In this special Making Leaders and SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, we hear from Joan Tang Mancuso, Marketing & Business Development Consultant (now retired), who was selected as SSPI's 2024 Mentor of the Year. Joan has provided expert guidance, mentorship and support to young people in the space & satellite industry throughout her more-than-30-year career and long after retiring from full-time work. As a member of the SSPI Mid-Atlantic Chapter Board, she spearheaded the creation, promotion and implementation of a scholarship program to help inner city high school students with STEM education. An inaugural participant in SSPI-WISE’s Mentorship program, Joan mentored four different women across three countries, guiding them through career development, job changes, promotions and professional and personal challenges. Of particular note, she guided one mentee through a successful career transition from a technical role to a managerial position and helped another advance her career while navigating a difficult international relocation. Joan has also provided her insights and expertise to broader groups of women and industry professionals through a number of SSPI-WISE panels and online discussions.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on a panel session at the live New York Space Business Roundtable on September 18, we hear a discussion on the role of space and satellite in economic development, both in New York and beyond. Experts share their tips and what challenges they have faced or expect to face in the future. Our guests include: Lou Zacharilla, Director of Innovation, SSPI (moderator) Nick Reese, CEO & Founder, Frontier Foundry, former DHS Luc Decker, Consul General, Luxembourg Trade & Investment Office NY Norman R. Garza, Jr., Executive Director, Texas Space Commission

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on a panel session at the live New York Space Business Roundtable on September 18, we hear a discussion on how New York State has moved forward on its journey to become a commercial space industry center, the pace of its development and what it needs to really get this going faster. Our guests include: Joe Fargnoli, Founder, New York Space Alliance (moderator) Michael Clouser, Director, The Startup Race / Researcher, International Triple Helix Institute John Neal, Executive Director, Space Policy, Cyber, Space and National Security Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Barry Safier, Engineering Manager, Moog Space and Defense Group N. Darius Sankey, Managing Director, Innovation Acceleration Capital

In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, SSPI Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Penelope Longbottom, former Senior Advisor, Satellite Division at Sage Communications, now retired, and a Member of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame and Andrea Maleter, former Technical Director at the Futron Corporation, now retired, and the 2010 SSPI Mentor of the Year. Penelope launched her eponymous firm Longbottom Communications, LLC, in 2000. It was a full-service branding, public relations and marketing communications firm that advised and served a spectrum of clients in the global space, satellite, telecommunications and broadband sectors. In 2015 the firm was acquired by McLean-based Sage Communications, at which time Ms. Longbottom took full retirement. In 2016 she was inducted into the SSPI Hall of Fame in honor of her contributions fostering global awareness and the benefits of satellite communications to governments, enterprises, public safety, disaster management and ever-evolving applications and markets. Penelope devoted over three decades to helping her employers, and later clients, drive strategic messaging and branding to foster market growth and help a skeptical public understand and utilize satellites for rapidly expanding communications capabilities. She applied her PR and marketing expertise first in the analogue world of television and cable broadcasting, through the evolution of digital direct-to-home TV and radio, mobile communications and multiple business applications and vertical markets. She entered the industry in 1985 as Director of Communications for Hughes Communications. Departing Hughes in 1996, Penelope was tapped by Lockheed Martin Corp. to help stand up and brand its newly created Lockheed Martin Intersputnik unit in London, a new partnership with Russia. Following that short-lived venture, Penelope was appointed VP of Lockheed Martin’s Space & Strategic Missiles Division. In 1999, she joined XM Satellite Radio to brand and drive the go-to market strategy of this first U.S.-licensed digital satellite radio operator to launch.    Andrea Maleter spent some 40 years in the global satellite, telecommunications and aerospace industries. As a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Futron she provided policy, regulatory, investment and marketing advice to telecommunications companies, satellite manufacturing businesses and governments worldwide on areas including strategies for new technology implementation; telecommunications sector policy and privatization. Prior to consulting she held management positions at INTELSAT and COMSAT where she participated in the development of global telecommunications satellite markets and the planning and procurement of new satellite systems. Andrea currently serves as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Mentoring Working Group and has been instrumental in the formation and success of the SSPI-WISE Mentorship program.

In the podcast series of Reducing the Risks of Space, Part 2: New Ideas in Space Safety, we explore policy, law, technology and operations in development now to manage the challenging space environment of the future. Episode 4 features a conversation with Dr. Grant Cates, Senior Project Leader for the Space Architecture Department at The Aerospace Corporation. Dr. Grant R. Cates is a senior project leader for the Space Architecture Department at The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, Cates leads discrete event simulation analysis capabilities for NASA’s Human Exploration missions, Space Force launch ranges, and other customers. He provides launch probability assessments, forecasts of future launches, optimization of complex multi-launch space missions, and advocates for in-space rescue capabilities. Cates joined Aerospace in 2014 and developed a model to determine launch range throughput and for forecasting future launches, both domestic and international. He led development of a model that estimated launch probability for the Atlas, Delta, and Falcon launch vehicles. Cates was a chief scientist at SAIC where he built simulations to analyze human space flight architectures and to estimate the launch probability for NASA's Space Launch System. He held various positions at NASA in the Space Shuttle Program, including payload integration manager, landing convoy commander, flow manager, and flow director for the Columbia space shuttle orbiter. He was a member of the technical committee for the joint NASA/Air Force Source Evaluation Board for the initial Shuttle Processing Contract, served as a board member for the Space Program Operations Contract, was a member of the mishap investigation board that investigated a fire on the space shuttle Endeavour, and led the Jasper, Texas recovery site after the loss of Columbia. Cates was also an Air Force AWACS weapons director. He participated in Red Flag air warfare exercises, controlled F-15s intercepting Soviet bombers, and flew combat support missions during Operation Earnest Will. Cates is the author, lead author, and coauthor of numerous papers. His peer reviewed journal articles include the “Project Assessment by Simulation Technique” and “The In-Space Rescue Capability Gap.”

Bits, Bytes and AI, Oh My!, the podcast of the Digital Space campaign, underwritten by Hughes, delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital technology and its transformative impact on the space of satellite industries. In this series, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space based digital infrastructure with industry leaders and technologists. In episode 5, we hear from Carla Filotico, Partner and Managing Director at Novaspace. Carla Filotico has 20 years of experience in management and strategy consulting. In her current role, she leads Novaspace strategy practice. She has extensive knowledge of the space sector, its ecosystem and applications/domains and more generally of the issues related to the space industry along the entire value chain from R&D, to manufacturing, launch, operations and to downstream applications. Ms. Filotico has been supporting space public institutions on space and industrial policy, market development and entrepreneurship fostering, as well as key global and European industry players to grow their business and shape their investment strategies. She is an active member of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Jury. Prior to joining Novaspace (formerly SpaceTec Partners and Euroconsult), she led Booz&co’s (now Strategy& PWC) Aerospace and Defence practice in Italy and the Space Strategy team in Europe. Ms. Filotico is an Aerospace engineer, with MSc in space system engineering.

