Military procurement and the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) have forgotten an old truth: an 85% solution today is typically good enough to get the job done. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently emphasized the need for the DIB to overturn the entire way they do business and ensure 85% solutions get into the hands of warfighters as quickly as possible. This is especially important in space, where the nature of satellite launch and deployment vastly extends standard timelines.

If we are to create a new space age, our current systems will not suffice. The timeline is unforgiving. The mission demands fielded capacity at-scale. Incorporating commercial capabilities is critical. The United States cannot wait for tomorrow’s perfect solutions when the Defense Department has operational needs tonight. The solution is a hybrid model, where the government provides a clear demand signal and supports the rapid delivery of “good enough” capabilities that are continuously iterated over time.