The Elara Edge

As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly adopted to streamline and enhance command and control, the Department of War is expected to announce a new program office that will coalesce and coordinate information and communication pipelines that will empower commanders to make more timely and effective decisions. While an official announcement is still forthcoming, DefenseScoop reported that the new Enterprise Command and Control (C2) Program Office will oversee current AI and data platforms like Maven Smart System and Edge Data Mesh as part of a pending program of record for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2). Collectively, this “Enterprise C2 Suite” will provide the latest iteration of technologies and tools available to commanders for command and control.  In this month's episode of "The Elara Edge,” Executive Partner Mark Chappell, retired Air Vice Marshall with the United Kingdom Armed Forces and former Senior British Military Advisor to U.S. Central Command, provides perspective on the forthcoming Enterprise C2 Program Office that will oversee the emerging technologies and procedures for command and control in a modern warfighting environment. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

When a foreign partner seeks military technology from the U.S. defense industrial base, there’s two ways for them to acquire that capability: Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS). In DCS, the foreign country negotiates directly with the contractor. But in the FMS process, the United States government manages the sale and transfer of that technology with additional training and sustainment support in a way that strengthens international cooperation and the collective security of the United States and its allies. But a recent surge in demand for military technologies from allies and partners is challenging the current FMS process to keep up, resulting in two recent executive orders and a series of organizational changes to reform and modernize the Foreign Military Sales program.  In this month's episode of "The Elara Edge," Brad Head, Managing Director of International Partnerships at Elara Nova, and Heidi Grant, Executive Partner at Elara Nova, break down the series of changes coming to the Foreign Military Sales program and how these efforts will help streamline and strengthen international engagements with the U.S. government and its defense industrial base. Brad is a retired Colonel with the United States Air Force and is the former Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Brussels. Heidi is the former Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the Defense Technology Security Administration."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The Department of War (DOW) kick-started the year with a series of steps to enhance the resiliency and reliability of the digital infrastructure underpinning military operations. In early January, the United States Space Force announced it will be overhauling computer networks at all 14 of its bases under the Base Infrastructure Modernization program. Then the National Security Agency released the first two products of its Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines, while the DOW launched its Artificial Intelligence Acceleration Strategy. Altogether, these actions demonstrate the growing imperative to prepare the DOW’s digital infrastructure to take advantage of emerging technologies and counter evolving threats. In this month's episode of "The Elara Edge," General (Ret) Tim Haugh explains how the ongoing digital infrastructure modernization at the Department of War will lay the foundation for zero trust and artificial intelligence implementation. Prior to joining Elara Nova as a Senior Principal Advisor, Gen (Ret) Haugh served as the  Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, Director of the National Security Agency, and Chief of the Central Security Service. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Recent years have demonstrated the growing prevalence of drones in surveillance and military operations. In 2024, unidentified drones flew over a military base in Langley, Virgina. In 2025, Israel used drones to take out Iranian air defense systems in a coordinated attack, while Ukraine launched “Operation Spiderweb,” using drones to damage and destroy aircraft deep within Russian territory. But a new Department of Defense Inspector General report uncovered a series of challenges for defending the United States’ military installations from similar drone incursions or attacks. These potential vulnerabilities have prompted the Joint Interagency Task Force 401, an Army-led organization tasked with the counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) mission, to release updated policy guidance that requires military installation commanders to prepare their own counter-UAS defense plans within the next 60 days. In this month’s episode of "The Elara Edge," Lt Gen (Ret) David “Abu” Nahom and Dr. JP “Spear” Mintz break down the series of escalating events that demonstrate not only how unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are changing the nature of military operations, but also creating an imperative to find new and innovative solutions to address the emerging counter-UAS mission.  Gen Nahom is the President of Elara Nova’s Aeronautics & Mission Systems (AMS) sector after serving for 36 years in the United States Air Force, culminating in his roles as Commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan NORAD region and the Eleventh Air Force. Dr. Mintz is a recently retired Colonel with the Air Force, where he commanded in the Air Force's Spectrum Warfare Wing and served as a Special Advisor to senior leaders at NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, and others."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In response to evolving cyber threats that can manipulate and compromise a satellite’s data, the United States Space Force is heightening its focus on “space cyber,” or the cybersecurity of space systems on-orbit. One emerging solution toward this effort is the Cyber Reslience On-Orbit tool (CROO), a software program that focuses on not just securing the data links between satellites and their terrestrial networks, but on the cybersecurity of the satellite itself. Funded in part by an AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research Direct-to-Phase II contract, the CROO tool will leverage innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital twin modeling and simulation in a way that altogether demonstrates how the Space Force is adapting to a more dynamic and contested ‘space cyber’ environment.In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Major General (Ret) Kim Crider, Founding Partner at Elara Nova, and Brigadier General (Ret) Chad Raduege, President of Elara Nova's Cyber, Data, and Communications sector, provide expert perspective on the significance of the Cyber Resilience On-Orbit tool and the broader emergence of the space cyber imperative. General Crider is the former Chief Technology and Innovation Officer with the United States Space Force and General Raduege is the former Chief Information Officer with Headquarters U.S. European Command. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of "The Elara Edge: International Insights Edition," where the leaders of the international space community join Elara Nova partners to share their insights and perspectives on the increasing strategic importance of space in joint force and alliance operations.In today's episode, Brad Head, Managing Director of International Partnerships at Elara Nova, is joined by Air Marshall Sir Johnny Stringer, who at the time of this recording was retiring out of his role as the Deputy Commander of Allied Air Command at NATO. Together, they’ll be discussing NATO’s evolving approach to space since the military alliance first declared it an operational domain in 2019, as well as how commercial space providers should be considering opportunities to support NATO in its space warfighting efforts.  "The Elara Edge: International Insights Edition" is a new, special edition series presented by "The Elara Edge," podcast. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Space Systems Command recently announced that the United States Space Force will have access to a working capital fund to buy commercial space services on-demand. But the fund, which is authorized to hold up to $1.2 billion in a given fiscal year, is not actually new money appropriated by Congress to the Space Force. Rather, it presents another flexible funding option to move money around in response to emerging mission requirements. But the timing of the announcement also coincides with the Acquisition Transformation Strategy, an initiative recently unveiled by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Together, these actions represent how the Space Force, and the Department of War at large, is actively reforming how it acquires commercial services from industry partners. In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Founding Partners Major General (Ret) Roger Teague and Mike Dickey share how the working capital fund fits into the broader acquisition reforms taking place across the Department of War. Major General (Ret) Roger Teague is the former Director of Space Programs for the United States Air Force, where he directed the development and acquisition of space programs for Air Force major commands and Mike Dickey is the former Chief Architect of Air Force Space Command and the United States Space Force."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

