"The Future of Space Is Reusable, Fast, And Built To Last” From Air Force Mechanic to BlackStar Orbital Founder, Christopher Janette's Mission to Revolutionize What a Satellite Can Be (Part 2)

From mobile platforms in China's Yellow Sea, satellites with unprecedented surveillance capabilities silently reach orbit—a strategic advantage that Pentagon officials consider a direct threat to American interests. For Christopher Janette, CEO of BlackStar Orbital, these developments demand a revolutionary response.

"Traditional satellites are like sending a Lamborghini into space and then throwing away the keys," Janette explains with the same precision that once guided his work as an avionics specialist performing engine runs on military aircraft. "We're building spacecraft that come home."

In Part 2, we examine how BlackStar's retrievable satellites directly address emerging threats from China, revolutionize orbital economics through modularity, and extend mission capabilities from commercial space stations to the atmospheres of distant planets. At stake is not just America's technological edge, but the entire framework for how humanity will utilize space in the coming decades.

With your experience in ocean-launched rockets, what strategic advantages might China gain from its sea-based launch platforms in the Yellow Sea, particularly regarding Taiwan contingencies?

"It fundamentally comes down to capabilities," Janette explains. "With sea launch systems, China gains significant flexibility and resilience. They've leveraged this through their integrated private-public space flight program."

He notes how sea-launching addresses practical challenges: "Unlike their traditional launch centers located hundreds of miles inland—where booster stages frequently drop on villages—their coastal and ocean launch capabilities reduce dependency on fixed terrestrial sites. This is both a practical and public relations advantage."

This approach offers significant military advantages: "In a potential conflict scenario—which we hope never materializes—sea platforms make it substantially harder for adversaries to preemptively target or track launch preparations. A mobile launch platform can be in port one day and deployed at sea the next. We're seeing similar mobility principles with what SpaceX has implemented with their autonomous spaceport droneships like 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'."

The mobility creates strategic opportunities: "This capability provides tactical surprise and responsiveness. By launching from variable locations, they can rapidly deploy payloads into optimized orbits—critical for surveillance and military operations."

Janette predicts further developments: "I anticipate we'll see more submarine-based launch systems. I'm somewhat surprised we haven't heard more about developments comparable to our Trident missile capabilities within their ballistic missile submarine fleet."

Connecting this to Taiwan specifically: "This directly relates to Taiwan—the elephant in the room. As tensions over Taiwan escalate, these sea-launched capabilities could be deployed kinetically or used to rapidly replenish satellite assets that might be compromised in a contested scenario. This ensures continued surveillance and communication superiority."

However, he notes potential countermeasures: "I don't believe they'll achieve complete dominance if we maintain our relationship with Taiwan. We could effectively position counter-hypersonic systems in a defensive perimeter around Taiwan to establish maritime area denial—something we explored in previous research. We developed some fascinating war game scenarios and published those findings in a widely distributed white paper."

BlackStar Orbital's satellites are described as more modular and adaptable than traditional designs. Could you walk us through a real-world scenario where this modularity can drastically reduce cost or deployment timelines compared to conventional satellite architectures?

Janette acknowledges emerging industry trends: "We're beginning to see modular systems incorporated into traditional satellite platforms. For example, one of our fellow Brevard County-based companies, Sidus Space, led by Carol Craig, has developed the LizzieSAT which incorporates modular architecture into their more traditional satellite class vehicle. Several other companies are also exploring standardized interfaces."

However, he emphasizes the limitations of conventional approaches: "Traditional satellites require years of planning, custom-built components, and lengthy iteration cycles. If a new threat emerges—for instance, if China develops an advanced version of BlackStar or ViaSat—it still requires years of planning before you can deploy a counter-system."

This concern is increasingly recognized in defense circles: "This is precisely why the recent Space Force workshop in LA was so critical—it was an eye-opener about the urgency of conceptualizing the satellite of 2027. We divided into specialized tracks, and I led the payload track for the final report. Modularity emerged as a recurring theme throughout our discussions."

He notes that modularity extends beyond hardware: "This modularity isn't limited to hardware components. On the software side, we should be transitioning to software-defined radios that offer the unique advantage of being updated and upgraded in situ, without needing to replace entire physical units."

BlackStar's approach offers a radical alternative: "Our modular approach fundamentally changes this paradigm. We can swap payloads within our modular bay as mission requirements evolve. Whether you need a new COMSAT, an upgraded communications system, or an ISR platform with newly developed capabilities, we can retrieve the satellite, perform the upgrade, and relaunch it in days rather than years."

This flexibility extends to orbital parameters: "We can also reconfigure mission profiles as needed. A traditional satellite, once placed in orbit, is essentially fixed in that position. There are extremely limited opportunities for changing orbital planes, inclination, or altitude adjustments."