Bits, Bytes and AI, Oh My!, the podcast of the Digital Space campaign, underwritten by Hughes, delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital technology and its transformative impact on the space of satellite industries. In this series, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space based digital infrastructure with industry leaders and technologists. In episode 4, we hear from Kidsan Barnes, Senior Vice President of Cruise & Ferry at Neuron. Kidsan Barnes is a distinguished leader in the satellite communications and cruise connectivity industries. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Cruise & Ferry at Neuron. With a career marked by innovation and strategic vision, Kidsan has played a pivotal role in driving growth and transformation within her sector. Kidsan’s leadership philosophy centers on strategic intent, mental clarity and the joy of leading. Her contributions have not gone unnoticed; she was honored on the South Florida Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list, recognizing her significant impact on her industry, the economy and community, and also recognized on their Influential Business Women’s list for 2022. Under her leadership, Neuron’s Cruise & Ferry division has seen remarkable advancements, solidifying its position as a leader in the fast-evolving world of satellite communications. Kidsan’s dedication to excellence and philanthropic contributions are seen in her voluntary board roles for both SSPI and Florida International University where she gained her Executive MBA. She remains an inspiration for those in the industries she serves.

Bits, Bytes and AI, Oh My!, the podcast of the Digital Space campaign, underwritten by Hughes, delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital technology and its transformative impact on the space of satellite industries. In this series, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space based digital infrastructure with industry leaders and technologists. In episode 3, we hear from Brad Grady, Business Development Manager at Hughes Network Systems, LLC. Brad Grady serves as a Business Development Manager at Hughes, where he enhances airlines’ in-flight connectivity experiences through the comprehensive Hughes In-Flight Connectivity Solutions. Leveraging over a decade of market analysis and insights, Brad collaborates with other industry-leading experts at Hughes to deliver transformative IFC experiences. With more than 15 years in the satellite connectivity industry, Brad’s career is marked by prominent leadership positions. Prior to joining Hughes, he served as the Chief Operating Officer at Northern Sky Research (NSR) until its acquisition by Analysys Mason in 2022, where he continued as a Research Director. At NSR, an Analysys Mason company, Brad led the mobility and government/military research sectors, providing valuable insights to end-users, satellite operators, service providers, and the financial community. Throughout his consultancy career, Brad has authored numerous reports on topics ranging from the global space economy’s market opportunities to the impacts of emerging LEO technologies on the mobility sector. He is a recognized speaker at industry conferences, has been interviewed by leading space sector publications, and has contributed to numerous custom consulting engagements. Brad earned a Bachelors of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland.

Bits, Bytes and AI, Oh My!, the podcast of the Digital Space campaign, underwritten by Hughes, delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital technology and its transformative impact on the space of satellite industries. In this series, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space based digital infrastructure with industry leaders and technologists. In episode 2, we hear from Dr. Jennifer Seiler, Senior Engineer at RKF Engineering Solutions, LLC. Jennifer Seiler is a Ph.D. computational astrophysicist, software developer and open science devotee. She currently works for RKF Engineering as a simulation and model developer and engineer for long-range wireless communication systems (both ground and satellite systems). Prior to RKF Engineering, Jennifer worked for Giant Army as Staff Astrophysicist and Developer on Universe Sandbox, a physics simulator sandbox game currently available on Steam. She previously worked for the Department of Statistics at Columbia University studying open coding, open data, big data management and statistical issues of reproducibility in the sciences. A major focus was a project called ResearchCompendia.science. ResearchCompendia.science is a web service that allows researchers to run codes associated with scientific publications. The service allows authors of publications to create companion websites on which others may reproduce the paper's results or run their own parameters. Jennifer has ten years of experience designing, developing and testing massively parallel numerical simulations that evolve highly non-linear partial differential equations (the Einstein Equations) in three or more dimensions for dynamical systems (close binary black holes and neutron stars). Though her degrees are in physics and astrophysics, she has a very strong and unique computer science background in software development and testing, numerical simulations, analysis, database management and cluster management. From 2010 to late 2012, Jennifer occupied a NASA Postdoctoral Position (NPP) in the Astrophysical Sciences Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center doing numerical relativity and gravitational astrophysics related to the (2012 de-funded and soon to be refunded) LISA mission (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) and relevant to LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory). She received her Ph.D. from the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany for research at the Max-Planck Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert Einstein Institute).

Bits, Bytes and AI, Oh My!, the podcast of the Digital Space campaign, delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital technology and its transformative impact on the space of satellite industries. In this series, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space based digital infrastructure with industry leaders and technologists. In episode 1, we hear from Chris Stott, Founder, Chair and CEO of Lonestar Data Holdings, Inc. Chris Stott is the Founder, Chair and CEO of Lonestar Data Holdings Inc., the Lunar information, technology, and communications company and the first to send and operate data centers from the Moon for global disaster recovery. A lifetime entrepreneur, Chris is also the Founder and Non-Executive Chair of River Advisors and ManSat, the world’s largest commercial provider of satellite spectrum.  Chris serves as the Chair Emeritus, alongside the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke, of the Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), the largest professional association in the global space and satellite industry, which also named him Satellite Industry Mentor of the Year in 2015.    Chris’s passion for the economics and commerce of space has led him to co-found both the  Institute of Space Commerce in Austin in the United States, and the International Institute of Space Commerce on the Isle of Man in the British Isles. He has served on faculty at the International Space University (ISU) since 2003 and is a former co-chair of the university’s school of business and management. Chris is also a guest lecturer in space law and regulation at MIT Media Labs, the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the School of Law at the University of Houston.     In his spare time, Chris is a multi-award-winning producer, writer and documentary filmmaker. A naturalized Manx American, Chris lives in Florida with this wife and son and their dogs. He enjoys shooting (pistol, rifle, skeet and trap), SCUBA and Free Diving and flying helicopters.  He drinks way too much coffee and rarely watches TV. When he needs to sleep, he reads his own bio.  

