SmallSat Symposium 2026: SDA, Amazon, and DARPA Leaders Convene in Silicon Valley as Sector 'Enters Industrial Maturity'

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, UNITED STATES, January 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SmallSat Symposium 2026 (February 10-12, 2026 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California) will serve as the definitive gathering for commercial and government space decision-makers as the small satellite sector transitions from experimental ventures to scaled deployment. Now in its 11th year, the Symposium addresses the specific engineering, regulatory, and financial realities shaping markets from Direct-to-Device connectivity to proliferated military architectures.

Registration is open at: https://satnews.regfox.com/smallsat-symposium-2026

"The theoretical era is over," said Silvano Payne, CEO of SatNews and Symposium Chairman. "With over $20 billion invested in commercial constellations and the Space Development Agency committing $9.9 billion toward 438 satellites, the focus has shifted from proving concepts to solving operational challenges at scale. SmallSat Symposium 2026 is where those critical decisions are being made—this is where the architects of commercial and defense space gather to shape the industry's future."

INDUSTRY LEADERS SPANNING GOVERNMENT, COMMERCIAL, AND INVESTMENT SECTORS

SmallSat Symposium 2026 has assembled an exceptional speaker roster representing decision-makers across the ecosystem:

* Dr. GP Sandhoo, Acting Director of the Space Development Agency, delivering the keynote on SDA's role in driving proliferated architectures
* Ricky Freeman, President of Amazon LEO, representing one of the largest constellation programs in development
* Prof. Victoria Coleman, Associate Provost of Berkeley Space Center at UC Berkeley, former DARPA Director and Air Force Chief Scientist
* John Rood, Chairman/President/CEO of Momentus and former Under Secretary of Defense
* Preston Dunlap, Founder of Arkenstone Capital and first Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Space Force
* Peter Krauss, President & CEO of Terran Orbital (Lockheed Martin)
* Chris Quilty, Co-CEO of Quilty Space, the industry's leading analyst
* Brian Rogers, VP of Global Launch Services at Rocket Lab
* Mike Collett, Managing Partner at Promus Ventures (board member: Rocket Lab, Spire, ICEYE)
* Brooke Stokes, Partner at McKinsey & Company, leading the firm's global Space practice

"This year's speaker lineup reflects the maturation of the sector," Payne noted. "These aren't just presenters—they're the people making technology selections, funding commitments, and policy decisions that will define the next decade of space infrastructure."

DR. GP SANDHOO TO DELIVER SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY KEYNOTE

Dr. GP Sandhoo, Acting Director of the U.S. Space Development Agency, will deliver a keynote examining SDA's role in establishing technical standards reshaping the small satellite industry. SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture program has become a major catalyst, driving design standards, production scale, and commercial demand beyond defense applications.

Dr. Sandhoo will address how SDA's spiral development approach, emphasis on commoditized satellite buses, and optical crosslink requirements are influencing design decisions industry-wide, shaping how commercial operators approach constellation architecture and mission planning.

WHERE SMALLSAT DECISIONS ARE TAKING SHAPE

The Symposium's three-day agenda addresses operational and strategic shifts reshaping both commercial and government markets:

The Direct-to-Device Reality Check – Industry leaders including Greg Pelton (CTO, Iridium) examine real-world engineering constraints facing satellite-to-smartphone connectivity and whether current business models can support global D2D constellations.

Golden Dome: Responsive Defense Systems – Moderated by Chris Quilty, featuring Ricky Freeman (Amazon LEO), John Rood (Momentus), and Al Tadros (CTO, Redwire) on how small satellite agility enables responsive capabilities for integrated defense architectures.

Trust in Orbit: AI, Autonomy & Accountability – Operators, government program managers, and technology providers discuss frameworks for deploying autonomous systems safely in orbit, from collision avoidance to target recognition.

The Great Spectrum Crunch – With LEO hosting 8,300+ satellites, sessions examine spectrum rights and collision avoidance as central business risks. Features Karl Kensinger (Deputy Chief, FCC Satellite Division) and Scott Patrick (Executive Director, NTIA).

Navigating the Financial Frontier – Moderated by Preston Dunlap (former Space Force CTO), featuring Mike Collett (Promus Ventures) and other investors discussing capital strategies, valuations, and M&A activity in a maturing market demanding profitability over growth.

