NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Secretary Troy Meink likened today’s geopolitical threats to the Sputnik shock of 1957, warning that the United States risks falling behind adversaries, particularly China, unless it accelerates innovation across air and space programs.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...