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WASHINGTON — True Anomaly, a defense-focused space technology startup based in Colorado, hired satellite industry executive Sarah Walter as chief operating officer, the company announced Sept. 2.
The appointment comes as the company prepares for critical space missions, including a Space Force-funded satellite launch.
Walter worked most recently at satellite manufacturer York Space Systems, also based in Colorado, where she served as vice president of engineering. She previously held executive positions at Aero Gearbox International and Rolls-Royce.
“Sarah is a standout leader in the aerospace industry. She brings the right expertise to leverage our high-speed tempo and accelerate our growth,” True Anomaly chief executive officer and co-founder Even Rogers said in a statement.
Her appointment continues a series of senior-level hires aimed at strengthening True Anomaly’s position in the defense market, where U.S. military is seeking faster, more flexible solutions to counter emerging threats from rivals such as China and Russia.
The company recently brought on former Pentagon official Stephen Kitay as senior vice president of space defense, and added former U.S. Space Force procurement chief Frank Calvelli to its board of directors.
Founded in 2022, True Anomaly developed a small maneuvering spacecraft, known as Jackal, designed for close-proximity operations, or the ability to approach other satellites to observe and collect imagery.
True Anomaly is also developing simulation and training virtual environments and software tools to help prepare military personnel for orbital conflict scenarios — a capability that U.S. Space Force leaders have said is necessary as space assets become more contested.
Walter takes on the COO role as the company prepares to launch Victus Haze, a U.S. Space Force mission planned for late 2025 that aims to demonstrate rapid deployment of satellites in response to unexpected events or adversary actions in orbit. Under a $30 million contract, True Anomaly selected Firefly Aerospace to launch its Jackal vehicle for the Victus Haze mission, where Jackal and a Rocket Lab spacecraft will conduct proximity operations in orbit.
Another mission on the horizon for True Anomaly is X-3, an internally funded Jackal flight to low Earth orbit. It will be True Anomaly’s third test of the spacecraft and an opportunity to refine its design and production techniques. A planned launch date for X-3 has not been announced.
“The company is at a critical inflection point with considerable growth while establishing manufacturing capabilities,” Walter said.
“I’m very excited about the mission of True Anomaly and the defense focus in general. I think that it is an area that is rapidly evolving,” she said in an interview with SpaceNews.
Walter’s appointment follows a $260 million funding round completed in April, one of the largest for a defense space startup this year. True Anomaly is using the capital to expand to 250 employees and to build out manufacturing capacity in Centennial, Colorado, and Long Beach, California.
Walter said the increased deployment of satellite constellations by both governments and commercial operators is driving demand for security. “That brings the need to think about how we protect that,” she said.
True Anomaly is betting that its combination of maneuverable spacecraft and AI-enabled ground systems will give the company an edge in a market dominated by established defense firms. Unlike the traditional defense model where the Pentagon pays upfront for development, the company is investing private capital into products.
Walter said the relationship between startups and the Defense Department is evolving. “We’re learning and understanding each other along the way,” she said.
“From a procurement perspective, it’s very wise on the government side to create competition and engage with lots of different organizations, and get the new space environment involved,” she added. “This is really the government leaning forward, and wanting innovation.”
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