Sterling Heights, Michigan, Aug. 4, 2022

The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association, or MAMA, will welcome U.S. Space Force Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno as a keynote speaker for its Fifth annual North American Space Summit Oct. 2-4 at Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, Michigan.

Armagno is the only person to have commanded both launch wings in the U.S. Air Force and is the first woman general officer commissioned in the Space Force, a new branch of the armed services focused on organizing, training and equipping the U.S. to conduct global space operations. She is responsible for coordinating policies, plans, positions and procedure issues for Space Force staff.

Armagno’s military career spans more than three decades in various defense and space operation leadership roles within the Air Force and now Space Force. Prior to her current role, Armagno was the director of Space Programs at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, where she oversaw the development of space programs, working with the Air Force, Secretary of Defense, Congress and White House.
Armagno also served as the director of plans and policy at Offutt Air Force Base where she was responsible for the development and implementation of national security policies and guidance, military strategy as well as space and weapons employment policies and concepts.

“We are honored to have Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno speak at this year’s North American Space Summit and excited attendees will have an opportunity to hear from one of the most influential space leaders in the U.S.,” MAMA Executive Director Gavin Brown said. “The summit will offer attendees a chance to learn about innovative trends and technology, build significant partnerships as well as how to adapt and grow their organizations in this growing $447 billion industry.

“We’re focused on where the space industry is going, not where it has been. The summit will reflect that by offering educational sessions on unique and emerging trends in the industry, a platform for contractors to brief attendees on opportunities for partnerships on current and planned projects as well as networking events.”
The two-day summit, also known as the NASS, will feature influential leaders in aerospace, government, national security, automotive, academia and more on initiatives in new technology, capabilities, services and innovation in hypersonic materials and vehicles as well as low-Earth orbit, or LEO.

Hypersonic technology refers to commercial and defense applications designed to travel at minimum speeds of Mach 5, or nearly 3,800 miles per hour at sea level. Hypersonic technology has the
opportunity to change numerous applications such as commercial travel, supply chain and defense initiatives. This technology has become a trending topic in the U.S. as demand for research and development ramps up to keep pace with Russia and China, which have already made key advancements.

LEO is the area just above Earth’s atmosphere, up to 1,200 miles in altitude, where the majority of satellites are found – and demand for more continues to rise. Many satellites launched into LEO are meant to improve daily life, such as voice and data communication, global Internet access, autonomous vehicle networks and weather monitoring.

“The U.S. space ecosystem is in an era of tremendous growth that represents unparalleled opportunities,” Brown said. “What makes this more exciting, and different, than other moments in the space industry is that the collaboration between the private and public sectors has never been stronger. Our goal for this year’s NASS is to offer a platform to educate the industry on how they can take advantage of these exciting times.”
For more information and to register, visit TheNASS.org. For Armagno’s full biography and photo, click here.

About MAMA

Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association is a member-supported organization that serves the interests of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing firms with a single unified voice, promoting the state of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing community within the global industry. Visit michman.org for more information.

Sterling Heights, Michigan, August 23, 2021

The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association will welcome NASA representatives to its fourth annual North American Space Summit in Traverse City, Michigan, extending the conference by a day to offer a half-day session on “Doing Business with NASA” on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

The first session of Wednesday’s “Doing Business with NASA” will feature David Brock and Robert Watts, both small business specialists in NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs. They will provide an overview that will include small business metrics for both direct and subcontracting, availability of small business resources, upcoming procurement opportunities, future outreach events and how to make connection with NASA Centers.

Representatives from Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Dynetics and other contractors experienced in doing business with NASA will host a “Doing Business with NASA Primes” virtual panel as Wednesday’s second session. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to connect with several NASA large business prime contractors to gain valuable information on how to more effectively market a company’s capabilities to the primes.

“As NASA embarks on new and exciting programs, small businesses will be presented with numerous opportunities to support these programs through the prime contractor subcontracting programs,” Brown said. “We are pleased to be able to extend our sessions an additional half-day so attendees can tap into the wisdom of experienced professionals.”

Additionally, the NASS will feature influential leaders in aerospace, government, national security, automotive, academia and more on initiatives in new technology, capabilities, services and innovation in near-earth and LEO satellites.

The NASS will also include:
• Sean Barnes, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration
• Wayne Monteith, associate administrator for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration
• Monica Jan, senior director of strategy and customer experience at Virgin Orbit
• Frank Weith, director of connected and mobility services at Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. and president of Ventic.
• Rick Tumlinson, Founder, SpaceFund, Space Frontier Foundation and EarthLight Foundation
• Derek Hodgins, strategy and business development for lunar exploration at Lockheed Martin
• Lt. Gen. David J. Buck, USAF (Ret.) president, BRPH Mission Systems.
• Dr. L. Brad King, CEO of Orbion Space Technology

The summit’s theme this year will be “LEO: The New Gold Rush,” which will focus on collaborative opportunities for the public and private sector to help grow the commercial space ecosystem in the Midwest. The NASS will feature more than 30 educational and networking sessions for attendees to learn about the next generation of space-enabled communications, autonomous vehicle technology, space supply chains, government applications, funding sources and more.
For more information and to register, visit TheNASS.org.

ABOUT MAMA

Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association is a member-supported organization that serves the interests of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing firms with a single unified voice, promoting the state of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing community within the global industry.

Visit michman.org for more information.