To better understand the space operational environment, the United States Space Force has traditionally relied on military-operated constellations like the Space Based Space Surveillance system (SBSS) and the Geosynchrnous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP), both of which provide space situational awareness (SSA) data that simply identifies and tracks man-made objects in orbit. But SSA is vital to a broader Space Force imperative known as space domain awareness (SDA), which goes another step further in not only identifying and tracking man-made objects in space, but understanding their intent and behavior, as well.Now, the Space Force wants commercial space companies to provide their own SSA data to the SDA mission, through a new program, currently known as Geosynchronous Reconnaissance & Surveillance Constellation (or RG-XX). In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Col (Ret) Ken Bowling breaks down the opportunities and challenges of bringing SSA data to the SDA mission. A retired Colonel with the United States Air Force, Ken commanded units at both Group and Squadron levels, and brings with him over 25 years of satellite research and development experience, and space situational awareness expertise. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In today’s congested and contested space environment, commercial space companies must now prepare for a variety of threats that can compromise their systems on-orbit: from incidental collisions with space debris, to counterspace threats like cyber and electronic warfare attacks, as well as kinetic strikes. Meanwhile, the inherently dual-use nature of space systems, which often support both national security and economic purposes, further reinforces the imperative that the United States Space Force communicates threat information with its industry partners to ensure resiliency of our nation’s space capabilities. Now, a new Space Force program, Orbital Watch, aims to do just that: facilitate greater information-sharing with industry partners for both unclassified and classified threats.In this episode of “The Elara Edge,” Col (Ret) Charlie McGillis explains how Orbital Watch, within the broader Space Force Front Door program, aims to enable better threat information-sharing with industry partners. Prior to becoming a partner with Elara Nova, Charlie served as the former Director of Intelligence at 14th Air Force (Space) and is a former senior vice president at Slingshot Aerospace. Today, she is an active member of the independent review board for the Office of Space Commerce’s Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS)."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

