Space Force Deputy Keynotes Cyber Expo on Space Readiness

Charleen Laughlin, U.S. Space Force deputy chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data, stated in her keynote that space superiority depends on networks and data as much as on orbital assets, per the U.S. Department of Defense release. She spoke on the first day of Space Systems Command's 8th annual Cyber Expo at Los Angeles Air Force Base from April 21-23, 2026.

More than 500 people attended the expo in person and online, including representatives from industry, academia, and U.S. Space Force components such as Combat Forces Command, U.S. Southern Command, Space Training and Readiness Command, and U.S. Space Command, according to the Defense Department summary.

The expo shifted focus to cyber readiness at the speed of space, building on prior events that addressed general cybersecurity in space operations. This year's emphasis integrates cyber and data strategies directly into space superiority planning, effective from the event's discussions starting April 21, 2026.

The integration triggers updates to training protocols in Space Training and Readiness Command, requiring new cyber modules for personnel by the end of 2026. It also activates collaborative projects with industry partners to develop secure data networks, with initial prototypes due in fiscal year 2027.

U.S. Space Command must now incorporate these cyber priorities into operational guidelines, setting deadlines for compliance reviews in the next quarter.

This marks the 8th annual Cyber Expo hosted by Space Systems Command. The event follows the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, which formalized cyber operations as a core domain.