform to start a company called True Anomaly. We are building the technologies and the concepts for a more secure, sustainable and stable space environment for the benefit of US allies and partners. I saw a major gap in the defense industrial base while I was in uniform and sought to fill that gap with my colleagues formerly in uniform and in a great team of engineers based in Colorado, LA, two sites in Colorado, Denver and Colorado Springs and our team in DC. We're a venture backed startup backed by some very robust Silicon Valley based investors and very glad to be on the stage with this great panel. And Jason's also my regulator. The products that we're building have the capability of Non-earth imaging. We'll talk a little bit more about that here in a second. We're focused on the readiness and credibility of guardians as they seek to contribute to the joint force. And we're focused on preventing operational surprise by proliferating sensors in different orbits for the purpose of space. Domain awareness and non-earth intelligence.
On the Importance of Collaboration in Space Domain
-What happens in the space domain isn't isolated to a particular orbit typically. So the consequences of an accident, a mishap, whether that is a mishap that comes from adversary activity or or just an accident, accidents happen, isn't isolated to a single operator, isn't isolated to a single nation.
-The deep collaboration will facilitate the lanes of communication, the lines of communication that are necessary to deconflict risky activity in the space domain, but also offers opportunities, I think, for what we should be seeking as a nation with respect to arms verification and control in the space domain.
On Breaking Barriers for Progress
-We are undergoing a transformation in the national security enterprise with respect to what we can talk about up until 2015, saying that space was a warfighting domain.
-There are legacy stakeholders within the Department of Defense and the intelligence community that are adhering to ways of operating that are preventing progress.
On the Necessity of Iterative Development Process
-What you do in peacetime matters, which means that you have to use peacetime to iterate very quickly. And to do that requires a public private partnership that facilitates iteration, that rewards iteration and rewards, not having maybe the perfect solution out the gate, but instead allows for some flexibility.
On Commercial Access to Space Communication
-There's been some really interesting and important advances in commercial company access to communications. I'm really not familiar with the regulatory side.
-We've interacted with FCC from a licensing standpoint, but a company like True Anomaly could not have existed. Even 15 years ago, I think ten years ago, because the maturity of the defense industrial base and the regulatory framework wouldn't have supported it, it would have cost us way too much money.
On Coupling between Commercial Operators and DOD
-The Russian-Ukrainian conflict was a great opportunity to highlight this, that commercial operators become targets when they support the DOD, and a large amount of revenue for commercial operators is sourced from the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.
On Establishing Norms of Behavior in Space
-There's ways that I think the industry partners and the government can work together to establish those procedures, demonstrate those procedures and adhere to them.
-I'd like to see industry come together and sort of lead that charge, because we really are building the first generation of proliferated rendezvous and proximity technologies.
Vision for Secure and Stable Space Environment
-We have a grand and exciting vision. And I think what that looks like is proliferated sensors in all orbits that create a more stable environment, that create transparency, that create opportunities for diplomacy and a more connected world.
On the Role of International Cooperation
-Broadly, international cooperation is clearly a net positive force. I think. I think the EU is an untapped resource here and I think that is likely to wake up in the same way that sort of you've seen some of the awakening of NATO vis a vis Russia and Ukraine.
On Necessity of Transparency in Space Activities
-A couple of our adversaries are doing some things in space that should draw special critique given the orbits that they are doing them in and the pace of development of those counter space capabilities. And the antidote to that really is transparency. And you get transparency through great sensing technologies.
On the Unique Challenges of the Space Domain
-The Space Force faces a historically specific challenge relative to other domains. They will be expected to get the fight right the first time, as opposed to the naval domain and the air domain where small skirmishes didn't have large strategic impacts in the development of the initial doctrine and tactics and technologies.
On the Impact of Conflict in Space on Commercial Operators
-Commercial operators become targets when they support the DOD, and a large amount of revenue for commercial operators is sourced from the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.
-This goes to, I think, some dual use issues and the intertwined nature of the sort of space industrial complex and the broader defense industrial base.
-Everything that happens in the space domain affects everybody else that operates in the space domain. I think there's a question about how we deal with being targeted and the broad consequences of failure of our spacecraft as a result of adversary action.
On Supply Chain Issues in Prolonged Conflict
-There is sort of an increasing awareness of supply chain issues associated with a protracted conflict that is very poignant when it comes to space because you just don't have the infrastructure that's capable of generating replacement units for things that need to go into a space domain.
On Growth and Hiring in the Space Sector
-We are also aggressively hiring. Uh, 40% remote workforce. We are standing up offices in D.C. and LA, and we have a headquarters in Denver, brand new beautiful factory where we're going to be pumping out one jacqueville spacecraft every five days. Unprecedented scale for a complex prox ops capable satellite.
On the Role of Technology and Infrastructure in Space Operations
-We communicate with our spacecraft through Azure Orbital and ViaSat RTG, and that is just cloud infrastructure that allows my operators and Space Force operators to log in anywhere in the world and fly spacecraft securely.
