Defense and Intelligence Space Conference 2026 – National Security Space Association

Defense and Intelligence Space Conference

February 9-11, 2026 - Hyatt Regency Reston, Reston VA and NGA, Springfield VA
Unclassified and (TS/SI-TK/NF)

Photo Albums

The Defense and Intelligence Space Conference (DISC) is THE premier event uniting government and industry to drive solutions-focused dialogue and strengthen U.S. and allied space capabilities. The 5th Annual Defense and Intelligence Space Conference will take place February 9–11, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Reston and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Springfield, Virginia.

Guided by the DISC26 theme, The Path to Persistence and Dominance in Space, the conference will anchor high-level discussions across both Title 10 and Title 50 mission areas. DISC offers a unique forum for senior decision-makers and architects of space infrastructure to share insights, foster collaboration, and address the evolving threats shaping the future of space operations.

To kick off the conference, NSSA is dedicating Monday, February 9, 2026, exclusively to Early Career Programming for young professionals 35 and under. This immersive day will feature dynamic sessions delivering real-world career insights, actionable advice, and practical guidance for aspiring officers, civil servants, and space professionals. The day will conclude with high-impact speed mentoring, offering direct access to some of the most prolific and influential voices across government and industry—an unparalleled opportunity to connect, learn, and accelerate your career.

DISC26 in the Press

Air & Space Forces Magazine

NASA Administrator Eyes Greater Collaboration with Pentagon

Read

Aerospace America

Space Force is moving to acquire by mission area, service official says

Read

National Reconnaissance Office

Maj. Gen. Povak Speaks at NSSA DISC; Announces Latest Commercial Contracts

Read

The Honorable Sue Gordon

2026 Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Main Stage Featured Speakers

HON Marc Berkowitz

Assistant Secretary of War for Space Policy

Confirmed

HON Jared Isaacman

Administrator, NASA

Confirmed

Gen Michael Guetlein

Director of Golden Dome, GDA

Confirmed

Lt Gen David N. Miller Jr.

Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements, USSF

Confirmed

LTG Richard Zellmann

Deputy Commander, USSPACECOM

Confirmed

Maj Gen Christopher S. Povak

Deputy Director, NRO

Confirmed

BG David Elsen

Director, Intelligence Directorate (J2), USINDOPACOM

Confirmed

Bryan Albers

Senior Director and National Intelligence Officer for Space, ODNI

Confirmed

Kevin Coggins

Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Communications and Navigation Program, NASA

Confirmed

Tina Harrington

Director, Signals Intelligence Systems Acquisition Directorate, NRO

Confirmed

Kevin Sherman

Director for Defense Intelligence, Programs, Resources and Enterprise Management, OUSW (I&S)

Confirmed

Robert Shields

Deputy Director for Mission, PEO Advanced Analyticss, NGA

Confirmed

Clint Clark

Chief Growth Officer & VP of First Impressions, ExoAnalytic Solutions

Confirmed

Christian Davenport

Author of Rocket Dreams and CBS News Contributor

Confirmed

Tony Frazier

CEO, LeoLabs

Confirmed

Susanne Hake

EVP & General Manager, U.S. Government, Vantor

Confirmed

Kevin Kelly

Chairman and CEO, Arcfield

Confirmed

Steve Kitay

Senior Vice President of Space Defense, True Anomaly

Confirmed

Matt Magaña

President, Space, Defense & National Security, Voyager Technologies

Confirmed

Gen John "Jay" Raymond (Ret)

First Chief of Space Operations, USSF

Confirmed

Penelope Tarpley

Vice President, Space Operations & Analytics, National Security Space, Lockheed Martin

Confirmed

Main Stage Moderators

Brig Gen Tim Coffin (Ret)

Vice President, Space Business Development, Omni Federal

Confirmed

Joe Dodd

Chairman, NSSA Board of Directors

Confirmed

Phil Eichensehr

Founder and Principal, Seamless Mission Solutions

Confirmed

Dave Gallagher

Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Confirmed

Dr. John Huth

Owner, Huth New Space Consulting

Confirmed

Scott Jacobs

Vice President, US Government Programs, Astranis

Confirmed

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick

CEO, Nonlinear Solutions, LLC

Confirmed

Doug Loverro

President, Loverro Consulting, LLC

Confirmed

Kevin Meiners

Managing Member, Huddle Up Associates, LLC.