With a projected $1.8 trillion space economy by 2035, regions around the world are looking to leverage the space  domain for a variety of use cases. Countries in Europe and the Indo-Pacific want space technologies for national security-related missions like missile warning and space domain awareness. Meanwhile, in other regions like the Middle East and the Global South, countries want to use space technologies for civil applications like environmental monitoring and economic growth. But despite this broad range of motivations for leveraging space, every country around the world has one, universal need: the need for space expertise.In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Brad Head, Managing Director of International Partnerships at Elara Nova, takes us around the world of space to understand how each region of the world is looking to leverage space capabilities. A retired colonel with the United States Space Force, Brad has served in a series of high-impact roles: Director of International Affairs at Space Operations Command; Chief of Defense Planning at the U.S. Mission to NATO; and Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Brussels."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In a little over a year since the program’s announcement, two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) have started ground testing and are expected to fly in the coming months. The achievement marks an impressive timeline for the aircraft’s development, which is designed to be an unmanned platform that will fly in tandem with, and in support of, manned platforms like the F-22, F-35 and the future B-21 and F-47. While the two prototype CCAs, being produced by Anduril and General Atomics respectively, will eventually be down-selected to one platform, they are expected to be a force multiplier for the warfighter by bringing a futuristic vision of manned-unmanned teaming to air warfare. In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Lt Gen (Ret) David "Abu" Nahom breaks down the rapid development of the United States Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and the significance of manned-unmanned teaming in bringing about the next generation of air dominance. As the Executive Director of Elara Nova's new Aeronautics and Mission Systems sector, Gen Nahom will oversee an expansion of Elara Nova's consulting expertise into air domain technologies such as the CCA program. Prior to his current role, Gen Nahom's 36-year Air Force career culminated with roles such as Commander, Alaskan Command; Alaskan NORAD Region; and Eleventh Air Force."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In General B. Chance Saltzman’s “Theory on Competitive Endurance,” the Chief of Space Operations for the United States Space Force listed three core tenets of the military’s approach to the space domain: avoid operational surprise, deny first-mover advantage, and undertake “responsible counterspace campaigning.” This third tenet, counterspace, has become increasingly relevant for a warfighting domain that has traditionally approached space capabilities with risk-averse language and restrictive classification policies.  But now, adversaries have recognized that space capabilities are both a strategic advantage - and potential vulnerability - for the United States military. This emerging threat is driving an imperative to both understand and define how counterspace capabilities can preserve the space domain the global economy has come to rely on. In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Elara Nova partners Col (Ret) Stu Pettis and Col (Ret) Dave Morrow describe the types of counterspace threats the Space Force must prepare for and emphasize the role of counterspace campaigning in Gen Saltzman's "Theory on Competitive Endurance." Both Col Pettis and Col Morrow are graduates of the United States Air Force Weapons School.Col Pettis served for 29 years in the United States Air Force supporting space operations and serving on the Secretary of the Air Force’s Space Force Planning Team, where he oversaw the establishment of the military’s newest service. Col Morrow served for 24 years in the United States Air Force before retiring as the Director of Testing and Evaluation for the United States Space Force. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