-This has been a tremendous value add; all of this infrastructure is getting disaggregated and commoditized and it's really allowed us to invest where we need to rather than build our own ground stations.
Dean Bellamy
Opening Statement:
Redwire space. I would echo to say it's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for the invite to be with so many distinguished colleagues and friends that I have here. Redwire Space. I oversee the national security space activities that we do at Redwire Redwire. A lot of you may be familiar with us. We do things like working with Boeing and others to do things like the solar arrays on the International Space Station. And we have a partnership with Max R on a number of activities like Gateway. We also did all the great photos where you saw the Artemis program, maybe the moon and the Earth in the background, you know, Red Wire did that program as well. And I would also really echo my friend Chris, what he said for the young professionals, the next generation of space professionals and leaders, what a great time to be coming into space and looking at opportunities and having a chance to whether it be work with NOAA or on the industry side or on the government side during national security space. We were both in uniform together at the same time. And it is a pleasure to be up here with you as well.
On the Consequences of Space Conflict
-I don't know how many people use maps or GPS to get here, but if something catastrophic did happen, like to a GPS satellite, you might not have your phone. The maps are being able to use those on the phone.
On the Shift Towards Commercial Leasing in Space Industry
-There are some missions that maybe aren't inherently DOD or maybe government where you can just lease capabilities that are there. And it really goes to where and you see that it was General Saltzman and General Thompson, and you hear Mr. Cavelli talking about this decision.
On the Importance of Advancing Cybersecurity in Space
-I know you may not know this about Red Wire, but we're actually building a quantum key distribution satellite for Asia in Europe. And we're actually doing that. So I agree with you on the cybersecurity side, and we definitely agree with you on the quantum side.
-Having seven year cycles on satellites and building satellites is just not fast enough for the loop that the adversary is moving at.
On Concerns about Rapid Advancement of Adversaries in Space
-I'm extremely worried about it. So we should give a shout out to the intelligence community. Dr. Larry Gershwin and his team, folks like Mike Betts, the Intel analysts going back to you. You mentioned 2007 have made predictions and the adversaries have hit every mark that they said they would hit.
On the Future of Collaboration Between Government and Commercial Entities in Space
-It really starts with the government. And I think in the next ten years, we're going to see continued collaborations between the Department of Commerce and Space Force and NASA, and everybody can come together as one direction unified over the next ten years.
-I see the ability for them and us to work really well together.
-On the commercial side, I see continued work, for example I think you're going to see collaboration between commercial and Space Force doing a space domain awareness project like you're talking about preventing something catastrophic, right?
Acknowledging the Vital Role of Investors in the Space Industry
-If you look at the VCs, we don't talk about the VCs, but companies like A&E have invested so much money and the people on Wall Street that have helped out to support the space industry have been another third leg to the billionaires to really allow us to excel at a rate we couldn't have seen before.
On Enhancing Space Traffic Management
-We started something called the Space Posture Review. And that led into really the White House looking at how you've got to have better collaboration with both commercial DOD and Space traffic management, with the Department of Commerce.
On Building vs. Buying Decisions in Space Technology
-If there's a commercial already there, then maybe we just buy it versus we build it and develop it. And we just use capabilities that are there.
-I think comms is going to be an area where just like launch that they may consider looking at that is a big make buy option.
On Biotech Innovations in Space
-I actually see that we're going to do amazing things on the biotech side. I think if you look on the NASA and NOAA side, whether it's more pharma work, more greenhouse work on the International Space Station.
Arthur Herman
Opening Statement:
I'm Arthur Herman. I'm a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. I'm director of something called the Quantum Alliance Initiative. Do a lot of work on quantum technology and other issues, but I also maintain a keen interest in and I'd like to think of some expertise with regard to space, in particular space industrial base issues. And currently I can tell you that I'm heading up a commission that is working based here at Hudson, working on space workforce issues, on questions of workforce development and so on. Now we are not hiring. Just to let you know that is the case. However, these are the kind of questions that I'm hoping that part of the discussion will be on. One of the issues that are being confronted here in the commercial space and also in the government space programs and institutions is the question of workforce development and workforce retention. So I'm hoping we'll get some views from all of you about that. Absolutely.
On Reduced Federal Government Interest in Space
-An interest in part of the federal government in space began to wane... in terms of its space, in terms of its role in space, and the importance of space.
On the Emergence of Private Sector Space Exploration
-A group of entrepreneurs from the private sector decided that they would undertake the process of opening up space... Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson.
On Global Power Dynamics in Space
-Russia and China also were taking a keen interest in what was happening in space... that space had, in fact, become now a potential contested zone.
On the Creation of the Space Force and Government's Renewed Interest in Space
-The federal government also began to pay attention as well... and realized that it had to turn to commercial space.