In the podcast series of Reducing the Risks of Space, Part 2: New Ideas in Space Safety, we explore policy, law, technology and operations in development now to manage the challenging space environment of the future. Episode 3 features a conversation with renowned industry journalist Peter B. de Selding, Co-Founder and Chief Editor of SpaceIntelReport and Member of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame. Peter B. de Selding is Co-Founder and Editor of SpaceIntelReport.com. He started SpaceIntelReport in 2017 after 26 years as the Paris Bureau Chief for SpaceNews where he covered the commercial satellite, launch and the international space businesses. A must read for space executives, Peter has broken numerous stories that changed the course of the industry. Among them was his investigation of the February 1995 launch accident at Xichang in China that destroyed the Intelsat 708 satellite. Peter also led coverage of the privatization of Intelsat and Eutelsat – and of the flurry of merger and acquisition activity that followed them – which further transformed the industry. His reporting could also change the fortunes of companies large and small.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on the July 2024 edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, we hear from Greg Eghigian, Author & Professor at Penn State and Nick Reese, Co-Founder & COO of Frontier Foundry. They discuss unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and the numerous questions around them such as why we are spending so much to learn about UAPs and what would happen if we discovered we are not alone. The question “are we alone?” has never been fully answered. With each image and data set arriving back from Hubble and James Webb the frivolous, Sci-Fi cultural expression of alien life is less frivolous. There is an anxiety about our place in the Universe and it impacts our human community in many ways. The government and military are now addressing the question of UAPs with heightened seriousness and attention. As the understanding of UAPs' existence and nature becomes more mainstream, numerous questions emerge, particularly concerning commercial space and beyond.

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In episode 3, SSPI Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Laura Cummings, Associate at Greenberg Traurig, LLP and 2023 "20 Under 35" honoree. Laura Cummings focuses her practice on space law and commercial space regulation, providing legal support to businesses dealing with complex matters pertaining to space, satellite, and telecommunication industries. Her work scope is global, involving policy-making, legislative interpretation, and application of regulatory frameworks. She is involved in virtually all areas of space regulatory affairs including spectrum advocacy, remote sensing, export compliance, payload authorization, and providing guidance on in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing mission authorization. Laura has deep experience influencing international telecommunications regulations and policy. Laura has served as a member of the U.S. Delegation to International Telecommunication Union conferences, including the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference, contributing to ongoing work around space sustainability. Similarly, she advocates for evolved U.S. domestic space regulations that are cohesive with international law and foreign domestic laws, working across a variety of jurisdictions and legal systems. She plays a role in driving a regulatory agenda for the small satellite industry and in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing capabilities. In her previous role at Astroscale U.S., Laura managed spacecraft licensing for the geostationary Life-Extension Services program, drove spectrum advocacy, and supported export compliance. Laura also has experience with the Federal Aviation Administration, supporting the creation of new regulations regarding launch and reentry licensing requirements.

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In episode 2, SSPI Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Slava Frayter, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales at Kayhan Space. Mr. Slava Frayter is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales at Kayhan Space, a SaaS company specializing in space situational awareness (SSA) and providing space traffic coordination and collision avoidance services for satellite operators and government organizations. Before joining Kayhan Space in May 2024, Slava served as the Vice President for North America at Gilat Satellite Networks. In this role, he oversaw all company operations in North America, managed the regional team, and developed and executed growth strategies across various markets, including cellular backhaul, enterprise, mobility, and government sectors. Prior to his tenure at Gilat, Mr. Frayter spent nearly two decades with Newtec, a Belgian satellite communication technology company, where he held several executive positions for the Americas region, including the CEO of Newtec America role. During his time there, Slava successfully built cross-functional organizations, grew revenue, significantly expanded the company's market presence, and forged long-term strategic relationships with partners and clients. Mr. Frayter holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Riga Technical University in Latvia and an MBA in International Business and Finance from the University of Connecticut.

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We'll find out what they're doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In episode 1, SSPI Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Jennifer Manner, Senior Advisor for Space and Satellite Policy at the Office of Spectrum Management in the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Jennifer A. Manner is the Senior Advisor for Space and Satellite Policy at the Office of Spectrum Management in the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). In this role, Jennifer is the principle advisor to NTIA on spectrum management issues related to space and satellite communications. Prior to joining NTIA, Ms. Manner served as Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at EchoStar Corporation, Deputy Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology, as well as the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Jennifer has also held senior positions at the FCC and in industry, including at MCI/WorldCom (not Verizon) and Skyterra (now Ligado). Jennifer has held leadership roles in a number of organizations including the Global Satellite Operators Association, the Satellite Industry Association, and the U.S. ITU Association. Jennifer has also held leadership positions in a number of U.S. government advisory committees including Chair, Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee and Vice Chair of the FCC’s World Radiocommunications Advisory Committee and the Commerce Department’s International Trade Advisory Committee. Jennifer also holds leadership positions at the International Telecommunications Union. Further, Jennifer served for over a decade as a professor of law at Georgetown University Law School teaching international telecommunications law, and continues to teach at Carnegie Mellon’s Executive Education Program in Technology Policy and the Silicon Flatirons Program at UC Boulder. Jennifer is also an author of numerous articles and several books on spectrum and telecommunications including Spectrum Wars: The Rise of 5G and Beyond (Artech House 2021). Jennifer is currently working on her latest book, Spectrum Wars: A New Hope for Connectivity (expected release 2025). Jennifer is also a filmmaker, with her latest film, When Wire Was King: The Transformation of Telecommunications is available on PBS, as well as Amazon and AppleTV and other streaming platforms. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Political Science and Theater from the State University of New York at Albany, a J.D. cum laude from New York Law School and a LL.M. with honors from Georgetown University Law School. Jennifer lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband, Dr. Eric Glasgow, and her golden doodle, Charliedoodle.

In part 1 of this special Better Satellite World podcast series, you heard from SSPI Director of Innovation and host of the Better Satellite World podcast Lou Zacharilla. He discussed the past two years of the Better Satellite World podcast and his favorite episodes, including his number 1 pick: The Road Less Travelled: Joining Faith and Science in a Journey Through the Stars. In part 2 of The Best of the Better, you'll get to listen to Lou's favorite episode, which originally aired as the inaugural episode of The Road Less Travelled series, sponsored by ATLAS Space Operations. In The Road Less Travelled: Joining Faith and Science in a Journey Through the Stars, Lou speaks with Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, Director of the Vatican Observatory and co-author of multiple books, including Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? and Turn Left at Orion. Brother Guy holds degrees from MIT, Harvard University and the University of Arizona and has been a member of the Catholic Church’s Jesuit Order since 1989. He has authored hundreds of scientific publications in addition to his books. Brother Guy even has his own asteroid – 4597 Consolmagno – and is a recipient of the Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society.

