National Space Defense Center Spearheads NACE Experiments

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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason “J.U.” Utulo, Director of Operations Experimentation, writes on a white board during the National Space Defense Center Advanced Concept Experimentation (NACE) events at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo., Oct. 10, 2024. The NACE program’s mission is to rapidly iterate and improve space superiority, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and defensive cyber command-and-control processes and procedures. NACE is the NSDC’s operationally and tactically focused venue to rapidly improve its ability to execute assigned missions through experimentation, utilizing space warfighters in live-ops and tabletop exercises using current and near-operational capabilities. (U.S. Space Force photo by Bridget Bonnette)
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason “J.U.” Utulo, Director of Operations Experimentation, writes on a white board during the National Space Defense Center Advanced Concept Experimentation (NACE) events at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo., Oct. 10, 2024 (U.S. Space Force photo by Bridget Bonnette).

January 28, 2025 | Originally published by U.S. Space Command on December 18, 2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Space Defense Center has created the NSDC Advanced Concept Experimentation (NACE) to innovate and optimize the NSDC’s ability to execute the protect and defend mission.

The NACE program’s mission is to rapidly iterate and improve space superiority, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and defensive cyber command-and-control processes and procedures. NACE is the NSDC’s operationally and tactically focused venue to rapidly improve its ability to execute assigned missions through experimentation, utilizing space warfighters in live-ops and tabletop exercises using current and near-operational capabilities.

NACE is the next generation of experimentation within the NSDC designed to focus efforts on advancing mission execution, generating a warfighter mentality, and defining operational imperatives.

Focus Areas