Featured Speaker

The Honorable Michael W. Wynne, Secretary of the Air Force, addressed conference attendees in a speech that reflected upon the successes and the challenges faced by the space community. He offered his thanks to those who have supported the Air Force’s activities in space, and urged further development and innovation. Secretary Wynne commented on the ill effects of a shift away from standards in government programs, and he noted that it has been difficult to implement the ‘back to basics’ approach. The United States has had to relearn how to integrate systems engineering into its acquisition process, and it was not something that could have been done overnight.

Looking toward the future, Secretary Wynne warned against complacency in light of the recent string of success, especially in the launch industry. He also advocated an approach to satellite design that takes into account the contested nature of space. Technologies such as clustered satellites and in-space refueling offer potential for more robust space systems, but Wynne noted that all aspects of a system need protection. Whether a threat arises from a kinetic anti-satellite weapon, jamming, or cyber attacks against the command and control infrastructure, satellite designers and operators need to be prepared to defend their systems. The best way to reduce vulnerability is to ensure the irrelevance of a single attack, buying time to engage in a coordinated defense.