To SpaceX and Beyond

Through the Hacking for Defense program at George Washington University, I teamed up with the 5th Space Launch Squadron's Falcon Flight to build an analytical tool from historical SpaceX launch data. The aim: gauge mission risks and streamline processing for Department of Defense payloads, shifting from manual checks to automated insights that spot trends and predict issues. What started as a blank slate on the space industry turned into hands-on immersion—over 35 interviews with Space Force engineers, technicians, and leaders uncovered the need for data-driven mission assurance amid rising launch cadences.

We hit Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for a firsthand look: observed leadership meetings under Lt. Col. David Schill, shadowed flight surveillance, and brainstormed with sponsors Capt. Tory Robinson and Maj. Glen Pry. No prior space exposure meant everything felt raw and immediate, from the industry's national security backbone to chats with veterans dating back to the '70s, tracing its arc from history to future orbits. Space Force stood out against older branches, underscoring how this work not only scales assurance but bridges commerce and defense in an exploding sector.