COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, Nov. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The City-Wide Space Community Days launched November 3-5, 2021. This city-wide event was designed to offer the space community of Colorado an opportunity to hear from leaders in the DoD and Commercial space industry, participate in interactive workshops designed for the space professional and entrepreneur, tour specific areas of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and network with leaders of like minds.
The event kicked off with two tours of the United States Air Force Academy. The participants were led to the Planetarium where they were welcomed by the Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy, Lt Gen Richard Clark. Lt Gen Clark spoke to the group about what USAFA is currently doing within the space realm and what their goals are. He stayed to answer several questions about USAFA and the future of the United States Space Force. Afterwards the group was lead on a detailed tour of the Multi-Domain Lab and Space Systems Research Center by Lt Col Adam Wasinger and Capt Yulonda McGee. Individuals enjoyed learning from current USAFA cadets and instructors. On Tuesday afternoon in Colorado Springs, Lockheed Martin hosted a multi-domain panel discussion that featured every part of the corporation. Five Lockheed Martin professionals discussed their perspectives on 21st century warfare and new technologies focused on the future. Those include 5G designed for national security, seamless data sharing between platforms and fast-processing AI. Participants found this panel to be “very informative” and “intriguing”. Tuesday wrapped up with a City-Wide Space Community Launch Party at Space Foundation. They hosted an amazing evening filled with networking with local space industry colleagues and enjoying incredible appetizers and beverages.
The second day of this event was hosted by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), the National Cybersecurity Center (NCC), and Exponential Impact. Maj Gen (ret) Jay Lindell, Aerospace and Defense Industry Champion for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), kicked off with an incredible briefing about the important of space. Cecilia Harry, Chief Economic Development Officer at the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, followed with what the Chamber is currently doing to support the Colorado space community. The aerospace and the defense industry is an economic engine for the State of Colorado and for the City of Colorado Springs. Colorado’s aerospace industry ranks first in the United States for the concentration of private aerospace employees with an extensive network of highly innovative aerospace businesses that provide defense for our nation and our allies. Colorado Springs is the provisional home for U.S. Space Command, and the Space Force’s Space Training and Readiness Command. It is the permanent home of Space Operations Command (SpOC). U.S. Space Command is a combatant unified command that is responsible to defend the nation in the space domain.
Erin Miller, Executive Director of Space ISAC, gave an overview of the Space ISAC’s efforts to stand up their headquarters and open a Watch Center in Colorado Springs to serve the global space community. The Space ISAC serves to facilitate collaboration across the global space industry to enhance the ability to prepare for and respond to vulnerabilities, incidents, and threats; to disseminate timely and actionable information among member entities; and to serve as the primary communications channel for the sector with respect to this information. Space ISAC is the only all-threats security information source for the public and private space sector. It will be the most comprehensive, single point source for data, facts and analysis on space security and threats to space assets. Space ISAC will also provide analysis and resources to support response, mitigation, and resilience initiatives.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) then gave an informative briefing about cybersecurity strategy and expertise. UCCS cybersecurity programs, research, and outreach has been expanding for the past 5 years. The new Endowed Gallogly Cybersecurity Chair, Dr Shouhuai Xu, joined the UCCS faculty in January of 2020 and presented on the depth and range of cybersecurity research at UCCS. He is a well-known researcher in many areas of cybersecurity, answering challenging important questions and has extensive relationships with industry and government leaders in cybersecurity. UCCS Cybersecurity looks to collaborations to achieve great, mutual successes. Gretchen Bliss, the UCCS Director of Cybersecurity Programs, will be launching the UCCS POWER (Partnership, Outreach, Workforce, Education and Research) Cybersecurity Strategy. She discussed the initiatives associated with the strategy plan. Engineering and Applied Science Dean Don Rabern provided an "insider" look into the buildout plans for the UCCS Cybersecurity Building including partnerships with Space ISAC, NCC, and Exponential Impact. In these plans, you will see the growth in the UCCS Cybersecurity footprint, laboratory capabilities, and program expansion.
During the lunch hour, individuals participated in a Technology Showcase of UCCS faculty and student research, Space ISAC, National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), NCC, and Exponential Impact. This was an incredible opportunity to speak one-on-one with the leaders of these incredible organizations and ask them in-depth questions. Afterwards, Brandon Greene, Rocky Mountain Regional Director at NSIN, and Forrest Senti, Vice President of Programs and Operations at NCC gave overviews of their innovative and collaborative organizations and what they are working on within the space realm. Everyone then learned about the importance of strategic partnerships and how they can accelerate growth. This interactive session was led by Exponential Impact Entrepreneur in Residence, Co-Founder, and President of Oscium, Bryan Lee, with an overview of Exponential Impact from Executive Director, Natasha Main. The evening culminated once again in a networking happy hour and everyone looked forward to what the final day of the event would bring!
The final day of City-Wide Space Community Days was hosted at Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation. Catalyst Campus is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, workforce training, entrepreneurs, startups, and venture capital intersect with aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth. A few of the organizations who helped pull together the City-Wide Space Community Days gathered in a Collaborator’s Roundtable to explain to all participants how they are currently collaborating as well as the future of collaboration within Colorado Springs. The individuals who spoke at the Collaborator’s Roundtable were Natasha Main from Exponential Impact, Maj Gen (ret) Jay Lindell from OEDIT, Erin Miller from Space ISAC, Forrest Senti from NCC, and Aikta Marcoulier from the Small Business Development Center. Subsequently, a panel discussion was led by Lt Gen (ret) David Buck about how Colorado Springs has supported the Space Community, United States Space Force, and USSPACECOMM. Panel members included Maj Gen (ret) Kim Crider, Former Chief Technology Innovation Officer of the United States Space Force, Mark Stafford, President/CEO of Delta Solutions and Strategies, and Kevin O’Neil, Founder of Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation.
Thank you to each of the collaborators and panel members who made this event possible, especially Lockheed Martin, LinQuest, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and National Security Innovation Network for sponsoring this incredibly informative 3-day event.
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