After serving as the assistant secretary of Defense for Space Policy, John Plumb is set to exit the Pentagon in May, according to information obtained by Breaking Defense. The Department of Defense (DoD) spokesperson substantiated the news, confirming that Plumb has informed his team about his forthcoming departure.
Plumb’s journey in the DoD commenced in March 2022, making him the first persona to don the role of the space policy leader, a post contrived by Congress in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Preceding his involvement in the DoD, Plumb utilized his expertise as the government relations head at the Aerospace Corporation.
Throughout his tenure at the Pentagon, Plumb solidified his stature as a pivotal public figure representing the department’s communication regarding space. To list his significant accomplishments, he championed for easing classification on space programs and curating a fresh strategy to protect US military and intelligence-gathering satellites. He was also instrumental in overseeing the transition of DoD’s space tracking abilities to the Commerce Department.
This impending departure comes at a crucial juncture, as the department is employing its extended role in space. Currently, prominent organizations like the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and the Space Force are embroiled in a disagreement concerning the authority over procurement rights for US space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system.
This report is based on the original article found on Breaking Defense