Confirmed

Dr. Andrew Palowitch

CEO, Octagon II, Inc.

Confirmed

Gen John "Jay" Raymond (Ret)

First Chief of Space Operations, USSF

Confirmed

Dr. Philip Ritcheson

Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Leidos

Confirmed

Dave Taylor

Former Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security

Confirmed

Chris Williams

Chair, NSSA's Moorman Center for Space Studies

Confirmed

Early Career Programming Featured Speakers

HON Frank Calvelli

Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration

Confirmed

HON Jeffrey Harris

Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space and Director, NRO

Confirmed

Col Jeremy Leader

Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of War for Comptroller, Budget and Appropriations Affairs

Confirmed

Col Tim Trimailo

Director, Commercial Space Office, Space Systems Command

Confirmed

Christina Agnew

Vice President, Space Growth, Leidos

Confirmed

Kristen Bakotic

President, TwinStar

Confirmed

Winston Beauchamp

Vice President, Intelligence Systems, Boeing Defense Space & Security

Confirmed

Danielle Bierman

Senior Technical Program Manager, Blue Origin

Confirmed

Erin Bodie

Senior Project Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation

Confirmed

Tylor Cingle

Business Develop Manager, Astroscale U.S.

Confirmed

Madeleine Chang

Director of Policy, Satellite Industry Association

Confirmed

Hilary Cohen

Director of Operations, HEO USA

Confirmed

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch

Founder and CEO, Resolute Strategies, LLC

Confirmed

Michael Creech Jr.

VP, Strategy and Business Development, Firefly Aerospace

Confirmed

Debra Facktor

Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc.

Confirmed

Dr. Jes Kalmanson

Chief Technology Officer, Space System and Solutions, Peraton

Confirmed

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick

CEO, Nonlinear Solutions, LLC

Confirmed

Rachel Leahy

VP, Advanced Programs, Kratos Defense

Confirmed

Ghonhee Lee

Founder and CEO, Katalyst Space Technologies

Confirmed

Doug Loverro

President, Loverro Consulting, LLC

Confirmed

Gen Lester Lyles, USAF (Ret)

Former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff and Former Commander Air Force Materiel Command

Confirmed

Marina Manson

Senior Manager, National Security Programs, Blue Origin

Confirmed

Kevin Meiners

Managing Member, Huddle Up Associates, LLC.

Confirmed

Matt O'Kane

Managing Director, Cerberus Capital Management

Confirmed

Chirag Parikh

Founder and President Indutara Enterprise LLC; Former Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary, National Space Council

Confirmed

John Paul "JP" Parker

Founder and CEO, Escape Velocity

Confirmed

Leonor Tomero

Chair, NSSA Education and Workforce Development Center

Confirmed

Abdiel Vazquez

Special Assistant, Department of the US Air Force

Confirmed

Karen Warack

Founder and CEO, Techtonic Shift LLC

Confirmed

Chris Williams

Chair, NSSA's Moorman Center for Space Studies

Confirmed

Spence Wise

SVP, Business Development & Capture, Redwire

Confirmed

Agenda

Monday Unclassified - Early Career Programming (35 and under only)