A single week in early March saw two commercial companies, Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace, land their respective spacecraft on the Moon’s surface to deliver scientific payloads on behalf of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to facilitate rapid acquisition of lunar delivery services that both enable scientific exploration and commercial development of the Moon. These sequential landings demonstrate not only the substantial progress made by commercial space companies since the CLPS program’s inception in 2018, but also highlights the role commercial partners will serve in a new “space race,” that carries both civil and national security implications. In this episode of "The Elara Edge," Elara Nova partner Lt Gen (Ret) Bill Liquori breaks down the recent achievements of the CLPS program, as well as the civil and national security implications these achievements carry. Gen Liquori previously served as the first Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Analysis at the United States Space Force, and currently serves on several space-related advisory boards - including the Space Force Association, True Anomaly, and Intuitive Machines. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In 2009, an on-orbit collision between a defunct Russian satellite and an Iridium communications satellite created more than 1,800 pieces of debris and signaled an emerging need for a space traffic system. Since then, space has only become more congested with the rise of a commercial launch market that has enabled affordable access to space for commercial, civil and military space programs alike. The resulting influx of satellites on-orbit inspired the signing of Space Policy Directive-3 (SPD-3) during the first Trump administration, which declared the need for U.S. leadership in establishing a space traffic system to mitigate the risk of on-orbit collisions through a coordinated data-sharing effort between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Commerce. This joint effort produced a new program, the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), which late last year achieved initial operating capability in cataloging assets on-orbit and delivering space situational awareness (SSA) to spacecraft operators. In this episode of "The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security," Elara Nova partner Col (Ret) Charlie McGillis, former director of intelligence at 14th Air Force (Space), describes how TraCSS has emerged as a leading solution for space traffic coordination in an increasingly congested and contested domain, and enables a foundation for future space capabilities and mission areas that serve both economic and national security purposes. McGillis currently serves as a member of the TraCSS Independent Review Board and is also the Vice President, Public Sector, at The Provenance Chain Network."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of a new, special edition series: "The Elara Epilogues," where the space industry’s leading journalists and authors will join Elara Nova partners to discuss their published work covering today’s ever-evolving space environment. In today's episode, Founding Partner Mike Dickey, former chief architect of the United States Space Force is joined by Christian Davenport, space industry and NASA reporter for The Washington Post. Together, they’ll discuss Christian’s 2018 book: “The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos.” "The Space Barons" catalogues the rise of today’s commercial space industry, through the lens of the billionaires who founded - and funded - their own space companies at its outset.But the conversation won’t stop there, as Christian shares a few teasers from his forthcoming book: “Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race.” The new book, “Rocket Dreams,” is set to be released in the fall of 2025 and picks back up where “The Space Barons” concluded seven years ago."The Elara Epilogues," is presented by "The Elara Edge" Expert Insights on Space Security.""The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The United States Space Force allocated $35 million to the Space Power & Propulsion for Agility, Responsiveness & Resilience - or SPAR - Institute to develop nuclear-powered systems for spacecraft propulsion. The Institute demonstrates the latest effort by the Space Force, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to explore nuclear fission as an energy source in space. If successful, nuclear energy can enable the Space Force to “maneuver without regret,” among other capabilities. In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova partners Donna Dickey, an aerospace engineer with decades of experience at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Dr. Brad Tousley, former director of the Tactical Technology Office at DARPA, and Dr. Tom Cooley, former chief scientist at AFRL, explore the past, present, and future of nuclear propulsion in space."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The United States Space Force requested $29.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2025, a two percent drop from the previous year. The final budget, however, has yet to be passed as the federal government operates under a continuing resolution. The Space Force was founded in response to the actions of near-peer competitors in space that threaten the United States’ national and economic security. But now, any decline in funding, compounded by the inherent restrictions that come with continuing resolutions and even the Department of Defense's (DOD) traditional approach to building its budget, are compromising the very purpose for which the Space Force was founded.In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Gen (Ret) John Hyten, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Senior Principal Advisor at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, and Lt Gen (Ret) Nina Armagno, the first Director of Staff at the United States Space Force and Executive Director of International Partnerships at Elara Nova, discuss the challenges and solutions to effectively resourcing the Space Force through the DOD budget. This episode follows an Opinion Editorial, co-written by Gen Hyten and Gen Armagno and recently published by SpaceNews, in which they argue the time is now for reallocating resources away from outdated legacy programs and toward the space-based threat. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