The benefits are multifaceted: "The industry needs satellites like BlackStar that enable faster deployment, lower operational costs, and enhanced adaptability. I believe adaptability will be the decisive factor—if our adversaries develop new countermeasures, we don't have to start from scratch. We can modify our systems either in real-time or within a dramatically shortened timeframe."

This approach serves both defense and commercial needs: "This flexibility is critical for both defense and commercial applications, as the commercial space sector is equally contested. Commercial companies, much like nation-states, are engaged in their own race to secure market share."

Janette sees this as part of a larger pattern: "It's almost as if, depending on how far you zoom out, you observe repeating organizational patterns across different sectors of society. Ultimately, we need to redefine mission success in terms of speed and adaptability—whether for venture capital stakeholders or national governments."

Your approach emphasizes rapid prototyping and iteration. From a practical standpoint, how do you manage the risks associated with quickly fielding new technologies in a domain where reliability is paramount? Are there any lessons you've taken from other industries that guide this rapid development cycle?

"Software ate the world and everything is computational now," Janette begins. "We can apply these iterative, adaptive development cycles to the space industry. The automotive sector also provides valuable parallels."

He contrasts historical design processes with modern approaches: "Until approximately the 1990s, designing a new car meant working with paper, slide rules, and various physical graphic design elements before creating a clay model, which would then be refined into a crude physical prototype. Today, most of that process can be executed digitally. Companies are now proceeding all the way through preliminary design review without producing any physical hardware whatsoever."

This transformation enables faster innovation: "The paradigm has fundamentally shifted. We no longer need to wait for the perfect design. We can test, refine, retest, and improve incrementally—essentially completing most of the development in a virtual environment before transitioning to physical hardware."

He acknowledges the traditional approach in space: "The space industry has traditionally been risk-averse, and understandably so. It's expensive, and conventional satellites present a one-shot opportunity—once launched, there are no second chances."

BlackStar offers a solution to this limitation: "This is where BlackStar presents a revolutionary alternative. Consider that 20% of all satellites are dead on arrival. With our approach, if a BlackStar vehicle experiences an anomaly or technical issue, we simply return it to Earth. Valve malfunction? Bring it back. Solar panels won't deploy? Bring it back. In the traditional paradigm, any mechanical issue that compromises your mission results in nothing more than a ballistic piece of space debris."

While acknowledging the rationale behind traditional caution, he argues it's becoming outdated: "The space industry's risk aversion makes sense when launching billion-dollar payloads, but that mindset is incompatible with the rapid innovation required for companies like BlackStar and its peers going forward."

Janette draws inspiration from various innovative companies: "We're learning valuable lessons from companies like Tesla and SpaceX, which redefined reusability in launch vehicle architectures. We're also studying the thousands of Silicon Valley startups where small teams of ten people created billion-dollar acquisitions. Instagram or WhatsApp—I believe one of them had only about 14 employees before being acquired by Facebook."

He sees artificial intelligence as a transformative force: "This connects directly to artificial intelligence and how it enhances rapid prototyping, reliability, and innovation capacity. AI represents an epoch-defining inflection point. Just in recent months, if I need a new design concept or solution, I can essentially consult these computational resources and receive valuable direction."

While acknowledging AI's current limitations, he notes its growing utility: "While still unrefined in many respects and not yet matching human capabilities, AI is increasingly valuable for solving technical and software challenges. We're witnessing how AI integration is permeating virtually every domain."

BlackStar's approach balances innovation with reliability: "Our methodology integrates these various elements—high-risk, high-reward experimental testing coupled with mission-critical redundancy where it matters most. Ultimately, this still requires human-on-the-loop, if not human-in-the-loop oversight. The process fundamentally depends on human judgment to define requirements."

Janette sees these convergent technologies creating unprecedented opportunities: "Beyond software development, automotive engineering, artificial intelligence, and breakthrough innovation, we're constructing a 21st-century economy in real-time. Witnessing this transformation from within is remarkable. Within five years, I anticipate billion-dollar companies emerging not just from dorm rooms but from bedrooms. A moderately skilled high school programmer with basic systems understanding could potentially build the next industry-defining company before turning eighteen."

He predicts this trend will manifest prominently in space: "I expect this pattern to emerge across various domains, though it will likely be exemplified in satellite technology as a form of national prestige. Ultimately, this democratizes access and reduces costs substantially."

The acceleration of technology follows established patterns: "Computing price-performance doubling approximately every 18 to 24 months per Moore's Law has been consistent since the 1960s. Today, we carry supercomputers in our pockets that far exceed even fictional systems like HAL 9000. This progression will only accelerate."

Looking further ahead, he contemplates how technology might evolve: "Whether we'll eventually replace smartphones with neural interfaces remains to be seen. Personally, I'm hesitant about neural implants, though I recognize their potential advantages. I believe technology will ultimately become so advanced that it effectively disappears from our physical environment, perhaps enabling a return to a more natural world that, beneath the surface, functions as a Type One civilization."