In this special Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams interviews none other than our host, SSPI Director of Innovation Lou Zacharilla. They discuss some of the most entertaining and intriguing podcasts Lou has had the privilege to record over the years, culminating in Lou's favorite podcast of all time, what he considers the Best of the Better Satellite World.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on the June 2024 edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, our panel of experts takes a hard-nosed look at how the public and private sectors share the world of AI. Among other questions, we ask: What role will AI have on military applications in Space and on the ability to anticipate threats and opportunities that the commercial sector can benefit from? Profit from? Provide a more secure and just world for? There is no doubt that space is increasingly a warfare theater. But will it also become a culture which, through commerce and global cooperation, becomes a place where conflicts are “de-risked”? Speakers include: Dr. James Cunningham, DoD Business Development, Wallaroo Chris Cummins, Chief of Staff, Voyager Space Stuart Daughtridge, Senior VP, Advanced Technology, Kratos; Chairman, DIFI; and Finalist 2023 Satellite Executive of the Year Jeremy Fand, Co-Founder and CEO, SeerAI, Inc.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the seventh and final episode are 3 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Andrew Chau, Space Mission Program Manager at Millennium Space Systems (A Boeing Company), Bhavi Jagatia, Astrodynamics Engineer at Planet and Matej Poliacek, ISS Flight Operations Engineer & STRATOS Flight Control Team Deputy Lead at DLR – German Aerospace Centre. Andrew Chau is a Space Mission Program Manager for Millennium Space Systems, A Boeing Company, in El Segundo, California. In his current role, he leads Victus Nox, a tactically responsive space program for the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command Space Safari Office. The program, which demonstrates how fast we can respond to on-orbit needs, is critical for national security space. Most notably, the program required a high-performance small satellite to be completed in a mere eight months from contract authorization; a 60-hour activation phase; a 24-hour launch phase; and mission operations-ready in 48 hours after launch. Under Andrew’s leadership, the team met or exceeded these ambitious goals – eight months for satellite completion, 58 hours for activation, 24 hours for launch and 37 hours for mission operations. These goals can take years to complete, and yet, the team completed everything in under a year. Prior to VICTUS NOX, Andrew served as program manager for a high-rate production study and was the project manager for Millennium Space’s micro control-moment gyroscope. He also worked as an electromechanical design engineer. Bhavi Jagatia is an Astrodynamics Engineer at Planet, a position she took on after completing a successful internship for the Orbits R&D team. While at Planet, she has made significant improvements to the tasking system for the company’s high-resolution constellation of imaging satellites, SkySats. Bhavi was initially tasked with evaluating the complex schedule for SkySats, identifying areas of improvement and implementing changes to increase the collection capacity of the fleet. Her work resulted in substantial fulfillment enhancements, and she is now the sole owner and developer of the tool for her team. Bhavi received her Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, which she attended on the prestigious Tata scholarship. During her studies at Cornell, she worked with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on a project to investigate the use of flux-pinning on orbiting sample capture for a Mars sample return mission. Bhavi served as avionics lead for the project and participated in a microgravity test aboard a Zero-G flight with the JPL team. She also led Cornell’s project team for NASA’s Micro-G NExT competition while completing her studies and worked in internships at Boeing’s research lab, ASML, and Honda Aircraft Company. Matej Poliacek is a Flight Operations Engineer and Deputy Team Lead of the STRATOS Flight Control Team for the Columbus module of the International Space Station (ISS) at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). In this role, he supports the astronaut crew onboard by monitoring and operating the systems and payloads in the module, ensuring crew safety, smooth running of the station and supporting scientific activities. Matej also took part in the recent European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut selection, and although he did not reach the final stages, he was among the top 5% selection from the 22,500 applicants Europe-wide. He is currently the first and only known Slovak citizen to directly work on the ISS project. In 2023, Matej and his team conducted a hardware upgrade on the ISS from the ground alongside astronauts who were performing the on-board activities. The project, which involved replacing Columbus LAN switches, took several years of preparation, including writing and updating procedures, outlining choreography for the crew and coordination with NASA counterparts and European payload operators to facilitate the transition to new hardware with minimal impact on daily ISS operations. It took 2 full weeks of console work to complete, during which Matej supported the crew with ground commanding to properly configure the module both before and after the hardware transition, provided the crew with guidance for their on-board actions and checked out and integrated the hardware into station operations.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the sixth episode are 3 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Christian Keil, Chief of Staff at Astranis, Sapna Rao, Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin and Glory Sikka, Technical Program Manager at Maxar. Christian Keil is the Chief of Staff at Astranis, a manufacturer and operator of MicroGEO communications satellites. He leads both the marketing team and the regulatory team, roles in which he is the primary interface between Astranis and the outside world — whether heads of international regulatory agencies or fans on Twitter. After joining Astranis as its third businessperson, Christian played a pivotal role in scaling the company to over 300 employees and a $1.6 billion valuation. Over nearly five years, he has helped by establishing the company’s back-end business systems (finance, recruiting, HR, etc.), designing the company’s first website, writing the company’s first onboarding guide and securing the company’s first MOUs from the Department of Defense. Sapna Rao is a Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin. She joined the company in 2018 after graduating from the Virginia Tech College of Engineering with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and completing an Aerospace Engineering internship with Lockheed Martin. Sapna quickly became integral to many Lockheed Martin initiatives, playing an active role as a Software Systems Engineer, Systems Engineer and Mission Operations Developer on significant programs including Artemis I, Artemis II, the Human Landing System, and the Cryogenic Demonstration Mission. She currently serves as the lead for developing customers and partners from industry and academia to participate in Lockheed Martin’s Lunar Mobile Vehicle project. Sapna is also the technical lead for Project Agni, a machine learning and artificial intelligence tool that can detect wildfires using lightning and weather data. She is also leading the generation of mission operations sequences for the Cryogenic Demonstration Mission. This mission is proving out the technology for transferring liquid hydrogen in orbit demonstrating refueling in space. This capability will enable future deep space exploration to Mars and beyond. Glory Sikka is the Deputy Technical Program Manager for NASA’s Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER) project at Maxar. She joined the company in 2018 as a Lead Systems Engineer for the project. SPIDER is an ambitious and complex mission demonstrating a brand-new robotic arm system for in-space assembly of spacecraft. Glory’s team is responsible for the end-to-end system, which includes end-over-end walking capability, robot control avionics, situational awareness software, operations console, a precision in-space assembled Ka-band antenna and an in-space manufactured composite antenna boom. She was promoted to her current position in 2021 and is one of the youngest employees to ever reach that level of seniority at the company. Before joining Maxar, Glory spent two years as a Systems Engineer performing robotic maintenance activities on nuclear reactors for the MDA Corporation. She made many training and tool upgrades and improvements while at the company, resulting in greater up-time and reduced risk during maintenance operations. Glory began her career at Solar Ship, where she conducted design, modelling, experimental testing and data analysis for a next-generation airship.