The agenda also includes technical sessions on propulsion, edge computing, optical communications, and ground infrastructure, plus a fireside conversation with Prof. Victoria Coleman on innovation, public-private partnerships, and the Berkeley Space Center's role in accelerating breakthrough technologies.

MEET THE ARCHITECTS: 125+ SPEAKERS ACROSS THE ECOSYSTEM

The speaker lineup includes senior executives from:

DEFENSE CONTRACTORS:
Northrop Grumman, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo, Blue Canyon Technologies (Northrop Grumman), and 15+ others

CONSTELLATION OPERATORS:
Amazon LEO, Terran Orbital (Lockheed Martin), Loft Orbital, Muon Space, Sidus Space, and 20+ others

LAUNCH & IN-SPACE SERVICES:
Rocket Lab, Momentus, Exolaunch, PLD Space, Stoke Space, Impulse Space, and 10+ others

GROUND & CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE:
Amazon Web Services, Kepler Communications, KSAT, Leaf Space, SSC, and 15+ others

PROPULSION & COMPONENTS:
Orbion, Morpheus Space, ThrustMe, Neumann Space, Mynaric, CesiumAstro, and 25+ others

STRATEGIC ADVISORY & INVESTMENT:
McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, KippsDeSanto, AE Industrial, Deloitte Consulting, Quilty Space, Promus Ventures, Arkenstone Capital, Beyond Earth Ventures, and 20+ others

GOVERNMENT & ASSOCIATIONS:
Space Development Agency, FCC, NTIA, SIA, GSOA, SSPI, and 10+ others

"SmallSat Symposium delivers intelligence inside the decision window," said Payne. "This isn't general market commentary—it's behind-the-scenes analysis from operators, investors, and program managers with direct visibility into funding, M&A, and emerging partnerships."

SILICON VALLEY: WHERE TECHNOLOGY MEETS SPACE

The Computer History Museum setting emphasizes convergence between terrestrial technology and orbital infrastructure, enabling participation from software, AI, semiconductor, and venture capital firms viewing space as an extension of compute and communications infrastructure.

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION AND EXHIBITION

The Symposium will attract attendees from North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and emerging markets, with 100+ exhibitors showcasing technologies from satellite buses and propulsion to ground infrastructure and mission operations tools. Companies from Canada, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Israel, South Africa, Australia, and Japan are confirmed exhibitors.

LIMITED CAPACITY – REGISTER NOW

With 900+ attendees expected and strong international demand, SmallSat Symposium 2026 is approaching capacity. The high speaker-to-attendee ratio ensures meaningful networking, but space is limited.

Companies interested in exhibiting or sponsoring should confirm participation immediately. Customized sponsorship packages provide visibility to decision-makers from commercial operators, defense contractors, government agencies, and investment firms. Meeting room sponsorships offer private spaces for focused discussions.

EVENT INFORMATION

Event: SmallSat Symposium 2026
Dates: February 10-12, 2026
Venue: Computer History Museum, 1401 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
Website: https://smallsatshow.com/
Registration: https://satnews.regfox.com/smallsat-symposium-2026

For participation opportunities or sponsorship inquiries, visit: https://smallsatshow.com/sales/

Follow SmallSat Symposium on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/smallsat-symposium

ABOUT SMALLSAT SYMPOSIUM

Now in its 11th year, SmallSat Symposium is the small satellite industry's premier venue for technical exchange, business development, and strategic decision-making across commercial and government sectors. The event brings together mission designers, manufacturers, launch providers, defense program managers, government officials, and investors examining technologies, business models, and acquisition strategies shaping the small satellite ecosystem.

Since its inception, SmallSat Symposium has served as the venue where industry leaders shape satellite technology, where commercial-government partnerships form, where funding opportunities materialize, and where technical milestones translate into defense capabilities and commercial momentum. Hosted in Silicon Valley, SmallSat Symposium is the nexus where technical innovation meets commercial strategy and defense requirements.

For more information, visit https://smallsatshow.com/

ABOUT SATNEWS EVENTS

SatNews Events organizes market-leading conferences serving the satellite and space industries. With a focus on creating high-value networking environments and delivering actionable market intelligence, SatNews Events connects industry leaders, emerging companies, government agencies, defense contractors, and investment firms across the global space ecosystem.

Simon Payne
Satnews Publishers Inc.
+1 707-981-4447
email us here

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