Towards a Future of Sustained Space Resilience

Andy has 44 years with NGC/TRW and a total of 46 years working in advanced space programs specializing in, advanced manufacturing, spacecraft design, micro-electronics, nuclear products, space logistics, and astrophysics projects. As a NG Fellow 2, he supports NGC’s key space customers including NASA, AFRL, NRO, DARPA, Army/SMDC, Space RCO, USMC, and the Navy. He is considered one of the prominent advanced manufacturing (AM) experts in the country and has produced over fifty papers in AM, in-space manufacturing, lunar and planetary sciences, hypersonics, and miniaturization of spacecraft components. He brings his innovative approach to problems and has won several Corporate awards for innovation.
Andy is an appointed Research Professor at the University of New Mexico and is on the faculty in the Electrical and Computing Engineering Department, supporting satellite and space research. He is on the Technical Advisory Boards for Virginia Tech, U of Michigan, Cornell, and U of New Mexico. Andy Kwas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978 with two degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and received a Masters degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri Science and Technology in Astrophysics.

Lieutenant Colonel George earned his commission through Baylor University, Air Force ROTC in 2008. He has held a variety of global strike and space assignments at the squadron, wing, and HQ staff levels, including serving as an ICBM Instructor Combat Crew Commander at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, the Senior Instructor and Operations Flight commander for the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, Aide-de-Camp for the Commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and Director of Operations for the 2nd Space Warning Squadron, 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. He is a distinguished graduate of Air Command and Staff College and a graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Montgomery, AL.

Prior to his current assignment as the 53d Space Operations Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel George was the Chief of Strategy and Plans Division, Space Forces Space, Schriever Space Force Base, CO.

Lt Col George is married to his wife Debbie.

Mr. Todd Gossett joined SES Government Solutions (SES GS) in September 2015 and serves as the Vice President for Space & National Security Initiatives. Mr. Gossett is responsible for developing, pursuing, and securing opportunities to support U.S. Government missions around the world by leveraging SES’s space infrastructure for missions ranging from space relay to hosted payloads. He is also responsible for integrating U.S. Government COMSATCOM requirements into the SES corporate processes for satellite fleet development and strategic third part capacity procurements. His office also works with U.S. government and industry partners to strengthen the cyber security of the SES fleet. He also oversees SES GS’ innovation strategy, looking at non-traditional and market adjacent products and services to expand SES GS’ addressable market.

Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the SES GS Senior Director, Hosted Payloads, where he developed new hosted payload opportunities for U.S. Government customers. He also served as program manager for NASA’s Global-Scale Observations of the Limb & Disk (GOLD) hosted payload program which launched on SES-14 in 2018 and is currently delivering unique observations of the sun’s impact on the upper atmosphere for NASA and research institutions worldwide.

Prior to joining SES GS, Mr. Gossett served twenty-six years in the United States Air Force, retiring in September 2015 at the rank of colonel. In his last assignment, he served as the Deputy Director of Space Operations, Headquarters United States Air Force, at the Pentagon, where he led a diverse team of over a forty personnel responsible for the formulation of Air Force space operations policy, development of space operations and maintenance budgets, conducting space operations international engagements, coordinating approval of sensitive space operations, and overseeing the Air Force’s space operations personnel development & training programs. Prior to his final Pentagon assignment, he served as commander of the USAF’s western launch range at Vandenberg AFB, CA. He also served in several other assignments, including nuclear missile operations, satellite operations, and space electronic warfare operations, as well as in various staff positions at Headquarters United States Air Force and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mr. Gossett grew up in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, and Master’s degrees from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, the Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College, and the U.S. Naval War College.

Dr. Kelly Hammett, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director and Program Executive Officer (PEO) for the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. As Space RCO’s senior acquisition officer, Dr. Hammett is responsible for and oversees space-based research, development and acquisition activities for classified space acquisition programs assigned to the Space RCO. In this position, Dr. Hammett serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force, for the rapid development and fielding of classified critical space capabilities for the United States Space Command and Space Force. In his PEO capacity, he is responsible for a robust portfolio of major acquisition programs providing operationally dominant space capabilities that strategically enhance the nation’s warfighting capabilities in the space domain.