In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, Tamara Bond-Williams, Director of Engagement at SSPI, speaks with Merissa Velez, Chief of the Satellite Programs and Policy Division at the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Space Bureau. This podcast is the second episode of New Ideas in Space Safety, the podcast of the SSPI topic campaign: Reducing the Risks of Space, Part 2: New Ideas in Space Safety. Merissa Velez is Chief of the Satellite Programs and Policy Division of the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau. In this role, Ms. Velez oversees a team addressing legal and policy issues associated with the licensing and regulation of satellite systems. Ms. Velez has focused on satellite regulatory issues at the FCC for the past ten years, and was previously the Chief of the Satellite Policy Branch in the International Bureau’s Satellite Division. Prior to joining the FCC, Ms. Velez clerked for the Supreme Court of Hawaii and worked in the legal publishing industry.  Ms. Velez is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and Middlebury College.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on the May edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, you'll hear the first AI talk at the Roundtable. It’s the gamechanger and it’s here and moving fast. How fast and where is it going to land in the commercial space sector? In this conversation, we bring AI into the house and to space and satellite to find out where it is doing a makeover on commercial space. We look for answers from the government sector, too, and talk about how AI can help smaller companies get contracts, financing and customers. And we ask if AI is really a friend to the industry or just smiling to our faces while wanting to take our place? Will AI help us get further out there or take over things down here first? Our speakers include: Matteo Cuccorese, Co-founder & CEO, SPAICE Sapna Rao, Senior Systems Engineer, Lockheed Martin, 2023 20 Under 35 Honoree Hanna Steplewska, President and COO, Cognitive Space

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the fifth episode are 3 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Neha Lin, Space Systems Engineer at Iridum, Armando Loli, Project Engineer at Boeing and Asad Malik, Founder, Chairman and CEO of iRocket. Neha Lin is a Space Systems Engineer at Iridium. She joined the company in 2017 as a Satellite Payload Computer Engineer, during a pivotal time when Iridium had just begun retiring its older satellites and launching Iridium NEXT satellites with entirely new payload hardware and software, as well as hosted services. As soon as she took on this role, Neha was confronted with a multitude of challenges with on-orbit payload hardware and software issues and integrating the new satellites into the existing Iridium satellite constellation without disrupting service for customers. She investigated each issue and developed appropriate responses and procedures to minimize service impact. Neha also actively guided the Operations team in efforts to recover the computers with as little disruption as possible. Before joining Iridium, Neha began her career as a Reliability Test Engineer at Microchip Corp., where she carried out rigorous flash endurance cycles on PIC microcontrollers. She transitioned into a role as an RTL Design Engineer at Microchip Corp. before moving on to join Iridium. Armando Loli is a Project Engineer at Boeing. He joined the company initially as an Industrial Engineer, a role in which he supported F-15, F/A-18 and 777x aircraft. From there, Armando transferred to Kennedy Space Center to work on Boeing’s Starliner Crewed Spacecraft. He was selected as a key member of the Pad Team that assists NASA astronauts into the Crew Module on Launch Day and also granted security clearances to help integrate Production Engineering initiatives across Boeing’s entire Space and Launch portfolio. In his current position, Armando developed the requirements and initial design for a Spacecraft Production System Digital Model/Twin and demonstrated optimized build flows and flexible scaling to meet different build rate scenarios. He is currently managing 3 major projects for Boeing’s Space Production, Test, Launch and Recovery Engineering Core Team. While working at Boeing, Armando created and now manages an initial Immersive Development Center for the company’s space programs that provides Mixed Reality technologies, which help with manufacturing, production, test and operations. Asad Malik is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of iRocket. He founded iRocket at the age of 28 with the vision of bridging the “digital divide” by launching satellites designed to enhance 5G high-speed Internet access, autonomous vehicles, telemedicine and online education. The company’s slogan, “Launch More. Wait Less,” articulates its commitment to providing low-cost, responsive launches with a fully reusable launch vehicle powered by clean, sustainable propellants. iRocket also plans to provide point-to-point cargo delivery services, which can be used for national security and humanitarian missions, such as those dealing with natural disasters. Asad is a graduate of the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He worked at M&J Engineering Group, a diversified provider of engineering, environmental, construction and technology services, for 12 years, eventually serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. While working at M&J, Asad developed MARQUS, an FEA error-checking and design optimization tool for submarine hull structure design, and helped deliver $2 billion in constructed value projects for the Department of Defense with exceptional CPARS ratings. Asad still serves on the Board of Directors at M&J while leading iRocket today. In 2020, he was accepted into the NYU Stern Accelerator Endless Frontiers Lab (EFL) and was part of its Deep Tech Cohort. EFL works with high-growth start-ups that employ innovations in technology and life sciences with the goal of having societal impact through science and technology.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the fourth episode are 2 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Aysha Alharam, Acting Head of Satellite Design and Development at the Bahrain National Space Science Agency and Laura Cummings, Regulatory Affairs Counsel at Astroscale U.S. Aysha Alharam is the current Acting Head of Satellite Design and Development for the National Space Science Agency (NSSA) of Bahrain. She began her career in 2018 when she was selected as one of the nine first members of the Bahrain Space Team, a position that had over 4,000 other applicants. As the first Bahraini space engineer leading the team, Aysha served as project manager, idea innovator and software developer for the “Aman” payload project, which won the prestigious Payload Hosting Initiative – organized by the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) in 2022 – out-competing space agencies, companies, universities and research centers from over 100 countries. The Aman payload project showcases Eng, which focuses on securing satellite data through a novel cybersecurity encryption algorithm based on FPGA and parallel processing technology. Aysha personally developed the idea of the AI-based image processing system that will be onboard the first Bahraini satellite, “AlMunther,” the first of its kind in the Middle East region. She completed her education with two Masters degrees, one in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in space technology from Khalifa University in the UAE and one in Information Technology and Computer Science from the University of Bahrain. Laura Cummings is Regulatory Affairs Counsel for Astroscale U.S., a position in which she is responsible for identifying and helping to create the regulatory framework to authorize In-Orbit Servicing, Assembling and Manufacturing (ISAM) for spacecrafts such as Astroscale’s Life Extension In-Orbit (LEXI) missions. These satellite missions require knowledge and expertise in multiple legal frameworks, orbital regimes and technical innovations, with only a handful of precedents that can be considered examples by regulators. In addition to her work on the ISAM regulatory framework, Laura represents Astroscale U.S. in a variety of industry associations, including the Commercial SmallSat Spectrum Management Association (CSSMA) – of which she is President and a Board Member – and the Consortium for the Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing (CONFERS), where she helps the industry to shape policies and communications standards for ISAM missions. Before joining Astroscale U.S., she served as a Regulatory Intern at SES Satellites and a FAA Legal Honors Intern at the Federal Aviation Administration. Laura received her Bachelor of Arts in International Regulations and Affairs, Astronomy from the University of Colorado Boulder, her Doctor of Law in Space Law and International Law from the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law and her Juris Doctor in Space Law from Georgetown University Law Center. While earning her degrees, she held major roles in the Space Law Society at both Georgetown University Law Center, where she served as Vice President and then President, and at Denver University, where she served as Executive Director.

