The Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Nation Podcast

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to listen to Aerospace Nation with Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Gen Brown discussed the lessons from his tenure as Air Force Chief, the challenges of building capability and capacity under budget constraints, and the critical importance of America’s Airmen in great power competition.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to listen to our Schriever Spacepower Series event with Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting, Commander of Space Operations Command. Gen Whiting discussed the space domain’s criticality to national security, the latest in space technologies and tracking, and space’s role in winning our kill chain competitions.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to listen to Aerospace Nation with Lt Gen Leah G. Lauderback, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations. Lt Gen Lauderback discusses what it means to successfully fight and win in the information age with the full spectrum of ISR and cyber tools the USAF brings to the equation.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to listen to the rollout of our newest policy paper: Scale, Scope, Speed, and Survivability: Winning the Kill Chain Competition by Heather Penney. She was joined by Brig Gen Richard A. Goodman, Commander, 57th Wing. In this report, Penney explains how “kill chain” is an enduring framework for the process of securing battlespace effects. Often, this means putting a bomb or missile on target, all while the adversary is attempting to do the same against U.S. forces. Winning this kill chain competition matters. Due to the rapid advance and proliferation of technology in an era of peer competition, the dominance of U.S. kill chains is eroding. This report proposes four principles—scale, scope, speed, and survivability—to successfully guide Air Force efforts as they develop capabilities and operational concepts that can successfully deter and, if necessary, prevail against the People’s Liberation Army. This research report helps lay out key considerations necessary for understanding how to build kill chains that can win now and into the future.

The Mitchell Institute invites you to listen to the Schriever Spacepower Series with Maj Gen Shawn N. Bratton, Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command. Maj Gen Bratton joins us to discuss Space Force training, education and doctrine, and STARCOM’s contributions to space warfighting.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies invites you to listen to Aerospace Nation with Lt Gen Richard G. Moore, Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, United States Air Force and Lt Gen Philip A. Garrant, Deputy Chief of Space Operations, Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, United States Space Force. The general officers discussed the nature of modern adversary threats, cooperation with allies and partners, and how our forces are preparing to overcome operational challenges in this vast and unique theater.

Mitchell Institute Spacepower Security Forum 2023  April 5, 2023, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, VA. Closing Keynote: Dr. Lisa A. Costa, SES, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), USSF: Dr. Lisa A. Costa, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the first permanent Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO) of the United States Space Force. In this role, she is charged with unlocking and harnessing innovation to leverage increased speed and advantage.

Mitchell Institute Spacepower Security Forum 2023  April 5, 2023, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, VA. A Vision for Proliferated Orbits and Small Satellites: Space Force leaders have repeatedly discussed the advantages they expect to accrue by placing a larger number of smaller, simpler satellites into orbit as part of integrated, collaborative low earth orbit constellations. Not only does this promise to deliver capability in a faster, lower-cost fashion, it also eliminates single points of failure. This panel will discuss this vision and provide an update regarding how Space Force leaders are seeing this concept evolve—driven both by operational requirements and the threat. Moderator: Gen Kevin P. Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Explorer Chair, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence Brig Gen Timothy A. Sejba, Program Executive Officer, Space Systems Command Brig Gen Timothy A. Sejba is the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power and the PEO for Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications, Space Systems Command. He directs two diverse portfolios of over 60 programs and $12B+ encompassing a wide-range of mission areas, which include space domain awareness, space control, strategic warning and surveillance, defensive cyber operations, innovation and prototyping, and operational and tactical command and control systems. Col Eric Felt, Director of Space Architecture and Integration, USSF Col Eric Felt is the Director of Space Architecture & Integration of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition & Integration. Robert Atkin, Vice President of Asymmetric Systems Group, General Atomics-EMS Robert Atkin is the Vice President of the Asymmetric Systems Group with GA-EMS. Prior to this he was the President and CEO of Tiger Innovations Inc. which specialized in developing spacecraft and space-related systems for a broad range of US Government customers and particularly small, lightweight and low-power innovative solutions. Charles Galbreath, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Mitchell Institute Spacepower Security Forum 2023  April 5, 2023, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, VA. Lunch Keynote: Dr. Derek Tournear, Director, Space Development Agency: SDA is responsible for unifying and integrating the Department’s space development efforts, monitoring the Department’s threat-driven future space architecture, and accelerating fielding of new military space capabilities necessary to ensure U.S. technological and military advantages in space.

Mitchell Institute Spacepower Security Forum 2023  April 5, 2023, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, VA. Space’s Role in North American Defense: Missile Warning and Tracking: Adversaries are increasingly developing long-range strike missiles that legacy ground-based radars are unable to track in the time needed to provide warning and cue defenses. They are also fielding anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons to degrade or destroy existing U.S. space-based missile warning sensors. This panel will explore operational concepts and associated technologies required to address these threats. Moderator: Lt Gen Joseph T. Guastella, Jr, USAF (Ret.), Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Lt Gen DeAnna M. Burt, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, USSF As the Chief Operations Officer, Lt Gen Burt has overall responsibility for Operations, Sustainment, Cyber, and Nuclear Operations of the United States Space Force. Edward Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris Ed Zoiss is responsible for business strategy, financial performance, successful execution and growth for the segment. This segment includes an extensive portfolio of solutions in intelligence, surveillance, space systems, space superiority, electronic warfare, mission avionics, wireless solutions and C4I systems. Tim Ryan, Senior Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence