Rafael Suanes/Georgetown Univ.in January provided candid insight into the challenges and opportunities of investing in defense and space innovation. They shed light on the evolving landscape of defense, space exploration, and commercialization in the future of defense and space technology.One prevailing theme was the inherent difficulty for startups in working with government entities, particularly the Department of Defense.
Neil Keegan, co-founder and CEO of national security technology investor Marlinspike, highlighted the urgency for government and startups to work together to innovate in critical areas such as space technology and autonomous systems. With the International Space Station facing end of serviceable life and geopolitical competition intensifying, there is a growing recognition of the need for private sector involvement in space exploration and defense.
Delian Asparouhov is co-founder and president of Varda Space Industries, which manufactures products for the government, biopharma, and other sectors in microgravity and returns them to Earth. He emphasized the economics of long-term space exploration, saying “We need to be able to generate more value from sending people to celestial bodies than it costs to put them up there,” noting that the benefits must outweigh the costs if the Artemis mission to the moon is to be enduring.