What does the future of space look like — and how should we prepare for it?
On Thursday, March 26, 2026, Concordia University Wisconsin will host the National Security and Space Center (NSSC) Space Summit, an evening dedicated to exploring the evolving space domain through the lens of strategy, innovation, and vocation. Held in the Terrace Room (AL114) from 4:30–8 p.m., this free event invites students, faculty, and community members to engage in meaningful conversation about one of the most important frontiers of our time.
Anticipating the future of space
This year’s summit centers on “Strategic Foresight for Space” — a forward-looking approach to understanding the challenges and opportunities shaping space exploration and development. From human settlement and commerce to diplomacy, governance, and technological advancement, the conversation will span disciplines and perspectives.
“As we look ahead, the space domain is no longer a distant concept—it is a present reality shaping economics, security, and human flourishing,” said Dr. Lamont Colucci, professor of Political Science and director of the NSSC. “Strategic foresight helps us think wisely and act responsibly in a domain that will define the next century.”
The evening will feature a lineup of distinguished speakers:
4:30 p.m. – Chris Schaeffer & Tyler Murray: Need for American Focused Space Primacy
5:20 p.m. – Joel Mozer: Long-term Strategic Planning for an Evolving Space Domain
6:10 p.m. – Rick Tumlinson: Flags & Footprints vs. Factories and Families. It’s Not Who Gets There First.
7 p.m. – Brent Ziarnick: Spacepower Development and the Virtuous Cycle
Together, these presentations will challenge attendees to think critically about the role of space in shaping our shared future.
A unique Concordia initiative
The NSSC reflects Concordia’s commitment to preparing students for lives of purpose and service. As a Lutheran higher education community, Concordia is dedicated to developing students in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.
“At Concordia, we believe education is not only about knowledge, but about formation,” said Rachel Ware Carlton, professor of Music and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “Events like the Space Summit invite students to consider how their vocations intersect with some of the most pressing and complex challenges facing our world.”
Through the NSSC, that mission extends into the critical and rapidly growing fields of national security and space. The center creates opportunities for interdisciplinary dialogue — bringing together insights from political science, engineering, theology, economics, and beyond — to better understand how space exploration intersects with human flourishing and global responsibility.
Leadership grounded in experience
The center is led by Colucci, former inaugural director of Doctrine Development for the United States Space Force. A U.S. diplomat and Fulbright Scholar, he brings both academic depth and real-world experience to the NSSC’s work — an approach shaped by a clear understanding of long-term consequence. As he reflects, “Failure of foresight is rarely visible in the moment, but it is always obvious in defeat.”
He is joined by a diverse advisory board of faculty and community leaders representing disciplines ranging from physics and medicine to theology and history, ensuring that conversations around space are both rigorous and holistic.
Preparing for what’s next
As humanity stands on the threshold of a new era in space, the NSSC Space Summit serves as a reminder that these conversations are not just technical or political — they are deeply human. Questions of ethics, leadership, innovation, and service all play a role in how we move forward.
“The future of space will be shaped by the people who are willing to think deeply, collaborate broadly, and act with purpose,” Colucci said. “That’s exactly the kind of formation we strive for at Concordia.”
Students at CUW are invited into these conversations not only to learn, but to lead — to consider how their gifts and vocations might contribute to shaping the future of space for the good of their neighbors and the world.
All are welcome to attend this engaging and thought-provoking evening.
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.