Hoover Institution (Stanford University) - On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, senior leaders from government, industry, and academia convened at the Hoover Institution for roundtable discussions on 'Space Innovation and Commercial Integration.' The event was under the auspice of the Stanford Emerging Technology Review—a university-wide initiative co-presented by the Hoover Institution and Stanford University School of Engineering—which highlights ten key technological areas.
General (retired) Jay Raymond, distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and former Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force, was the lead host of the event. His opening remarks shed light on the magnitude of the discussions and the necessity for a more robust partnership between industry, academia, and government in order to improve resiliency and ensure the security of the space domain. "The space domain has seen an incredible amount of change over the past decade," Raymond said in his opening comments. "While the U.S. still has a lead in this new era, sustaining our advantage hinges on a shared theory of success between industry and government."
The panel discussions centered on reviewing recent advancements and trends in space technology, analyzing concepts and strategies for space operations, and debating subsequent policy considerations. Dr. Simone D'Amico, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Stanford School of Engineering, led discussions on the advancements and trends in space technology. "Autonomous space systems provide an exciting future of enhanced capabilities and cost effectiveness," D'Amico noted. "The increasing trend is towards privatization as the space sector moves away from legacy space technologies owned by governments or large contractors."
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lintker, U.S. Space Force, and national security affairs fellow at the Hoover Institution, followed with guided debates on the emergent concepts and strategies for space operations. A focus of the panel was on the United States Space Force's 'Competitive Endurance' theory of success and, subsequently, how to balance safe and secure space operations while ensuring the domain remains sustainable for all users.
Finally, General (retired) Jay Raymond concluded the day by moderating a discourse on policy considerations and their impacts on commercial markets, foreign policy, and national security. Raymond noted, "We still have a lot on our to-do list as we seek to better understand the fused relationship between government and industry, but today's discussions are a giant leap forward."
