Pallabi Saboo, Paul Stimers, and Ryan Kelley unpacked property rights, regulatory bottlenecks, investor risk, and the evolving legal frameworks shaping the commercial space economy at spaceNEXT 2026.

E2MC’s Raphael Roettgen outlines what it will take to transform space from a niche sector into a broadly investable, significant global asset class.

At spaceNEXT 2026, the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy details a bold framework to secure U.S. leadership in space for the next century.

From launch risk to laser communications, this main stage conversation with Victor Hoskins and Paul Richards reveals what it takes to build the space economy — and why the opportunity starts here.

As Artemis II systems were being tested at Kennedy Space Center, NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya told spaceNEXT why Artemis is more than a mission — it’s the infrastructure that will enable the next era of commercial and allied space exploration.

Arpan Sura of the FCC outlined a sweeping modernization of U.S. satellite licensing — from clearing backlogs to unlocking 20,000 MHz of new spectrum — arguing that regulatory efficiency is now a strategic advantage in the global space race.

Gabriel Swiney of the U.S. Office of Space Commerce outlined a proposed light-touch certification framework to close America’s “mission authorization” gap — a critical step toward unlocking next-generation commercial space activities and sustaining U.S. leadership in the new space economy.

Jordan Shapiro of IonQ outlined how the company — alongside Pioneer Sponsor Capella Space — is building a full-stack quantum platform spanning compute, networking, security, sensing, and space infrastructure. From optical clocks to quantum-secure satellite relays, IonQ’s vision connects ground networks to orbit in pursuit of commercial quantum advantage.

At spaceNEXT 2026, JivaJet CTO Dr. Anmol Taploo introduced a breakthrough air-breathing plasma thruster designed to unlock Ultra Very Low Earth Orbit (80–150 km). By using atmospheric air as propellant, JivaJet aims to reduce launch costs, eliminate debris risk, and enable adaptive VLEO platforms for ISR, IoT, and edge AI.

At spaceNEXT 2026, George Mason University Dean Cody Edwards outlined why the next era of space commerce will be defined not by rockets alone, but by talent mobilization, integrated research, and ecosystem-driven collaboration. Positioned at the intersection of policy, technology, and mission execution, Mason is building the academic foundation for the new space economy.