TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Space. The final frontier. Those who are interested in exploring strange new worlds are meeting up in Traverse City this week for the North American Space Summit (NASS) from October 2nd through the 4th at the Grand Traverse Resort.

This yearly event is hosted by the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association. Their commitment to offering the Michigan space industry opportunity development is also demonstrated with their Michigan Launch Initiative (MLI) a program to develop a spaceport facility for the launch of rockets carrying small & mid-sized satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from horizontal and vertical platforms and a Command Center to manage post-launch satellite operations.

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The goal of the MLI is position Michigan as the epicenter of the commercial space ecosystem of mid-America by providing future launch capabilities and an ecosystem that supports it with research, development and production.
The website for NASS describes this week’s space summit as “some of the world’s most influential leaders in government and defense, automotive, business, aerospace and more on their initiatives to lead the world in new technology, capabilities, services and innovation in near-earth and low-earth orbit.”

These leaders include some of Michigan’s top leaders in government, the commercial space sector and key players in MLI’s future launch facilities. The summit will feature more than 30 educational and networking sessions where attendees will learn about the next generation of space-enabled communications, autonomous vehicle technology, space supply chains, government applications, funding sources, cybersecurity, women in space, spacebased manufacturing, research & development and more.

Successful Michigan space companies will talk about their role in the space industry and there will be discussions on commercial spaceflight and commercialization to the moon and back including discussions on science, space stations, and lunar rovers.

The agenda includes sessions on hypersonic technology including its role in national security with speaker U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI 1st District), who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will also discuss hypersonics role in national security.

Speakers also include U.S. Space Force Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina Armago; John Remen, Strategic Engagement Lead, Air Force Research Laboratory, Rocket Propulsion Division; and Lieutenant General David Buck who serviced in the U.S. Air Force for 40 years with a career dedicated to space, nuclear and cyberspace operations.