On the Possible Points of Conflict within Government Agencies
-I think one of those points of intersection and perhaps conflict has been between the Space Force and NASA.
On Cybersecurity and Quantum Technology in Space
-The issue of cybersecurity and the security of communication networks and links in space... a strong push by the United States of developing a quantum satellite.
On the Importance of Strong Collaboration between Commercial and National Security Space Assets
-That really drives home the point, doesn't it, about how important it is to build a strong bond and connection between commercial and our national security space assets.
-But also that this was huge, had huge national security implications as well, that whoever dominated space in the future, it was understood, would be dominant on earth as well as a superpower.
-You've created a vulnerability within the commercial sphere, the private sector, which the private sector needs to step up and be aware of and not just assume, oh, in the case of a conflict, we'll just get some great pictures of what's happening and images of what's happening. It's going to be much more dangerous than that.
Q&A
Question: How do you think about SSA data sharing and SSA integration between the U.S. and EU?
Answer (Dean Bellamy): A broader diplomatic, information, military, economic (DIME) strategy between U.S. and EU would make sense. A strategy that involves not only commerce but also space command initiatives like SSA sharing agreements.
Answer (Arthur Herman): The EU has taken significant steps in quantum satellite development and would love to see the United States becoming a part of the quantum satellite launch program that would be integrated with the EU and other entities.
Question: What about the integration of international components being integrated together?
Answer (Dean Bellamy): There's a risk aversion on the government side due to cybersecurity concerns, but if a robust cybersecurity framework is in place, a broader use of these international components could be beneficial.
Answer (Chris Shank): There's already some collaboration going on, such as flying SSA payloads with Japan and installing ground-based radars in other countries.
Answer (Evan Rogers): There are aspects of the U.S. space industrial base that have not been able to meet the needs, and have had to go to international companies.
Question: What are the issues with workforce development in the space industry? Where are the skill shortages and what can be done on a policy level to address them?
Answer (Dean Bellamy): There are skill shortages on the software side, system engineering side, mechanical engineering, physics, and mechanical engineering. Security clearances are a challenge, and the process could be more efficient to benefit commercial companies.
Answer (Evan Rogers): The challenge is finding qualified individuals who can go through the security clearance process. The pace of this process is slow, which impacts hiring. Another issue is the diversity of the workforce, which is a challenge in space, aerospace, and tech.
Answer (Chris Shank): Policy has improved the speed of the process for security clearances, although it's not yet where it needs to be. Workforce needs are being filled due to Maxar's brand recognition and sense of mission, but the market is tight. The company can't hire enough software engineers, especially those with expertise in AIML.
Answer (Jason Kim): From a government agency perspective, hiring is a challenge due to bureaucratic processes. Making space more appealing to younger generations could help overcome this, especially with more mission-oriented initiatives and inspiring projects like Artemis.
About sharing data and SSA data and integration of international components:
Mitch Ledbetter: You talk about sharing data and SSA data. What about the integration of international components being integrated together?
Dean Bellamy: We're very risk adverse sometimes on the government side of using some of these international components, maybe from a cybersecurity perspective. But I think if you put a cybersecurity framework in there, looking at the software to evaluate the software to make sure that there's no cyber effects like you could have, then I think there could be a broader use, right, of those components where it makes sense and where it's appropriate.
Chris Shank: We're flying some SSA payloads with the Japanese, for example. I'm not like that. Right? So there is there is collaboration going on. And also ground networks say ground-based radars are going into other countries.
Evan Rogers: There are aspects of the US-based space industrial base that have not been able to meet our needs and we have had to go to international companies. Particularly, I mean primarily UK and a couple of European companies, but we just were not able to get components fast enough at a reasonable price from some US providers.
About workforce development and talent pipeline:
Matthew Tweeden: Where are you all seeing skill shortages? Where are you all seeing barriers in the talent pool development, whether that be shortcomings of policy, the limitations in security clearances or whatever the talent pipeline and what can be done on a policy level to address that?
Dean Bellamy: We are hiring as well, like my colleagues here. But I will tell you, on the software side system, engineering side, mechanical engineering, physics and mechanical engineering, a lot of those are really important skill sets we want to have. But cleared the bill is an issue on the security side. It's very hard to get cleared engineers from the government unless you have a direct contract.
Evan Rogers: We face issues with qualified clearable individuals who have the latest and greatest practices coming out of their universities or other companies. The other piece I really want to highlight is the diversity of the workforce. We really value that.
Chris Shank: We're dealing with petabytes of data. We're 100 and 125PB of data on the Amazon cloud right now so that if you want to do the most cutting edge AIML work, you're able to swim in an ocean of data.
Jason Kim: You could put all the investment that you want into the STEM field and education, but then those kids will just go off and like get video game jobs or special effects in the movies. How do you make space more appealing? I think what you talked about with mission-oriented or like helping sustainability of the Earth's orbits, I think that's more of a thing that the Gen Z will respond to.
Commentaires