In preparation for the Space Operations Summit 2024, we were privileged to receive an article from MITRE on the importance of Space on multi-domain C2. In this piece, Dr Eliahu Niewood and Chris Niessen make it loud and clear that there could be no multidomain operations without a mastery of space. The article covers how space is essential for critical aspects of JADC2 such as:

• Communication
• Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
• Sensing
  

The UK is currently focusing on becoming a major player in space, specialising in small satellite launch. We were privileged to interview Matthew Archer, Director of Launch for the UK Space Agency. In this interview he covers the state-of-play of UK launch while emphasising the importance of agency, industry, and international collaboration and alignment to ensure the UK remains a competitive player in the space sector. Perhaps most important of all, he delves into how the Agency’s open policy can be used for the benefit of organisations and individuals with an interest in space.

Space is an ever-growing domain subject to constant disruption due to a multiple of factors ranging from technology to politics. We had the privilege of interviewing RAND Space expert James Black, who goes into detail about the current state-of-play in space, delving into the challenges but also the opportunities. In this piece, he explores the multiple avenues the space domain may take while also giving context to some of the most recent events that affected space such as the War in Ukraine. As an emergent domain, there is still a lot to be done to ensure that Space remains a prosperous and safe domain from the satellites themselves, all the way down to the supply chains that sustain them.

As space becomes more accessible, more nations are beginning to incorporate the domain into their national strategies. While the US remains at the lead in spending, new entrants such as Poland have emerged, while the UK and France have both pledged to increase their spending. This market report covers spending from selected countries on:

• Point Navigation and Timing Systems (PNT)
• Communications/SatCom
• Third Party Launches
• Data Gathering
• Earth Observations
• Space Training
  

In this interview, Air Marshal Andrew Turner delves into the logarithmic increasing importance of Space Domain Awareness. Life on earth has become ever more dependent on the Space Domain which has led to issues in space congestion and collision. In this piece he:

• Explains the urgency of the Space problem
• The role new technologies can play in solving the issue
• Challenges of implementing these new technologies
  

Space no longer has the barriers to entry it once did. Its democratisation has allowed greater participation by both nations and private actors. This activity has proven to be a double edge sword as our reliance on space has cluttered it increasing the potential of disaster, whether by incident or design. In this Rapid-Fire interview, Brigadier General Teichmann shares his views on the current state-of-play of the Space Domain Awareness.

Ahead of the Space Operations Summit 2023, the 2022 Attendee Report highlights the leading organisations within the industry and extensive list of high-level attendees that have previously attended. The event lends itself as a unique and useful opportunity for industry leaders, space commands, government officials and academia to come together to share with the forum the challenges they face and solutions to these challenges.

In this interview Richard Laing, Principal Project Manager for the NCI’s Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Centre expresses his views on the developing space domain. Space has become one the most exciting domains as every day it is becoming more democratised, opening to new concepts and industries. Space’s increased accessibility provides new opportunities, challenges and threats. Richard uses his experience and knowledge to reflect on these aspects providing invaluable insight for anyone in the sector.

View the 2019 attendee list for Space Operations Summit to see who participated. 

In 2019, the inaugural  Space Operations Summit welcomed speakers from 10 nations and a truly international attendee faculty to London.

Missed the summit? Find out what you missed with the Defence iQ Space Operations Post Show Report. 

Included within the report are: 

• 2019 Attendee snapshots and demographics
• Event Summary provided by conference co-chairmen Steve Huybrechts, Chief of Staff, Applied Minds & Mark Presley, Director, MAP ANALYTICA
• 2019 Speakers