China’s advancements in quantum technology have triggered a call-to-action for the United States to accelerate their own investments in quantum research and development. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Critical Technology Tracker, China surpassed the United States in published quantum research in 2021. In response, the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) is similarly advocating for more research and development to support quantum technologies in space, specifically to reinforce the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) mission.  In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Founding Partner Maj Gen (Ret) Kim Crider and partner Lt Gen (Ret) Harry Raduege identify quantum sensor technologies and reinforce why the QED-C’s 2024 report called for greater research and development efforts to apply these emerging technologies to the United States Space Force’s Precision, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) mission."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Ms. Katharine Kelley, the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital with the United States Space Force, recently announced the military’s newest service was engaged in a pilot program called the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC). While similar to the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), the DCTC is a congressionally mandated initiative to streamline university graduates into civilian careers at the Department of Defense (DOD). While the DCTC exemplifies how the government is initiating partnerships with academia from the top down, grassroots efforts like certificate programs at engineering schools are preparing to engage the Space Force from the bottom up. All together, these initiatives demonstrate how the Space Force can engage academic institutions to foster the workforce it needs among its civilian employees, active-duty Guardians and industry partners. In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova partner Dr. B.T. Cesul provides insight into DCTC and other alternative education programs that are emerging to cultivate the space workforce of the future. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In November 2022, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering commissioned the Defense Science Board (DSB) to study the commercial space market and how their systems can be leveraged to support Department of Defense (DOD) objectives.The study came in direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year, when commercial space systems provided critical capabilities in support of Ukraine’s defense. However, the use of these commercial space systems in Ukraine was not planned in advance, but rather occurred organically at the onset of the invasion.Now, the DOD wants to apply the lessons learned in Ukraine to capitalize on similar opportunities to integrate commercial space capabilities into their own military requirements.In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Mike Dickey, Founding Partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, joins Dr. Brad Tousley, a partner at Elara Nova and member of the Defense Science Board (DSB), to explore the DSB's "Final Report on Commercial Space System Access and Integrity," which offers a pathway toward integrating commercial space capabilities into military planning and requirements. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Over the past decade, China’s rapid rise in adopting and deploying innovative technologies has sparked a new “Great Power Competition,” particularly in the space domain. According to Major General Gregory J Gagnon, the chief intelligence officer for the United States Space Force, China’s “strategic breakout” in space is evident by the country’s more than 1,000 satellites on-orbit today, and a demonstrated capacity to launch over 200 satellites each year. Meanwhile, the budgetary process for the Department of Defense (DOD) - known as the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution or PPBE - is increasingly unable to keep up with the rapid innovations of modern technology. That's why in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act - or NDAA - Congress mandated a Commission on PPBE Reform to deliver guidance for modernizing the DOD’s budgetary process. In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova partner Shawn Barnes, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison, provides insight and analysis on the Commission on PPBE Reform's Final Report and how the inevitable change in administration after the 2024 election presents both promise and peril for implementing its recommendations to deliver space superiority for the warfighter."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

It's been one year since Chief of Space Operations, General B. Chance Saltzman, announced the United States Space Force was creating “Integrated Mission Deltas,” or IMDs, as part of the service's Line of Effort #3 – Partner to Win edict. The new IMD model serves as a primary example of how the Space Force is leveraging partnerships internally to enhance readiness within specific space mission areas.But the military's newest service is also leveraging partnerships externally, as well. The Space Force is currently assessing its relationship to the various Combatant Commands - including a review of what future space component to United States Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) might look like. Now, this revitalized emphasis on partnerships is spreading to other elements of the Department of Defense (DOD).  In recognition of the inherently interconnected space and cyber domains, CYBERCOM entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to streamline the development and adoption of innovative cybersecurity technologies against an ever-evolving near-term threat.In this episode of "The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security," Maj Gen (Ret) Kim Crider, Founding Partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, is joined by Lt Gen (Ret) Kevin McLaughlin, Partner at Elara Nova, to explain how the innovative IMD model demonstrates one of the many ways the Space Force – and the DOD writ large – is initiating new partnerships to ensure mission readiness across time horizons to be responsive to the threat. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

