National Spacepower Center Names Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John E. Shaw as Inaugural Distinguished Senior Fellow

Former Deputy Commander of U.S. Space Command to advise NSpC leadership, expand strategic engagement, and help shape the future of national spacepower

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The National Spacepower Center (NSpC), an initiative of the Space Force Association (SFA), today announced the appointment of U.S Space Force Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John E. Shaw as its inaugural Distinguished Senior Fellow. In this senior advisory role, Shaw will serve as a strategic advisor, executive ambassador, and thought-leadership catalyst for the Center as it builds a national platform for understanding and promoting spacepower.

Shaw brings more than 36 years of experience in national security space and aerospace engineering to the position. He was among the first general officers to accept a commission in the U.S. Space Force. In his last active-duty assignment as a three-star general, he served as Deputy Commander of United States Space Command, directing more than 12,000 personnel worldwide and overseeing a $525 million budget to defend the nation’s critical space capabilities and deliver space effects to terrestrial warfighters. He previously served as the last commander of the 14th Air Force and the first commander of Space Operations Command at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, leading more than 10,000 personnel in military space operations alongside international partners.

As a Distinguished Senior Fellow, General Shaw will advise NSpC leadership on strategic priorities and emerging issues, contribute thought leadership, and mentor fellows and researchers across the government, industry, academic, and policy communities the Center convenes.

“Spacepower is now central to how our nation competes, deters, and defends, yet too few of the leaders shaping those decisions can truly grasp the scope of it,” said General Shaw. “The National Spacepower Center has an opportunity to close that gap by bringing government, industry, and academia into one room to think clearly about the choices ahead. I’m honored to be a part of building that.”

“General Shaw is one of the most respected voices in national security space, and his experience spans the full breadth of what the NSpC was built to address — operations, policy, industry, and international partnership,” said Damon Feltman, CEO, Space Force Association. “His credibility and convening power will help us engage senior decision-makers and elevate the Center’s voice.”

General Shaw holds a B.S. in Astronautical Engineering with a Russian language minor from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an M.S. in Aeronautics & Astronautics from the University of Washington, and an M.S. in Organizational Management from The George Washington University. He has testified frequently before Congress, delivered dozens of keynote addresses, and authored numerous works on space strategy, security, and policy. He currently serves on the corporate boards of SES Satellite, Sierra Space, Draper Laboratory, Auria Space, Stoke Space Technologies, Lunar Outpost, and ThinkOrbital.

About the National Spacepower Center
The National Spacepower Center is a Space Force Association initiative designed to help government leaders, industry innovators, and academic institutions better understand the space domain and the role spacepower plays in national security, economic growth, and global stability. Through immersive, unclassified experiences, high-fidelity modeling and simulation, and a neutral convening platform, the NSpC translates complex space systems, policy choices, and strategic tradeoffs into clear, actionable insight for government, industry, academia, and allies.

About the Space Force Association
The Space Force Association (SFA) supports the mission and members of the U.S. Space Force through education, advocacy, and community-building programs that advance national security space.

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Emily Honhart
Space Force Association
publicaffairs@ussfa.org
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