Astronomy Prints 🌌: Space Force reaches out to Silicon Valley and Wall Street

National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays.

Welcome to this week's edition of SpaceNews Military, your concise source for the latest developments at the intersection of space and national security. In this issue, we cover:

- Startups knocking on Space Force 'Front Door'

- CASR program draws attention at industry event

- Aerospace Corp. unveils 'Space Agenda 2025'

If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up for free here

Space & defense brief 🛰️

Space startups flock to the military market

The Space Force's "Front Door" initiative has been bustling with activity, Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy shared last week at AFCEA Space Industry Days in Los Angeles.

"Our Front Door is very busy," Purdy said, referring to the program designed to streamline collaboration between the Space Force and commercial space companies, especially newcomers.

Purdy, who is military deputy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, reported that since August 2023, the Front Door initiative has fielded 850 inquiries from commercial vendors, with an estimated $151 million in contracts awarded as a result.

This outreach includes a vetting process through the U.S. Air Force-funded Office of Commercial Economic Analysis (OCEA), which helps to assess economic risks associated with potential partners. The government is also tapping into financial data from Pitchbook Analytics to inform its decisions on working with these startups.
This wave of engagement extends to investors as well, said Purdy.
Earlier this month, Purdy and Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein traveled to New York to meet with venture capitalists. Their message? "We try to inform [VCs] of where we want investment and where we think we need to go,"

Space Force commercial reserve program gaining momentum

The Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) program was in the spotlight at the Space Industry Days event.

CASR is a Space Force initiative to bolster U.S. defense readiness through commercial partnerships, harnessing private satellite and space capabilities during emergencies. Formally approved in 2023, CASR looks to lock in pre-negotiated contracts with commercial space providers, enabling rapid access to resources in case of cyberattacks or other threats to military assets.

Col. Richard Kniseley, head of the Space Systems Command's Commercial Space Office, emphasized the program's focus on building an integrated space architecture.

He acknowledged some industry hesitations, including "denial of service" clauses, which could prioritize government needs over commercial ones during a crisis. And he tackled a common misconception: CASR isn't just a marketing label for companies to wear, Kniseley said at the conference, comparing CASR's purpose to building a reliable and mission-critical bridge between military and commercial space.
The next steps? CASR participants will take part in war games and exercises early next year to test this collaboration model in action. Space domain awareness and communications in the Indo-Pacific are expected to be among the first areas of focus.
Kniseley said his team is actively "listening to industry" and is planning a feedback session in December. "We're not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes," he noted, signaling a partnership-oriented approach as CASR's first contracts are anticipated by early 2025.

LMV is Lockheed Martin's Venture Capital arm, and about a third of its portfolio is invested in space. Some of its most notable space investments include launchers Rocket Lab and ABL Space.

Space Force acquisition arm prioritizes resilient, reliable capabilities

In a new command plan, the head of the Space Systems Command (SSC) — the acquisition arm of the U.S. Space Force — is stressing the need to provide "reliable and resilient space capabilities that can be deployed effectively in operational scenarios."

Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, who leads SSC, said the new plan is designed to set "organizational priorities aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and readiness of space capabilities amid increasing global competition, particularly with nations like China and Russia."

The command plan outlines three guiding tenets: Deliver combat-credible, ready, and resilient capabilities; establish a world-class culture to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional people; modernize the command structure to maximize effectiveness
"The space domain is becoming more contested, so we have to be laser-focused on providing our warfighters with the capabilities they need to succeed," Garrant said last week at Space Industry Days.

In Other News 🚀

Space Agenda 2025, a report released last week by The Aerospace Corporation, recommends that DoD step up support of commercial space companies.

The report is intended to provide advice to the next administration on key topics in civil, commercial and national security space.

Private investment has dropped significantly since a peak in 2021, and investors say access to capital remains difficult for space companies today.

The report recommends the Pentagon consider "anchor tenancy" for some companies that are developing technologies DoD believes it will need. "Without consistent government demand, many U.S. commercial space firms that offer valuable defense applications may not survive."

Space launch startup Astra has won a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) worth up to $44 million to support development of its Rocket 4 launch vehicle.

The contract is part of a DIU program called Novel Responsive Space Delivery that included previous awards to another launch vehicle company, Stoke Space, and The Spaceport Company, which is developing sea-based launch platforms. DIU said the contract will support "prototyping a solution that will enable responsive and precise point-to-point delivery of cargo to, through, and from space."

The National Reconnaissance Office will invite companies to propose remote sensing capabilities on an ongoing basis.

In the past, the agency responsible for designing, building and operating U.S. spy satellites has solicited proposals through Broad Area Announcements, which have defined timelines for submission and contract award.

Next year, the NRO will seek proposals through a contracting mechanism called Commercial Solutions Opportunity (CSO). Through CSO, the NRO will invite companies to submit proposals for electro-optical, radar, hyperspectral and other remote sensing modalities the agency has investigated through BAAs.