SpaceWERX, the space innovation arm of AFWERX, recently announced the nine recipients of its first funding opportunity specifically tailored to bring space capabilities across the ‘Valley of Death,’ or the difficult transition of scaling a high-potential capability into a formal program of record. The funding opportunity comes through two programs: the Strategic Funding Increase or (STRATFI) and the Tactical Funding Increase or (TACFI). STRATFI and TACFI are designed to accelerate funding for start-ups and small businesses already receiving Small Business Innovation Research or (SBIR) grants, by matching those grants with additional funds from the Department of Defense (DOD) and private capital partners - an influx of cash that can help these businesses develop these capabilities and overcome the Valley of Death.  Now, AFWERX is leveraging these funding programs through its SpaceWERX division to accelerate the acquisition of space capabilities for the warfighter. In this episode of "The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security," Elara Nova founding partner Maj Gen (Ret) Roger Teague is joined by fellow partners Rear Adm (Ret) Boris Becker and Jim Sullivan to discuss how Valley of Death challenges affect start-ups and small businesses in the emerging space industry and how the STRATFI/TACFI Programs aim to catalyze funding to find, fund and field space capabilities for the warfighter."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

When Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks signed a memo to initiate changes in the Department of Defense’s (DOD) classification policy for space programs, the move marked a tangible moment in the push to adapt traditional classification policies for a modern space era. Historically, high classification thresholds for space-based capabilities were designed to protect Cold War-era secrets. But as the DOD has sought to extend Allied partnerships into the space domain, through programs like the Combined Space Operations Initative (CSpO), classified designations such as Special Access Programs (SAP) and No Foreign Dissemination (NOFORN) can - at times - compromise their effectiveness. In this episode of "The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security," Elara Nova partners Lt Gen (Ret) Nina Armagno, former Director of Staff for the United States Space Force, and Lt Gen (Ret) John Shaw, former Deputy Commander of United States Space Command, break down the coming changes to the DOD's classification policy for space programs and how these changes will support extending Allied partnerships into the space domain through multinational efforts like the CSpO. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

From satellite imagery to G.P.S.-guided navigation, intelligence gathered from space has long facilitated military operations. But after space was declared a warfighting domain, intelligence agencies are now shifting their focus to supporting operations in space.  For the United States Space Force, this shift is exemplified by the evolving mission concept known as SSA - or Space Situational Awareness - which prioritized identifying and tracking space-based objects as an operational task. But now, the DOD must leverage intelligence to understand their purposes and capabilities as well. As a result, SSA has evolved into what’s now known as Space Domain Awareness - or SDA - an emerging imperative that is blurring the lines between two previously distinct military responsibilities - intelligence and operations - into a whole new, integrated mission requirement of "operational intelligence."  In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova partner Sean Kirkpatrick, PhD, former Deputy Director of Intelligence at US Strategic Command and US Space Command, explains how the Space Domain Awareness mission is introducing a new "Operational Intelligence," requirement for the Space Force, its Allies and partners. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Considered the ‘backbone’ of space operations, the Satellite Control Network (SCN) is the network of ground system antennas that enable command and control communications between operators on Earth and the Department of Defense (DOD) satellites on-orbit. But an increasingly populated space environment, coupled with chronic under-funding and advancing satellite technology, is overextending the SCN’s capacity to support national security space needs. Now, Elara Nova is leveraging its platform to advocate for modernizing the SCN, setting an industry-leading precedent for thought leadership with its inaugural White Paper, “Time for a New Approach with the Satellite Control Network.” In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova founding partner Maj Gen (Ret) Roger Teague and partner Col (Ret) Mark Hughes, co-authors of the White Paper, elaborate on their call-to-action for modernizing the Satellite Control Network and what their research means for Elara Nova's thought leadership in national security space. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

