Fortastra Taps 20-Year Space Force Veteran to Lead National Security Product Strategy

 Appoints Scott Klempner, Former Space Systems Command Executive, as Director of Product, National Security

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fortastra, developer of advanced space systems supporting national security and commercial missions, today announced the appointment of Scott Klempner as Director of Product, National Security. This appointment deepens Fortastra's ties to the national security space community as the company scales its maneuverable spacecraft and autonomy capabilities for government and commercial partners.

Dr. Klempner joins Fortastra to collaborate with engineers, warfighters, and acquisition stakeholders, guaranteeing Fortastra spacecraft are engineered to deliver meaningful value to national security customers. He will engage directly with Department of War (DoW) customers, the defense industrial base, and other partners to ensure Fortastra products integrate seamlessly into the U.S. space warfighting architecture and provide meaningful and decisive capability to defend U.S. and allied space assets. Klempner will serve as a bridge between mission modeling and technical requirements generation to help shape the company's product roadmap across both autonomy and hardware. He will also work directly with DoW leaders to accelerate the acquisition, prototyping, and fielding of Fortastra's capabilities.

"Building the systems our warfighters depend on to protect critical assets in orbit demands leaders who understand both the acquisition system and the mission from the inside," said Mike Smayda, CEO of Fortastra. "Scott has spent his career fielding some of the nation's most complex space capabilities and translating warfighter needs into reality. His experience will help ensure Fortastra's solutions are built to meet our national security customers."

Klempner brings more than two decades of space acquisition and operational leadership experience from the United States Air Force and Space Force. Before retiring from active military service as a colonel, Scott served as Deputy Program Executive Officer for Space Combat Power at the Space Force's Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. There, he guided a $90+ billion portfolio of more than 30 programs spanning orbital warfare, electronic warfare, space domain awareness, ballistic missile defense, and cyber operations mission areas. Prior to this role, he was Deputy Director for the NRO's Survivability Assurance Office and has wide-ranging experience delivering satellite vehicle, space payload, and advanced ISR capabilities to the Department of War and Intelligence Community.

"Every capability I've helped field over the past two decades came down to actually giving warfighters what they need, when they need it," said Klempner, Director of Product, National Security at Fortastra. "Fortastra is approaching space security with the urgency and rigor space warfighters are demanding while bringing the benefits of agility, speed, and affordability inherent in its commercial approach. I'm proud to join this team as it works to deliver real operational advantage for our nation and our allies."

About Fortastra

Fortastra designs and operates maneuverable spacecraft for on-orbit security. Headquartered in Torrance, California, Fortastra combines modern engineering practices, high-rate spacecraft manufacturing, and advanced autonomy to protect critical space infrastructure and deliver consistent operational advantage for the United States and its allies. Learn more at www.fortastra.com

Media Contact
Jack Buttacavoli
[email protected]

SOURCE Fortastra