Equity From Air Force officer to space defense CEO: Why Even Rogers left to build weapons for orbit
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Nov 5, 2025 Even Rodgers, a former U.S. Air Force weapons officer and CEO of True Anomaly, dives into the evolving landscape of space defense. After witnessing the advancements of adversaries like China and Russia, he founded a company focused on military capabilities in orbit. They discuss the challenges of developing autonomous spacecraft like Jackal, designed for multi-role missions, and the urgent need for the U.S. to catch up. Rodgers also shares insights on investor interest in space as a warfighting domain and the unique dynamics between startups and the Space Force.
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Founder’s Origin Story
- Even Rodgers named True Anomaly after the orbital element “true anomaly” and because space warfare doctrine was immature when he served.
- He left the Air Force in 2022 to build purpose-built space superiority systems after seeing operational gaps firsthand.
Defense-Only Strategy
- True Anomaly is exclusively a defense company focused on space superiority, not dual-use sales.
- They build payloads, spacecraft, and autonomy together to deliver military-grade capabilities.
Why Vertical Integration Matters
- Vertical integration is essential because autonomy determines spacecraft performance in contested engagements.
- You need high-performance spacecraft, advanced autonomy, and dedicated sensors to realize space combat capabilities.
