| |  | National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays. | | In this week's edition: • Space Symposium kicks off in Colorado Springs • 'State of the Space Industrial Base' report urges U.S. to speed up innovation • Kratos demonstrates LEO internet for U.S. Army
If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up for free here | | | | Today's highlights: |  | The 2024 Space Symposium kicked off on Monday in Colorado Springs. The marquee event in the space world brings together heavy hitters from across government and industry.
On the national security space lineup are Gen. Stephen Whiting of U.S. Space Command, Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, National Reconnaissance Office deputy director Troy Meink, and Assistant SecDef for Space Policy John Plumb.
Beyond the national security track, the symposium will also feature discussions on the commercial space industry, international cooperation in space, and the future of space exploration. We'll be on the ground all week bringing you the latest. Follow here for updates. |
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| |  | NovaSpace, the consulting firm formerly known as Euroconsult, estimates worldwide government expenditures in space defense and security in 2023 topped $58 billion, a historic high. According to NovaSpace's new report released April 8: Government expenditures are driven by an increasingly fragmented geopolitical context, the growing rivalry between the U.S., China and Russia, as well as the growing integration of space-based services in conventional military forces on land, air and sea. The United States led 2023 spending with $38.9 billion, followed by China with $8.8 billion, Russia with $2.6 billion, and France at $1.3 billion. Japan, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Germany also made substantial investments, each surpassing $500 million. Of the $58 billion allocated in total by governments, an estimated $40 billion was contracted to industry for the provision of crucial space defense and security capabilities. These include the manufacturing and launch of government satellites, the provision of user terminals, commercial operation of government systems, and delivery of commercial space defense and security products, data and services. "An increasingly fragmented global geopolitical context is a major driver of space defense and security expenditures," said principal advisor Simon Seminari, editor of the report. "This is marked by high-intensity conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as well as contained tensions in the South China Sea, the Pacific, the Indian subcontinent and Africa." "As space becomes more contested, congested and competitive, countries worldwide are bolstering their defense readiness," he added.
| | The new "State of the Space Industrial Base" report released on Monday underscores the critical role of the U.S. commercial space sector in preserving America's leadership in space, both for national security and economic competitiveness.
The collaborative report, produced by the Space Force, the Defense Innovation Unit, NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory, emphasizes the need for the U.S. to rapidly adapt and innovate to stay ahead in the global space tech race.
The report comes on the heels of the April 2 release of the Pentagon's new strategy to more deeply integrate commercial space capabilities into its national security architecture. The strategy signals DoD is ready to take greater advantage of private sector investments, rather than relying solely on custom-built government systems. "Integrating commercial solutions, as opposed to merely augmenting existing government systems, will require a shift in approach within the department," said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Leaders at all levels need to be aware of and work to eliminate the barriers to overcoming legacy practices."
| | In other news 🚀 |  | Kratos Defense & Security Solutions conducted a demonstration of satellite-based broadband for the U.S. Army using a virtual ground system — a software-defined alternative to traditional hardware-based ground stations for controlling satellite constellations. The Army is looking for ways to tap into commercial capabilities rather than having to build its own bespoke space networks.
Kratos used its OpenSpace Platform, a virtualized satellite communications (satcom) ground system. In the demonstration, it connected a Cobham tracker antenna to Telesat's LEO 3 satellite. | | | | Helicity Space, a California startup developing fusion engines for spaceflight, announced an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures.
While the parties declined to reveal the value of the investment, Lockheed Martin's backing is important because it's one of the "strategic partners that will matter over the next 10 years," Helicity co-founder Stephane Lintner told SpaceNews.
Other strategic partners include Airbus Ventures and Voyager Space Holdings, two of the investors in Helicity's seed funding round announced in December. Pasadena-based Helicity is developing technology to propel spacecraft with short bursts of fusion. | | Scout Space, a startup based in Reston, Virginia, is developing a space domain awareness sensor aimed at the military market as the U.S. seeks new ways to monitor and protect its assets in orbit.
The company won a $1.8 million Small Business Innovation Research contract under the SpaceWERX Tactically Responsive Space challenge, in partnership with the Space Systems Command's Space Safari program office.
Scout's chief executive Philip Hover-Smoot said the company is using a portion of the funding to accelerate the development of Owl, an optical telescope designed to track objects in space with great detail. | | Thanks for reading ! Please send comments, suggestions and tips to serwin@spacenews.com | | | | |
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