Hyatt Regency Reston

9:00am-7:00pm

Registration Open

10:00am-5:00pm

Early Career Programming

10:00am-10:15am

Welcome Remarks

Leonor Tomero, Chair, Education and Workforce Development Center, NSSA

10:15am-11:15am

Panel: Early Career

Hilary Cohen, Director of Operations, HEO
Ghonhee Lee, Founder and CEO, Katalyst Space Technologies
Abdiel Vazquez, Special Assistant, Department of the US Air Force
Moderator: Danielle Bierman, Senior Technical Program Manager, Blue Origin

11:15am-12:00pm

Fireside Chat

HON Frank Calvelli, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration
Moderator: Erin Bodie, Senior Project Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation

12:00pm-1:00pm

Lunch

1:00pm-2:00pm

Panel: Government

Michael Gancio, Director of Analysis, SSCI
Col Jeremy Leader, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of War for Comptroller, Budget and Appropriations Affairs
Col Tim Trimailo, Director, Commercial Space Office, Space Systems Command
Moderator: Tylor Cingle, Business Development Manager, Astroscale U.S.

2:00pm-3:00pm

Panel: Industry

Christina Agnew, Vice President, Space Growth, Leidos
Madeleine Chang, Director of Policy, Satellite Industry Association
Michael Creech Jr., VP, Strategy and Business Development, Firefly Aerospace
Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc.
Spence Wise, SVP, Business Development & Capture, Redwire
Moderator: Marina Manson, Senior Manager, National Security Programs, Blue Origin

3:00pm-3:15pm

Closing Remarks/Transition to Mentoring

3:15pm-3:45pm

Networking Break & Exhibits

3:00pm-7:00pm

Exhibits Open

3:45pm-5:00pm

Speed Mentoring

Kristen Bakotic, President, TwinStar
Winston Beauchamp, Vice President, Intelligence Systems, Boeing Defense Space & Security
HON Frank Calvelli, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration
Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, Founder and CEO, Resolute Strategies, LLC
Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc.
HON Jeffrey Harris, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space and Director, NRO
Dr. Jes Kalmanson, Chief Technology Officer, Space System and Solutions, Peraton
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, CEO, Nonlinear Solutions, LLC
Rachel Leahy, VP, Advanced Programs, Kratos Defense
Doug Loverro, President, Loverro Consulting, LLC
Gen Lester Lyles, USAF (Ret), Former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff and Former Commander Air Force Materiel Command
Kevin Meiners, Founder, Huddle Up Associates, LLC
Matt O'Kane, Managing Director, Cerberus Capital Management
John Paul “JP” Parker, Founder, Escape Velocity
Chirag Parikh, Founder and President, Indutara Enterprise LLC; Former Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary, National Space Council
Penelope Tarpley, Vice President, Space Operations & Analytics, National Security Space, Lockheed Martin
Karen Warack, Founder and CEO, Techtonic Shift LLC
Chris Williams, Chair, NSSA's Moorman Center for Space Studies

5:00pm-7:00pm

Welcome Reception - Open to all DISC26 attendees

Tuesday Unclassified

Hyatt Regency Reston

7:00am-7:30pm

Registration and Exhibits Open

7:00am-8:00am

Check-in, Breakfast and Networking

8:00am-8:30am

Colors, National Anthem, Welcome Remarks

Joe Dodd, Chairman, Board of Directors, NSSA
Steve Jacques, President, NSSA
Susanne Hake, EVP & General Manager, U.S. Government, Vantor
Emcee: Marina Manson, Senior Manager, National Security Programs, Blue Origin

8:30am-9:15am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

LTG Richard Zellmann, Deputy Commander, USSPACECOM
Moderator: Brig Gen Tim Coffin (Ret), Vice President, Space Business Development, Omni Federal

9:15am-10:00am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

HON Jared Isaacman, Administrator, NASA
Moderator: Dave Gallagher, Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

10:00am-10:30am

Networking Breaks & Exhibits

10:30am-11:15am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Gen John "Jay" Raymond (Ret), First Chief of Space Operations, USSF
Moderator: Chris Williams, Chair, NSSA's Moorman Center for Space Studies

