In this Green Room episode of This Week in Drones, host David Lewin sits down with Rob Monkman, Chief Marketing Officer at Teal, and Mariano Long, Co-Founder of Portal Space Systems and former U.S. Space Force officer, for a behind-the-scenes discussion on the emerging “Golden Dome” missile defense architecture.
Ahead of their appearance on the live panel, Monkman and Long give C-UAS Hub an exclusive look at their respective paths from defense communications and space operations to their current roles in industry, working on technologies they hope will help shape the next generation of integrated deterrence.
The conversation explores:
- How early work in mesh networking and tactical radios paved the way for dynamic over-the-air switching across public, private and satellite networks.
- The role of missile warning systems like SBIRS and the operational experience gained from space-based defense missions.
- Long’s career trajectory from the U.S. Air Force Academy to founding Portal Space Systems with former SpaceX and Blue Origin leaders.
- Why the Golden Dome initiative is about more than just interceptors.
