Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy
{{Short description|U.S. Department of Defense official}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Assistant Secretary
| body = Defense for Space Policy
| native_name =
| insignia = Emblem_of_the_Assistant_Secretary_of_Defense_for_Space_Policy.png
| insigniasize = 120
| insigniacaption = Seal of the assistant secretary of defense for space policy
| flag =
| flagsize =
| flagborder =
| flagcaption =
| image =
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| alt =
| incumbent = Robert Soofer
| acting = y
| incumbentsince = May 22, 2025
| department = United States Department of Defense
| style =
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation = ASD(SP)
| member_of =
| reports_to = Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
| residence =
| seat =
| nominator =
| appointer = The president
| appointer_qualified = with Senate advice and consent
| termlength = Appointed
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|10|138}}
| precursor =
| formation = October 29, 2020
| first = John F. Plumb
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary =
| website = {{url|https://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Space-Policy/Space/|Official website}}
}}
The assistant secretary of defense for space policy (ASD(SP)) is a position in the United States Department of Defense responsible for the overall supervision of DoD policy for space warfighting. The officeholder reports to the under secretary of defense for policy.
History
It was created by the Department of Defense on October 29, 2020 after it was mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019. Previously, there was a deputy assistant secretary for space policy position that reports to the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas' security affairs. The acting assistant secretary of defense for space policy, Justin T. Johnson, was then appointed to perform the duties of the office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defensenews.com/space/2020/10/30/pentagon-establishes-new-space-policy-position/|title=Pentagon establishes new space policy position|first=Nathan|last=Strout|date=10 March 2021|website=Defense News}}{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/pentagon-creates-new-office-to-oversee-military-space-policy/|title=Pentagon creates new office to oversee military space policy|date=30 October 2020|website=SpaceNews}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2400613/dod-establishes-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-space-policy/|title=DOD Establishes Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy|website=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE}}
List of officeholders
=Assistant secretaries of defense for space policy=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2|{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!colspan=2|Assistant Secretary !colspan=3|Term !rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| Portrait
!Name !Took office !Left office !Term length |
| colspan=7|Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy
{{Officeholder table | order = - | image = Justin T. Johnson (2).jpg | officeholder = Justin T. Johnson | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = October 29, 2020 | term_end = January 20, 2021 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|October 29, 2020|January 20, 2021}} | alt_officeholder ={{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/2405984/justin-t-johnson/|title=Justin T. Johnson|website=www.defense.gov}}{{cite web |title=Department of Defense Key Officials - September 1947{{endash}}February 2022 |url=https://history.defense.gov/Portals/70/Documents/key_officials/KeyOfficials02-14-22.pdf?ver=YXM7-MKllsWfNSOpm_-PLQ%3d%3d |publisher=Office of the Secretary of Defense}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = John D. Hill.jpg | officeholder = John D. Hill | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = January 20, 2021 | term_end = March 7, 2022 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|January 20, 2021|March 4, 2022}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 1 | image = John F. Plumb (2).jpg | officeholder = John F. Plumb | officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1970/1971 | died_year = | term_start = March 7, 2022 | term_end = May 20, 2024 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|March 4, 2022|May 20, 2024}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = Vipin Narang.jpg | officeholder = Vipin Narang | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = May 20, 2024 | term_end = August 12, 2024 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|May 20, 2024|August 12, 2024}} | alt_officeholder = - | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = John D. Hill.jpg | officeholder = John D. Hill | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = August 12, 2024 | term_end = May 5, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|August 12, 2024|May 5, 2025}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = Austin J. Dahmer.jpg | officeholder = Austin Dahmer | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = May 5, 2025 | term_end = May 22, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|May 5, 2025|May 22, 2025}} | alt_officeholder = - | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = | officeholder = Robert Soofer | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = May 22, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|May 22, 2025}} | alt_officeholder = - | acting = y }} |
=Principal deputy assistant secretaries of defense for space policy=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2|{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!colspan=2|{{abbr|PDASD|Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary}} !colspan=3|Term !rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| Portrait
!Name !Took office !Left office !Term length |
| {{Officeholder table
| order = - | image = Gregory H. Pejic.jpg | officeholder = Gregory H. Pejic | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = October 29, 2020 | term_end = ~December 20, 2020 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|October 29, 2020|December 20, 2020}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 1 | image = Gregory Pejic.jpg | officeholder = Gregory H. Pejic | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = ~December 20, 2020 | term_end = January 20, 2021 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|December 20, 2020|January 20, 2021}} | alt_officeholder ={{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/2401552/gregory-pejic/|title=Gregory Pejic|website=www.defense.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/pentagon-creates-new-office-to-oversee-military-space-policy/.|title=Pentagon creates new office to oversee military space policy|date=October 30, 2020}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = 2 | image = Vipin Narang.jpg | officeholder = Vipin Narang | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = March 29, 2022 | term_end = August 12, 2024 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|March 29, 2022|August 12, 2024}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = John D. Hill.jpg | officeholder = John D. Hill | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = August 12, 2024 | term_end = January 20, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|August 12, 2024|January 20, 2025}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = | officeholder = Andrea Yaffe | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = January 20, 2025 | term_end = June 12, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|January 20, 2025|June 12, 2025}} | alt_officeholder = - | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = | officeholder = Rachel McNeal | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = June 12, 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|June 12, 2025}} | alt_officeholder = - | acting = y }} |
=Deputy assistant secretaries of defense for space policy=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2|{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!colspan=2|Deputy Assistant Secretary !colspan=3|Term !rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| Portrait
!Name !Took office !Left office !Term length |
| colspan=7|Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy |
| {{Officeholder table
| order = 1 | image = Gregory L. Schulte.jpg | officeholder = Gregory L. Schulte | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = March 2010 | term_end = ~August 2012 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|March 15, 2010|August 15, 2012}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = John F. Plumb.jpg | officeholder = John F. Plumb | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = ~August 2012 | term_end = ~March 2013 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|August 15, 2012|March 15, 2013}} | alt_officeholder = {{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/2977269/dr-john-f-plumb/|title=Dr. John F. Plumb|website=www.defense.gov}} | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 2 | image = Douglas L. Loverro (2).jpg | officeholder = Douglas L. Loverro | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = March 2013 | term_end = January 20, 2017 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|March 15, 2013|January 20, 2017}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = 3 | image = Stephen L. Kitay.jpg | officeholder = Stephen L. Kitay | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = ~June 13, 2017 | term_end = August 21, 2020 | timeinoffice = ~{{ayd|June 13, 2017|August 21, 2020}} | alt_officeholder ={{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/1243048/stephen-l-kitay/|title=Stephen L. Kitay|website=www.defense.gov}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | image = Justin T. Johnson (2).jpg | officeholder = Justin T. Johnson | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = August 21, 2020 | term_end = October 29, 2020 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|August 21, 2020|October 29, 2020}} | alt_officeholder ={{Cite web|url=https://www.airforcemag.com/esper-staffer-becomes-top-dod-space-policy-official/|title=Esper Staffer Becomes Top DOD Space Policy Official|date=31 August 2020}} | acting = y }} |