At the start of 2024, the United States’ adversaries projected an ambitious launch cadence for putting space assets into orbit: China has planned 100 launches, while Russia has planned over 40 launches of its own. Due to what is often blurred lines between military, civil and commercial space programs for these nation-states, the true nature of these launches can be difficult to ascertain. Meanwhile, through its own National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, the United States has planned 21 launches in 2024 - nearly double its 2023 launch cadence. Altogether, these escalating launch cadences represent the operational imperative to maintain “Assured Access to Space,” (AATS), that has been a trademark of the United State’s space superiority for the past several decades. In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” retired General Lester L. Lyles, senior principal advisor at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, shares his perspective on how the DOD is adapting its launch capabilities to maintain Assured Access to Space. Today’s episode is the third of three installments of a Special Edition Series marking the first anniversary of Elara Nova as an emerging leader in national security space."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The strength of America’s defense industrial base propelled the United States and its Allies to victory through much of the 20th century. Then after the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the U.S. became the sole world power and made changes to the acquisition process that favored perceived efficiency, over military effectiveness. In the decades since, the U.S. defense industrial base experienced offshoring and atrophy that has enabled potential adversaries to develop their own space-based capabilities, while simultaneously capturing key elements of the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain. In response, the DOD has set out its new National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) to rejuvenate the defense industrial base and maintain its strategic military advantage.  In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” retired General John E. Hyten, senior principal advisor at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, provides insight and analysis on the NDIS and how its implementation with enable the DOD to maintain strategic military advantage. Today’s episode is the second of three installments of a Special Edition Series marking the first anniversary of Elara Nova as an emerging leader in national security space."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The power of integrating space-based capabilities into Joint Force operations captivated the world during the first “space war,” the Gulf War of 1990-1991. Since then, space’s significance to military operations has only increased, accelerating through the post-9/11 era and culminating with the creation of the United States Space Force in 2019. Now, the Department of Defense’s (DOD) newest military service is solidifying its role in bringing space-based capabilities to the Joint Fight after being identified as the “Integrator” for Joint Space Requirements, as described in the 2023 Comprehensive Strategy for the Space Force. In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” retired General "DT" Thompson, senior principal advisor at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, shares his perspective on the Comprehensive Strategy and what it says about the Space Force's emerging role in the Joint Fight. Today’s episode is the first of three installments of a Special Edition Series marking the first anniversary of Elara Nova as an emerging leader in national security space."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Two barriers to entry have historically defined the relationship between capital markets and the space sector: the need for significant upfront capital and long return on investment (ROI) timelines. These barriers have created a hot-and-cold dynamic between capital markets and the space sector, as demonstrated by Space Capital’s Space Investment Quarterly: Q4 2023 report that found the space economy witnessed a private equity investment of $17.9 billion in 2023, a year-over-year decline of 25 percent compared to 2022. But projections for the space economy not only remain high, they are quickly accelerating. A recent report by the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey & Company found that the space economy will reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, half a decade sooner than the $1 trillion projection set out by Morgan Stanley last year. As a result, new business opportunities are quickly emerging as a commercial launch market enables cheaper access to space and the Department of Defense (DOD) shifts toward a proliferation of assets across the next warfighting domain.In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Eddie Papczun, founding partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, and Kirk Konert, managing partner at AE Industrial Partners, discuss this hot-and-cold dynamic, as well as the ancillary market opportunities emerging in the space sector."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

The majority of military space assets on-orbit today, were built during an uncontested space era, and the ground systems currently supporting them are increasingly inhibited by outdated technology. Now, an emerging imperative for dynamic space operations, means the Space Force must not only develop new, manueverable satellites, but also implement a ground systems network with reliable command and control communication links to operate them. To this end, the Space Rapid Capabilities Office and Space Systems Command are coming together to create a new, software-based ground system, called Rapid Resilient Command and Control or R2C2.In this episode of “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” former Major General Mike Carey, a partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, shares his point of view on R2C2 and the role of ground systems and their command and control capability to facilitate dynamic space operations."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

