Kevin O'Connell

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Kevin M. O’Connell is a leading authority on space commerce, the global space economy, and national security, with nearly four decades of experience at the intersection of space commercialization, technological innovation, and international policy. He is currently CEO of Space Economy Rising, where he advises space and high-tech companies on strategy, finance, and market opportunities. From 2018 to 2021, he served as Director of the Office of Space Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he championed the commercial space industry, promoted regulatory reform, and led international outreach to advance space safety and sustainability. He received the Vice President’s Dedicated Service Award for his contributions to the National Space Council and has testified before Congress multiple times on space competitiveness and policy.

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Mr. O’Connell has held senior roles across the Department of Defense, State Department, National Security Council, and intelligence community. He spent nearly a decade at RAND, where he founded the Intelligence Policy Center, and later established Innovative Analytics and Training, a consultancy focused on high-tech sectors including space, cloud computing, and cyber. A recognized expert in satellite remote sensing, he has advised the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and chaired NOAA’s ACCRES advisory committee. He is also an active author, educator, and lecturer on space issues, teaching at Georgetown and RAND and presenting at institutions such as MIT, George Washington University, and the University of Tokyo. He holds a TS/SCI security clearance with additional accesses.