Skip to main content

U.S. Space Force Lt. General John F. Thompson will join us at TC Sessions: Space in December

Our first-ever dedicated space event is coming up on December 16 and 17, and we’re thrilled to announce that Lieutenant General John F. Thompson of the U.S. Air Force will join us on our virtual stage at TC Sessions: Space. Thompson is the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and oversees research, design, development and acquisition of satellites and their associated command and control systems for the U.S. Space Force.

We’re excited to have Thompson joining us because his role puts him directly in contact with some of the country’s most ambitious and technically advanced startups. As the person responsible for ensuring that the U.S. has a commanding position in areas including advanced missile warning, space launch, space superiority in the emerging defense arena and much more. There’s likely no one in the U.S. defense world closer to the space-focused pipeline for emerging and future-focused technology development.

Lt. Gen. John Thompson, U.S. Space Force

Part of what Thompson and the SMC have accomplished under his supervision is the establishment and continued growth of a rich ecosystem of non-traditional space startups, through both contracting and early stage funding to help them develop novel approaches to challenges both new and old. That work will also form the basis of the forthcoming Space Systems Command (SSC), an in-development command that will be responsible for development, acquisition and deployment of in-space capabilities for the U.S. Space Force. SSC will take its cues from the SMC and its Air Force origins, but be a new, overarching acquisitions entity that also incorporates the needs of Army and Navy space acquisition activities.

We’ll talk to Thompson about that work and how it’s progressing, and what changes about his work and the SMC’s mission as the U.S. continues to establish and grow the Space Force as its own, dedicated military branch.

If you want to hear from Lt General Thompson, you can grab a ticket to get exclusive access to watch this session (along with many others) live (with access to video on demand), network with the innovators changing the space industry, discover the hottest early-stage companies, learn how to score grants for your space company, recruit talent or even find a job with an early-bird ticket for just $125 until November 13. And we have discounts available for groups, students, active military/government employees and for early-stage space startup founders who want to give their startup some extra visibility.

 



from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/3jw7YgU
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Silent Revolution of On-Device AI: Why the Cloud Is No Longer King

Introduction For years, artificial intelligence has meant one thing: the cloud. Whether you’re asking ChatGPT a question, editing a photo with AI tools, or getting recommendations on Netflix — those decisions happen on distant servers, not your device. But that’s changing. Thanks to major advances in silicon, model compression, and memory architecture, AI is quietly migrating from giant data centres to the palm of your hand. Your phone, your laptop, your smartwatch — all are becoming AI engines in their own right. It’s a shift that redefines not just how AI works, but who controls it, how private it is, and what it can do for you. This article explores the rise of on-device AI — how it works, why it matters, and why the cloud’s days as the centre of the AI universe might be numbered. What Is On-Device AI? On-device AI refers to machine learning models that run locally on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or edge device — without needing constant access to the cloud. In practi...
1 comment
Read more

Apple’s AI Push: Everything We Know About Apple Intelligence So Far

Apple’s WWDC 2025 confirmed what many suspected: Apple is finally making a serious leap into artificial intelligence. Dubbed “Apple Intelligence,” the suite of AI-powered tools, enhancements, and integrations marks the company’s biggest software evolution in a decade. But unlike competitors racing to plug AI into everything, Apple is taking a slower, more deliberate approach — one rooted in privacy, on-device processing, and ecosystem synergy. If you’re wondering what Apple Intelligence actually is, how it works, and what it means for your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you’re in the right place. This article breaks it all down.   What Is Apple Intelligence? Let’s get the terminology clear first. Apple Intelligence isn’t a product — it’s a platform. It’s not just a chatbot. It’s a system-wide integration of generative AI, machine learning, and personal context awareness, embedded across Apple’s OS platforms. Think of it as a foundational AI layer stitched into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Max Q: Anomalous

Hello and welcome back to Max Q! Last week wasn’t the most successful for spaceflight missions. We’ll get into that a bit more below. In this issue: First up, a botched launch from Virgin Orbit… …followed by one from ABL Space Systems News from Rocket Lab, World View and more Virgin Orbit’s botched launch highlights shaky financial future After Virgin Orbit’s launch failure last Monday, during which the mission experienced an  “anomaly” that prevented the rocket from reaching orbit, I went back over the company’s financials — and things aren’t looking good. For Virgin Orbit, this year has likely been completely turned on its head. The company was aiming for three launches this year, but everything will remain grounded until the cause of the anomaly has been identified and resolved. It’s unclear how long that will take, but likely at least three months. Add this delay to Virgin’s dwindling cash reserves and you have a foundation that’s suddenly much shakier than before. ...
Post a Comment
Read more