In the fifth and final episode of Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with Jonathan Baliff, Chief Financial Officer at Redwire Space. Redwire, based in Florida, is a new leader in mission-critical space solutions and high-reliability components for the next generation space economy. On April 24, Redwire received the 2024 Business Award from the Luxembourg-American Chamber of Commerce, becoming the first space and satellite company to receive this honor. Jonathan Baliff has been a leader in the aerospace, energy and infrastructure sectors for over 25 years as both a public company senior executive and investment and commercial banker. Mr. Baliff has served on the Redwire Board of Directors and as Chair of the Audit Committee since September 2021. Mr. Baliff also serves on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc (NYSE: TCBI). Most recently, Mr. Baliff was the President of Genesis Park Acquisition Corporation, the special purpose acquisition corporation that merged with Redwire. Previously Mr. Baliff served as Chief Executive Officer of Bristow Group (NYSE: BRS), the world’s largest commercial helicopter and industrial aviation company serving the energy and government sectors. He served as Bristow’s Chief Financial Officer from 2010 to 2014 until his appointment to Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Bristow Group in 2010, Mr. Baliff was the Executive Vice President for Strategy at NRG Energy, where he led the development and implementation of NRG’s overall strategy. Before joining NRG in 2008, Mr. Baliff was a Managing Director in Credit Suisse’s Global Energy Group, where he advised energy infrastructure companies on over $50 billion in merger and acquisition assignments and project and corporate financings starting in 1997. Mr. Baliff started his business career with J.P. Morgan’s Natural Resource Group in 1995 after nearly a decade flying F-4 Phantom fighter aircraft in the US Air Force, including the first combat missions during the first Gulf War.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the space and satellite industry. Launches are happening every day from New Zealand to Florida. The ground systems are going virtual. We have software-defined satellite. And all of these changes are coming together to impact the way satellites interact with infrastructure. As an industry, we are now in a place where we are augmenting and sometimes even supplanting terrestrial infrastructure. In the fourth podcast of the Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure podcast series, we explore this topic in-depth with a panel of five women experts from SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement). This episode is based on the recent SSPI-WISE online conversation, Satellites as Infrastructure, that took place on April 25, 2024. Our expert panel includes: Toni Lee Rudnicki, Fractional COM/Founder, TLR Consulting LLC and Elevating Women Working Group Co-Chair (moderator) Haley Bauser, Senior Product Engineer, Varda Space Industries Beatrice Mok, Corporate Development Director, Kacific Caroline Reid, Spacecraft Operations Engineer, Rocket Lab Sarah Tulaimat, Senior Account Manager, Appliot

In the third episode of Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure, we take a look at how satellites ensure safety and keep things moving down the road every day with Martin Jefferson, Commercial IoT Data Services Manager - North America at Globalstar. Martin Jefferson currently serves as the Commercial IoT Data Services Manager for Globalstar, a position he has held for 15 years. With over 30 years of experience as an experienced senior technical sales executive, he helps drive the satellite IoT business for the brand and acts as key liaison for Globalstar’s Value-Added Manufacturers and Resellers. Globalstar is an American satellite communications company operating a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for mobile voice and data communications. The company provides business and recreational communications for industries, government and individual customers located in remote areas. Before joining Globalstar, Martin served as General Manager and Owner of Kelcom, Inc.'s Hamilton branch, as Director of Sales - Eastern Canada for Glentel, Inc. and as Vice President and General Manager at Digital Mobile Systems, Inc. He received his Bachelors of Science in Microbiology from the University of Toronto.

The peaceful use of space for all nations is consistent with the vision of the United Nations, as it is with every professional in our industry. And there is one group and a person at the UN whose role it is to work toward that vision every hour of the day. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development. In the second episode of Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure, we hear from Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of UNOOSA, a true champion of the peaceful uses of space and its development. Aarti Holla-Maini is the Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), having taken up post on September 18 following her appointment by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Ms. Holla-Maini brings over 25 years of experience in the space and satellite sector, working predominantly with international organizations and regulators. Prior to the United Nations, she held the post of Secretary-General of the Global Satellite Operators Association. Ms. Holla-Maini is a recognized leader with a strong track record in forging public-private and cross-sector partnerships; high-level advocacy at the international level; strategic communication and managing diverse stakeholders. Under her leadership, Ms. Holla-Maini expanded the association from being a regional organization to a global one representing commercial satellite operators around the world. She was one of the chief architects of the Crisis Connectivity Charter established in 2015 for emergency telecommunications via satellite with the UN World Food Programme’s Emergency Telecommunications Cluster and has, on multiple occasions, secured recognition and policy support for space technologies to play their rightful role in connecting the unconnected, in Europe, Africa and beyond. The appointment of Ms. Holla-Maini comes at a time when activities in space are being increasingly driven by the private sector. Her deep experience in high-level advocacy with international organizations and regulators, along with her understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the space sector, will serve Member States well as they seek to access and leverage the benefits of space to accelerate sustainable development. Ms. Holla-Maini’s experience has included service as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Space; member of the Advisory Group of the Space Sustainability Rating managed by eSpace at EPFL Space Center; member of the Advisory Board of the Satellite Industry Association of India; Senior Space Policy Advisor to Forum Europe and an Expert Advisor on Space Traffic Management for European Union studies 2021-2023. Ms. Holla-Maini holds a bachelor’s degree in law with German law from Kings College London and a master’s degree in business administration from HEC in France. She is fluent in French, German and Punjabi alongside her native English and has moderate knowledge of Dutch.

