ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink cautioned that the United States should not assume China’s accelerating progress in space and missile technology is simply the result of copying American systems, arguing Beijing is demonstrating significant independent innovation.

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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...