Dr. Hammett entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant in 1988, receiving his commission through the ROTC program at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. His 20-year active-duty career spanned a variety of positions mainly focused on directed energy weapon system technology development and acquisition, and culminated after serving as the Director of Engineering for the $7 billion Airborne Laser Program. His civilian career started at Kirtland AFB where he served in various positions to include the Chief Engineer for the Directed Energy Directorate’s Optics Division and the Directed Energy Directorate’s Chief Engineer, where he led engineering and program management activities and provided technical oversight of more than 30 science and technology programs valued at over $300 million.

Dr. Hammett has published more than 14 technical papers in national and international journals and conference proceedings. He was directly responsible for the development and flight test of more than 10 first-of-their-kind, world-record setting directed energy technologies. He is a member of the Acquisition Corps and held multiple critical acquisition positions over the last 12 years. He is a Level III Space Professional, and previously commanded an operational space surveillance detachment. Throughout his career, he has led more than 30 successful field demonstrations of optical and directed energy technologies for space surveillance, missile defense, force protection, air superiority, and global precision attack mission needs.

Prior to his current assignment, Dr. Hammett was the Director, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2016.

Thomas J. Sharpy, Lieutenant General, US Air Force (Ret), brings over 39 years of distinguished service in the U.S. Air Force, leading thousands in peacetime and crisis operations. His military career culminated as the lead Allied Command Transformation senior executive, where he was responsible for developing strategic capabilities for NATO’s 30 member nations. He also championed NATO’s Command and Control, Cyber Security, and Joint Air Power Competence Centers of Excellence.

Currently, Tom is the Vice President of Customer Development at Portal Space Systems. He is also the founder of Sharpy Group LLC, where he has delivered keynote addresses for NATO and served on several advisory boards. His experience includes managing budgets exceeding $15B and overseeing the introduction of the KC-46 tanker aircraft. Notably, he led combat operations in Libya and hurricane relief in Puerto Rico and received commendations from Vice President Cheney for his actions during the 9/11 attacks.

A Command Pilot with over 4,000 flying hours, Tom has held key command positions and led significant HR initiatives at the Pentagon. He holds an MBA and a Master’s in National Resource Strategy and is a Harvard Senior Executive Fellow. He and his wife Lori have two sons in the Air Force.

Dr. Andrew ‘Andy’ Williams is the Deputy Technology Executive Officer for Space at the Air Force Research Laboratory. His responsibilities include integrating and executing AFRL’s space science and technology (S&T) investment strategy and serving as the primary focal point for USSF to deliver game changing technology and new capabilities to the warfighter. In addition, he leads strategic S&T engagement and planning with partners throughout the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, NASA, industry, and academia.

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Dr. Williams joined AFRL as a Palace Acquire Intern in 2003. In 2006, he was tasked with initiating a new research program in spacecraft thermal control. Within three years, he grew the program to $35M in contract and in-house research and led five experiments flying on sounding rockets, the International Space Station, and NASA’s Zero-g Aircraft. In 2009, he became Deputy PM for Integrated Structural Systems, and in 2013, he took over as PM where he led a team of 34 scientist and engineers executing a $140M research portfolio ranging from basic research to tech transition in deployable structures, thermal control, structural sensing, and 3D printing. In 2018, he transitioned to Space Mission Area Lead for AFRL where he focused on customer engagement to deliver S&T for USSF tech needs.

EDUCATION

2002   Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

2005   Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado

2016   Doctorate of Philosophy in Engineering, University of New Mexico

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. June 2003 – July 2006, Palace Acquire Intern, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland AFB, NM
2. July 2006 – November 2009, Thermal Systems Lead, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate
3. November 2009 – August 2013, Deputy Program Manager, Integrated Structural Systems, AFRL/RV
4. August 2013 – April 2018, Program Manager, Integrated Structural Systems, AFRL/RV
5. April 2018 – October 2018, Section Chief, Advanced Power and Integrated Structures, AFRL/RV
6. October 2018 – November 2021, Space Mission Area Lead, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, NM

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

2009 Air Force Research Laboratory, Junior Civilian Engineer of the Year

2011 Science, Technology & Engineering Award for Exploratory or Advanced Tech Development

2016 Federal Laboratory Consortium; Notable Tech Development Award for Roll-Out Solar Array

2017 Associate Fellow in the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

2017 R&D 100 Award for the Roll-Out Solar Array

2017 Federal Laboratory Consortium; Notable Tech Development Awards for High Strain Composites

2017 Federal Laboratory Consortium; Notable Tech Development Awards for Oscillating Heat Pipes

2018 RNASA Stellar Team Award for the Roll-Out Solar Array

2018 R&D 100 Award for Oscillating Heat Pipes