The world is supported by infrastructure that no one can see. It keeps computers and communication networks running, detects hurricanes and wildfires, tracks methane and carbon emissions. And we go nowhere without it. It guides ships and planes, cares and homes. It battles disease and helps take a bite out of crime. This infrastructure consumes little or no concrete or asphalt and few steel beams for support, yet it circles the entire planet. It is the network of communication and observation satellites. In the first episode of Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure, we hear from Karl Horne, Vice President of Cloud and Digital Solutions at SES. Karl is responsible for technology and business strategies for satellite connected cloud and Digital Transformation solutions aimed at the Enterprise, Public Sector and Telco/MNO markets. In this capacity, Karl works across the ecosystem of cloud and network service providers, technology vendors, and solutions integrators to establish SES’s solutions in support of the industry shift towards 5G, IoT, and Cloud Powered Digital Transformations. Karl has over 30 years of experience in the telecom/datacom industry. Prior to his current position at SES, he has held various Engineering, CTO and Business Development roles for Ciena Corporation, Scientific Atlanta and AT&T Tridom. Karl holds a BSEE from Clemson University.

In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, Tamara Bond-Williams, Director of Engagement at SSPI, speaks with Diana Klochkova, Chief Marketing Officer at Privateer Space, a pioneering company dedicated to making space access safer and more accessible. This podcast is the first episode of New Ideas in Space Safety, the podcast of a new SSPI topic campaign: Reducing the Risks of Space, Part 2: New Ideas in Space Safety. Diana Klochkova is CMO of Privateer, where she leads marketing for the space start-up as it builds the tools that will make space safer and more accessible. Diana’s background spans a variety of roles in B2C, B2B, digital, and content marketing. In 2018, she founded Zaya, a boutique agency focusing on purpose-driven projects. Prior to Zaya, she held leadership roles at Rebel Ventures, Omnicom Media Group and Levi Strauss & Co.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on the February 2024 edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, we take a look with experts at where we stand in early 2024 with regard to the commercial space industry and a battlefield that has bled two societies, threatened the stability of Europe and will take at least a generation’s wealth to repair. The battle for Ukraine has been a desperate fight.  One filled with miscalculations, brutality and an horrific loss of life. The everyday peace and serenity needed for societies to thrive has been upset in great cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv. Europe, the USA and most of the world wants it to end. It will eventually end. But how? Sheer exhaustion? Or can satellites and commercial space play a role? Our panel of experts includes: Vera Bergengruen, Senior Correspondent, TIME Magazine David Myers, President & CEO, UltiSat, Inc. Stephen Wood, Senior Director, Maxar News Bureau

In this Making Leaders podcast, we hear from Ed Spitler, Head of SATCOM at Artel and one of three inductees to the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame in 2024. For more than three decades, Ed Spitler has pursued a passionate commitment to support the American warfighter by supplying best-in-class satellite communications systems to power the success of the US Armed Forces. Upon completing his military service as a Cryptographic Telecommunications and Systems Specialist, Ed went to work for the US Department of Defense Contractor, rising from Senior Technical Engineer to Regional Program Manager, OPMAS-EUR, 5th Command, where he played a pivotal role in transitioning seven Defense Communications Sites (DCS) throughout Germany from analog to digital technology. In 2001, he joined Artel as Vice President of Managed Network Services, in which role he served as program director for more than eight critical DOD and Department of State programs and supported missions including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan. Leaving Artel in 2012, Ed went on to hold a series of leadership positions, including COO of Vizada, CEO of Astrium Services Government and President of Satcom Services Government Division at Airbus Defense and Space. By 2017, he was back at Artel as Head of Satcom, where he led the company into a multi-orbit future that delivered resilient GEO to LEO connectivity to the government. He led development and delivery of the SPACE FORCE Pathfinder 2 program, which embedded the Pathfinder 2 payload aboard Hispasat’s Amazonas Nexus HTS. The goal was to provide dependable access to connectivity while saving money for Federal agencies compared with short-term satellite capacity leasing. The program produced savings of more than 60 percent over equivalent service.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the third episode are 2 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Srikanth Kodeboyina, Founder and CEO of Blue Eye Soft Corp dba Blue Space and Klaus Okkelberg, Electrical Design & Analysis Engineer at Boeing. Srikanth Kodeboyina is the Founder and CEO of Blue Eye Soft Corp, currently in the process of becoming Blue Space. He moved to the United States in 2010 to pursue his education and earned his Master’s degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering from the University of Dayton. Within six years of completing his degree, he was working for Fortune 100 companies and managing projects across 14 states with budgets up to $32 million. Srikanth moved on to be commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, which led to him becoming a U.S. citizen. With citizenship came the opportunity to pursue his true dream, starting his own enterprise in the form of Blue Eye Soft (BES). The company initially offered IT consulting and management services, but it quickly expanded to include BlueDoc AI, Blue Space and Blue Space International, creating a specialty in the application of artificial intelligence models to analyze vast amounts of data, text and imagery. BES has established offices in South Carolina and New Mexico and intends to establish a presence in an international business hub in India next. The company has achieved the highest security clearances and been awarded contracts from agencies such as NASA and AFWERX, a technology directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Since founding BES, Srikanth has been chosen by more than 20 organizations to participate in incubator/accelerator programs for top entrepreneurs. He was a member of the first cohort of the New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (LEEP) at Los Alamos National Laboratory and was also chosen to be part of MIT’s Engine program that helps the next generation of “Tough Tech” leaders navigate the commercialization process. Klaus Okkelberg is an Electrical Design & Analysis Engineer at Boeing. In his current position, he works at Boeing Phantom Works Space on moving ground-based signal processing algorithms to space, reducing turnaround time, which is crucial for enabling autonomous operations. Klaus also works with artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), specifically deep neural networks (DNNs), for image-based inspection and pose estimation – the detection of the position and orientation – of unknown satellites. Supervised AI/ML greatly reduces the need for feature engineering, meaning fewer engineers and revisions are needed per project. Using DNN algorithms has sped up development of new image processing functions and reduces the cost of developing and deploying new space-based imaging sensors, which has led to many new business opportunities for Boeing with national space government customers. Klaus has personally developed several key innovations in AI/ML, including data augmentations, training regularizations and high-dimensional space embeddings.  These developments greatly reduce generalization error and enable the use of real satellite imagery from different sources without additional pre- or post-processing. Klaus is a graduate of Penn State Schreyer Honors College with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and of the University of New Orleans with a Master’s degree in the same field. At Penn State, his thesis on nonlinear control of marginal oscillators contributed to the more precise detection of explosive materials, providing immense benefit to potential customers such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Klaus interned at Xilinx in their signal integrity division.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with John Murtagh, Head of Strategy at Airbus Defence and Space - Intelligence. They discuss John's work with Airbus' Intelligence program unit and the key role of Earth observation data analytics in modern strategy and intelligence planning. John Murtagh is an Earth observation industry professional. He is a strategist within the Strategy Team of Connected Intelligence within Airbus Defence and Space, a leading supplier of satellite imagery and related defense solutions. Since joining Airbus in 1992, John has undertaken a wide range of roles and is now an executive member driving strategies focused on new digital transformation services and platform initiatives. He has worked in over 30 countries on all continents since joining Airbus and brings a unique perspective from the global customer vantage point. John received his undergraduate degree from King’s College London and graduated with an MSc in Remote Sensing from Imperial College/University College London. He also has an MA in Marketing and an MBA in Strategy. Prior to joining Airbus, John worked for BP Exploration in their Remote Sensing Group as a data integration specialist.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, recorded as a special bonus interview after of the February edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with TIME Magazine reporter Vera Bergengruen. Vera recently returned from Ukraine where she reported on the nation's communication network, including satellites. Vera Bergengruen is a senior correspondent at TIME Magazine, based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. She covers the overlap of national security, politics, and technology. Her work at TIME has won the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award and a New York Press Club Award. Vera has over 10 years' experience as a Washington correspondent, having worked as a National White House and later Pentagon Correspondent for McClatchy and National Security Correspondent for BuzzFeed before joining TIME. She joined the New York Space Roundtable on February 21, 2024 to discuss the potential role of satellites and commercial space in bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