He concludes with an open-ended view of the future: "As these advanced technologies converge at this nexus point—whether in space or related fields—the future becomes increasingly unpredictable. All bets are off."

Looking ahead, BlackStar has hinted at broader applications beyond just remote sensing or communications. Could you share any upcoming or longer-term ambitions for BlackStar's technology—perhaps in in-space manufacturing, space debris management, or on-orbit servicing—and how you see those fitting into the larger commercial space ecosystem?

"The beauty of our approach is that by initially targeting the small-sat industry with our advanced reusable designs, we're establishing capabilities that extend well beyond low Earth orbit," Janette explains. "BlackStar functions as an exceptional re-entry vehicle regardless of origin point."

He envisions diverse applications across the solar system: "I envision deploying these systems as atmospheric science platforms suspended by weather balloons in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Venus, equipped with live 4K cameras. I'd like to see BlackStars integrated with lunar landers—similar to Firefly's design—supporting the Artemis program, where our vehicle could use its own delta-V capability to transport lunar samples back to Earth."

More immediately practical applications focus on commercial space station support: "On a more immediate and practical level, we can provide essential support to emerging commercial space stations. Consider operations like Axiom Space, Gravitics, Vast, and Blue Origin's Orbital Reef—they all require efficient down-mass capabilities without being constrained by conventional six-month cargo resupply schedules."

He describes a vision of routine operations: "Ideally, we'd have multiple BlackStars configured in a deployment system where, after being loaded with materials produced in microgravity—whether next-generation alloys or pharmaceuticals that crystallize differently in Zero-G—they could be deployed through the airlock for direct return to Earth."

This approach enables "the next logistics and manufacturing modalities" that will drive the space economy. Janette also sees applications in space sustainability: "We're well-positioned to serve as a platform for orbital debris mitigation. We've established a valuable partnership with Cal Morris, a team based in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, who are conducting groundbreaking work on the International Space Station developing end effectors capable of grappling tumbling objects with variable geometries."

This capability addresses the growing problem of space debris: "This allows us to not only minimize our own debris contribution but actively participate in removing existing debris by bringing it back during our atmospheric re-entries."

Drawing an analogy from environmental stewardship, he notes: "There's a hiking principle—though I won't attempt to translate the original saying—that suggests you should leave with more trash than you brought in."

This philosophy connects to BlackStar's origins: "This environmental ethic was central to the ocean launch project that initially brought me to Florida—a joint American-Norwegian initiative. That same philosophy helped inspire what would eventually become BlackStar."

He concludes with his vision for the future: "Coming full circle—no pun intended—we envision a circular space economy as the inevitable future, and we're positioning BlackStar to lead this transformation."

About Christopher Jannette

Christopher "CJ" Jannette is a systems engineer, entrepreneur, and defense technology expert, currently serving as the President and CEO of BlackStar Orbital. With a background in aerospace engineering, spacecraft servicing and launch operations. As Co-Founder and CEO of BlackStar Orbital he has been pivotal in bringing a new standard of modular, reusable satellite platforms to the aerospace industry.

Prior to founding BlackStar, CJ played a pivotal role in key aerospace programs, contributing to missions such as Falcon Heavy Demo-1, Artemis 1, SpaceX Dragon for Crew and CRS missions, Axiom, Inspiration4, lunar landers such as Astrobotic Peregrine, and Intuitive Machines IM-1. His experience with SpaceX, NASA KPLSS II, United Frontiers and Ripple Aerospace included work on thermal protection systems for Starship and the first open water orientation of a launch vehicle without a launch pad since the cold war.

A veteran and defense technology SME, CJ has received multiple commendations, including the USAF Meritorious Unit Award, Global War on Terrorism medals, and the Humanitarian Service Medal for his contributions to the Fukushima disaster response in 2011. His leadership at BlackStar Orbital is focused on advancing space sustainability, hypersonic vehicle development, and autonomous space operations, positioning the company as a key player in the evolving space economy. Outside of Blackstar, Chris is an independent consultant for VC firms and maintains console certifications as consultant with United Paradyne Corporation where he continues to contribute to spaceflight launch operations.

Blackstar Orbital envisions a future where thousands of hypersonic satellites are operating in and returning from Low Earth Orbit, redefining the future of spaceflight.

For more information, contact Christopher at ceo@spacedrone.io

Additional Resources:

BlackStar Orbital Announces Spacecraft Manufacturing And Test Facility In Sierra Vista

The Right Stuff: Blackstar Orbital CEO explains why his company is so committed to building a spaceport in Sierra Vista | Business | myheraldreview.com

Titusville-based Blackstar Orbital Collaborates on New Spaceport in Ecuador | TalkOfTitusville.com