The Spacepower Podcast
EP37: Interview with Christopher Fedele, Business Development Director, L3 Harris
The Spacepower Podcast
•February 10, 2026•33 min
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The Spacepower Podcast•Feb 10, 2026
Why It Matters
Propulsion is the linchpin for next‑generation space resilience, directly affecting national security and deep‑space exploration goals. Understanding these advances helps policymakers, industry leaders, and emerging space talent anticipate capability gaps and invest in technologies that keep the U.S. ahead in an increasingly contested orbital environment.
Key Takeaways
- •L3Harris develops electric thrusters ten times more efficient than chemical.
- •Dual-mode propulsion lets vehicles operate in very low Earth orbit.
- •Green propellants replace hydrazine, reducing cost and environmental impact.
- •Advanced propulsion enhances satellite maneuverability for resilience against threats.
- •Early industry‑government collaboration accelerates propulsion innovation for national security.
Pulse Analysis
The episode highlights a shift in national‑security space: satellites are no longer built solely for decades‑long, fuel‑conservative orbits. Modern missions demand rapid maneuverability, higher burn rates, and operation in congested, contested environments. L3Harris leads this transition with electric thrusters delivering ten‑times chemical efficiency, the heritage RL‑10 upper‑stage capable of multiple in‑space restarts, and emerging nuclear‑electric concepts for deep‑space endurance. The company also introduced green high‑performance propellants that replace hydrazine, cutting handling costs and environmental risk while boosting thrust. These propulsion advances directly support mission resilience, allowing satellites to quickly reposition and survive contested environments.
A key innovation is dual‑mode propulsion for very low Earth orbit (VLEO). By blending exo‑atmospheric and endo‑atmospheric capabilities, vehicles can dip into thin air, refuel, and return to orbit, extending mission life and survivability. This opens new sensor‑placement options, letting high‑resolution payloads fly closer to targets without exposing platforms to heightened threats. The resulting agility complicates adversary targeting, supports rapid constellation reconfiguration, and provides a resilient platform for both civil and military uses that were previously unattainable. The dual‑mode system also enables on‑orbit refueling, cutting launch mass and extending operational windows.
Fedele stresses early, collaborative engagement with the Department of Defense to accelerate propulsion breakthroughs. Embedding technical teams in concept development shapes requirements, shortens acquisition cycles, and delivers solutions at the “speed of need.” Internally, he promotes a culture where engineers see the full warfighter impact and are empowered to experiment, mirroring market agility. Acquisition reform and regular industry days create shared roadmaps, further accelerating delivery. This blend of strategic partnership, rapid prototyping, and mission‑focused workforce positions L3Harris to meet evolving national‑security space challenges.
Episode Description
Spacepower Podcast – Propulsion Trends & Maneuverability with L3Harris’ Chris FedeleIn this episode, host Bill Woolf speaks with Chris Fedele, a senior leader in propulsion and national security space at L3Harris. With over 30 years supporting land, sea, air, and space missions, Chris discusses how propulsion technologies are rapidly evolving to meet today’s contested space environment.Chris highlights how propulsion enables agility, survivability, and resilience for U.S. space systems. He explains the shift from predictable, long-duration orbits to highly maneuverable systems capable of avoiding threats, repositioning quickly, and sustaining operations in increasingly hostile environments.Key technologies discussed include electric propulsion, high‑performance propellants, VLEO maneuverability, and L3Harris’ leadership in nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion — capabilities that will not only reshape national security space but accelerate NASA’s path to Mars.Chris also emphasizes cultural transformation inside L3Harris: empowering engineers, fostering innovation, challenging old assumptions, and embracing speed. He offers advice for early‑career space professionals: be bold, question the status quo, and contribute new ideas.The episode closes with a discussion about future collaboration, innovation hubs, and how industry and government must work together to outpace adversaries and secure the space domain.
Show Notes
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