 Space Systems Command recently revealed details from its Parallax Rising 2.2 tabletop exercise, which explored the emerging requirement to maneuver satellites in space. The exercise focused on developing solutions for “Dynamic Space Operations,” an operational concept advocated by retired Lieutenant General John E. Shaw. While the capacity to maneuver is not new as a warfighting concept, Parallax Rising 2.2 reflects how the Space Force is adjusting its operations approach based on an increasingly congested and hostile space domain.In this episode of "The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security," Major General (Ret.) Brook Leonard, partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy, discusses the significance of the dynamic space operations requirement for Joint Force operations and how the recent Parallax Rising 2.2 tabletop exercise is an initial step in acquiring broader DSO capability. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

As space evolves into an increasingly hostile warfighting domain, rapid response capability is becoming an essential part of Department of Defense (DOD) operations. That’s why when the Space Force and its industry partners successfully fielded, launched and initiated satellite operations during its Victus Nox demonstration, the record-setting feat foreshadowed the emerging significance of the Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission. But to assert “responsive space” capability effectively, the Space Force must account for the unexpected, while at the same time collaborating with its commercial launch and satellite partners to facilitate TacRS mission success.In this episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security, Elara Nova Senior Partner Col (Ret.) Rob Bongiovi shares his perspective on the role of launch in the TacRS process, and emphasizes that launch is just one factor – albeit an integral one – in establishing TacRS capability."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Cyberspace has become essential to streamlining decision-making up and down the kill chain. But now, the threat landscape in the cyber domain is more malicious than ever. In response, the DOD is implementing its Zero-Trust Strategy by 2027 to secure its cyber operations.As part of this process, the DOD rolled out the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 - or CMMC - providing a requirement framework for its defense-industrial base to follow. In this episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security, host Scott King is joined by Elara Nova Senior Partners  Lieutenant General (Ret.) Harry Raduege and his son, Brigadier General (Ret.) Chad Raduege to discuss how the DOD is securing its cybersecurity practices across its military services and defense-industrial base."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

As the legislative branch with the “power of the purse,” Congress has a constitutional duty to shape the policy and provide the funding required for the United States Space Force to accomplish its mission. Space, however, is an emerging domain for the warfighter that requires the Space Force to scale its capability at the speed of need.To this end, the Space Force has started employing a new strategy to leverage one of the greatest historical strengths of the United States: commercial innovation. But that must start with Congress. In this episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security, Elara Nova Senior Partner Sarah Mineiro discusses how Congress, through its policy and funding, can jumpstart Space Force acquisition."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Earlier this year, Col. Richard Kniseley of the United States Space Systems Command initiated a program for commercial space companies to be called upon by the United States Space Force in times of crisis. This program, dubbed the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve - or CASR for short - is akin to the United States Air Force’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet program where commercial airlines pledge to provide airlift support to the Department of Defense during an emergency. In this episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security, Elara Nova founding partner and Major General Roger Teague (Ret.), provides an in-depth look at how the CASR program reflects the growing interconnectedness of military requirements and commercial capability in the national security space mission."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

In 2023, the Space Development Agency (SDA) launched its initial round of satellites for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) with the intention of modernizing the missile warning architecture watching over our nation. The SDA followed this up with a second successful launch in September 2023, with one final launch for its Tranche 0 satellites slated for sometime later this year. These launches demonstrate the changing dynamics of the space domain and provide a glimpse into how the Space Force and the Space Development Agency are seeking to revolutionize its procurement process to meet the pacing threat. In this episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security, Elara Nova founding partner Mike Dickey, former Chief Architect of the United States Space Force, discusses how the Space Force and the Space Development Agency are leveraging commercial innovation in its implementation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture."The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in March 2023, generative artificial intelligence has seemingly taken the world by storm. AI has become a topic of conversation - and concern - for its potential to affect just about every industry.  In response, the Department of Defense has launched "Task Force Lima" to understand the ramifications and use cases for AI across the military services. The Space Force, however, can and should have an outsized influence in the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence technology. Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security! In this episode, Elara Nova Founding Partner and Major General Kim Crider (Ret.), former Chief Technology Innovation Officer for the United States Space Force, shares her perspective on the wide-ranging applications for artificial intelligence in national security space, as well as the inherent risks and challenges in developing the emerging technology responsibly. "The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.