11:15am-12:00pm

Space Domain Awareness Panel

Clint Clark, Chief Growth Officer & VP of First Impressions, ExoAnalytic Solutions
Christian Davenport, Author of Rocket Dreams and CBS News Contributor
Tony Frazier, CEO, LeoLabs
Steve Kitay, Senior Vice President of Space Defense, True Anomaly
Moderator: Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, CEO, Nonlinear Solutions, LLC

12:00pm-1:10pm

Lunch & Exhibits

1:10pm-1:15pm

Afternoon Welcome Remarks

Emcee: Matt Magaña, President, Space, Defense & National Security, Voyager Technologies

1:15pm-2:00pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Lt Gen David N. Miller Jr., Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements, USSF
Moderator: Gen John "Jay" Raymond (Ret), First Chief of Space Operations, USSF

2:00pm-2:45pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Maj Gen Christopher S. Povak, Deputy Director, NRO
Moderator: Scott Jacobs, Vice President, US Government Programs, Astranis

2:45pm-3:15pm

Networking Break & Exhibits

3:15pm-4:00pm

Executive Panel

Susanne Hake, EVP & General Manager, U.S. Government, Vantor
Kevin Kelly, Chairman and CEO, Arcfield
Matt Magaña, President, Space, Defense & National Security, Voyager Technologies
Penelope Tarpley, VP, Space Operations and Analytics, Lockheed Martin
Moderator: Joe Dodd, Chairman, NSSA Board of Directors

4:00pm-4:15pm

Scholarships

Steve Jacques, President, NSSA
Brooke Smitherman, Head of Communications & Marketing, RGi
Leonor Tomero, Chair, Education and Workforce Development Center, NSSA

4:15pm-5:25pm

2026 Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation: HON Sue Gordon

Moderator: Deirdre Walsh, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Government Affairs, ARKA

5:25pm-5:30pm

Closing Remarks

5:30pm-7:30pm

Networking Reception - Open to all DISC26 Attendees

6:30pm-8:30pm

Leadership Exchange Dinner (By Invite Only)

Wednesday TS/SI-TK/NF

NGA, Springfield VA

7:00am-5:00pm

Registration Open

7:00am-8:00am

Breakfast & Networking

8:00am-8:30am

Welcome Remarks

Emcee: Chris Long, Deputy General Manager, VP of Space Systems, Space, Cyber and Intelligence Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems

8:30am-9:15am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Robert Shields, Deputy Director for Mission, PEO Advanced Analytics, NGA
Moderator: Dr. Philip Ritcheson, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Leidos

9:15am-10:00am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

HON Marc Berkowitz, Assistant Secretary of War for Space Policy
Moderator: Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, CEO, Nonlinear Solutions, LLC

10:00am-10:30am

Networking Break

10:30am-11:15am

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Gen Michael Guetlein, Director of Golden Dome, GDA
Moderator: Dr. Andrew Palowitch, CEO, Octagon II, Inc.

11:15am-12:00pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Kevin Coggins, Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Communications and Navigation Program, NASA
Moderator: Chris Williams, Chair, NSSA's Moorman Center for Space Studies

12:00pm-1:10pm

Lunch

1:10pm-1:15pm

Afternoon Welcome Remarks

Emcee: Sarah Rutledge, Vice President, Mission Capabilities, National Security Space, Lockheed Martin

1:15pm-2:00pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Kevin Sherman, Director for Defense Intelligence, Programs, Resources and Enterprise Management OUSW (I&S)
Moderator: Dave Taylor, Former Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security

2:00pm-2:45pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat

Tina Harrington, Director, Signals Intelligence Systems Acquisition Directorate, NRO
Moderator: Phil Eichensehr, Founder and Principal, Seamless Mission Solutions

2:45pm-3:15pm

Networking Break

3:15pm-4:00pm

Keynote/Fireside Chat