John London Shares the Work of the Space Development Agency

President Chuck Redden and Past President Eric Jack with John London.

This week the Rotary Club of Birmingham welcomed John London, Chief of the Warfighter Integration Cell at the Space Development Agency (SDA). London shared an overview of the history of space exploration, the creation of SDA and U.S. Space Force and collaboration with U.S. Space Command. London explained how SDA maintains a survivable, resilient orbital space architecture that provides critical military data to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions, and detects, tracks, and targets advanced technology missile threats. He discussed plans for a significant expansion of U.S. military satellites in space and the need for the military to constantly adapt to new technologies and emerging threats.

"For critical military information in a combat situation, where American fighting forces' lives are at stake, we need to have a government-owned, government-operated, government-controlled, government-secured network that we can depend on in time of war," London said. "We are a constructive disruptor. We're doing things radically differently. We're fielding systems in two years that normally would take ten to twenty."

About John London
John R. London III is currently assigned to the Space Development Agency (SDA), Redstone Arsenal, AL as Chief of the Warfighter Integration Cell. Before taking the SDA position, he was assigned to the US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), Space and Strategic Systems Directorate as Chief Engineer. London is a retired Air Force officer, and served in positions with Air Force Logistics Command, Air Force Systems Command, Air Force Materiel Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. After retiring from the Air Force he accepted a position with NASA at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL serving in a variety of advanced space transportation technology jobs. He accepted the position with Army SMDC in 2006. He is the author of a number of publications and two books related to aerospace technology. London and his wife, the former Joyce Low of Oklahoma City, reside in Madison, AL. They have nine children and 19 grandchildren.