Gen. Lloyd Austin, secretary of the Department of Defense (DOD) and a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient, met with John Hill, who is performing the duties of assistant secretary for Space Policy at the Pentagon, and other senior government and military officials to discuss space domain-related national security threats and programs, SpaceNews reported Monday.
Hill and officials from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), U.S. Space Force and Space Command briefed Austin on updates to space programs as well as space domain challenges facing the U.S.
During the meeting on Thursday, the defense secretary was also informed about the structure of the national security space enterprise and China's efforts to advance technologies and pursue space plans.
In Austin's confirmation hearing testimony, he noted that national security interests face "serious and growing threats" from space activities of China and Russia.
A "China task force" was established by Austin in March 2021 to provide recommendations to address Chinese threats.