In this Making Leaders podcast, guest host Lou Zacharilla steps in for Robert Bell to speak with Stuart Daughtridge, Vice President of Advanced Technology at Kratos and Director and Chair of the Digital Intermediate Frequency (IF) Interoperability Consortium (DIFI). Stuart, who was recently nominated for Via Satellite's Satellite Executive of the Year award, joins Lou to talk about DIFI's latest news and the upcoming London Space Business Roundtable on March 5. Stuart Daughtridge has been with Kratos since 1999, and in the satellite and aerospace industry since 1986. In his current position, Mr. Daughtridge leads Kratos’ satellite ground segment technology research and development efforts.  Prior to his current role, he held several senior management positions, including SVP & GM of the Integral Systems Products Group, SVP & GM of the Integral Systems Commercial Group, as well as Program Manager of several major commercial programs.  Before joining the Company, Mr. Daughtridge held various management and engineering positions with Orion Satellite Corporation, Intelsat, and Spacecom. Mr. Daughtridge holds a Bachelor of Science from Lafayette College. DIFI has created a standard that enforces interoperability on digital IF/RF technology. Digital IF was developed to overcome the limitations of analog systems but, today, vendor lock-in prevents it from delivering seamless interoperability and severely limits its adoption. A truly interoperable digital IF, on the other hand, will enable transformation to a virtualized ground segment, reducing the total cost of ownership and significantly boosting network and terminal agility and scalability. Compliance with the DIFI standard will ensure that satellite ground segments can seamlessly adapt to rapidly changing space-layer payloads, orbits, and constellations. Ultimately, DIFI promises to elevate the resilience, performance, and capabilities of satellite networks and enable a digital transformation that integrates satellites seamlessly into the larger telecom, IT and GIS markets.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: “What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?” Joining SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the second episode are 3 members of the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2023: Julie Newman, Program Chief Engineer at Boeing; Dr. Zhe Liu, Senior Materials & Process Engineer at Maxar; and Alix Rousselière, Strategy Consultant for Satcom at Euroconsult. Julie Newman is Program Chief Engineer for Satelit Nusantara Lima N5 (SNL), a major geostationary communications satellite program, at Boeing. In this role, she has been instrumental in overseeing risk management and problem resolution for the satellite, particularly in the midst of a challenging shift to a different payload. Julie regularly directs and approves the work of senior engineering staff and provides recommendations to the program management office and the customer. She has also represented her executive manager in various critical functions, ranging from safety to quality assurance across Boeing’s El Segundo site and has spearheaded multiple process improvement initiatives, including major efforts to improve Boeing’s engineering training and metrics tracking systems. Before taking on her current position, Julie was the Technical Program Manager, a role in which she led a team of 15 engineers to develop the engine controller assembly for the Space Launch System (SLS) first stage rocket. The team consistently exceeded expectations under her leadership while executing a late re-design of the unit to resolve a leakage issue associated with a sneak path discovered during testing of the engineering model. She received a Promise Award from SSPI in 2023. Dr. Zhe Liu is Senior Materials & Process Engineer at Maxar as well as an accomplished scientist with a broad range of expertise in material science, biopolymers and computer science. Originally from China, Dr. Liu began her academic journey with an undergraduate degree in her home country. She then spent several years engaged in research and development in biopolymers before moving to the U.S. for further studies. She earned a Master’s degree in Material Science with a concentration in composite materials from the University of Dayton before pursuing a PhD at Florida State University, where her research focused on nano composite materials for thermal ablative applications. During her PhD, Dr. Liu joined a California-based start-up company that specialized in the novel 3D printing of continuous fiber carbon composites. As team leader, she characterized the materials and developed the process for printing structural components. This crucial work paved the way for the successful commercialization of a carbon fiber/thermoplastic composite bicycle. Dr. Liu is currently working on a second Master’s degree in Computer Science at Georgia Tech while working full-time for Maxar. Alix Rousselière is Strategy Consultant for Satcom at Euroconsult, which she joined in April 2022. Her role responsibilities include advising satellite operators and space agencies, conducting commercial and financial assessments and developing market intelligence reports on a variety of topics, including milsatcom and NGSO constellations. Although not an engineer herself, Alix has completed exemplary work on highly technical technology harmonization dossiers for the European Space Agency (ESA), demonstrating her ability to learn and adapt quickly. She participated in more than 12 international consulting missions within her first year at Euroconsult. Before joining Euroconsult, Alix spent two years at Thales in Abu Dhabi where she worked on Strategy and Commercial Development for Defense & Space Key Accounts. In particular, Alix formulated and helped implement a new, transversal, coordinated 5-year Strategic Plan for the company’s UAE Defense accounts by analyzing trends and providing recommendations to C-level executive management on priority subjects and associated investments.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with the Rt Hon Lord Willetts FRS, President of the Resolution Foundation and Chair of the UK Space Agency. Lord Willetts delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Better Satellite World Awards Dinner where Avanti Communications, the International Rescue Committee and Maxar New Bureau received Better Satellite World Awards for their achievements. The Rt Hon Lord Willetts FRS is the President of the Resolution Foundation and Chair of the UK Space Agency. He is a member of the Board of Darktrace plc and is Chair of Innovate Cambridge. He served as the Member of Parliament for Havant (1992-2015), as Minister for Universities and Science (2010-2014) and previously worked at HM Treasury and the No. 10 Policy Unit. He is a Board member of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a visiting Professor at King’s College London and an Honorary Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford. Lord Willetts has written widely on economic and social policy. His book “A University Education” is published by Oxford University Press. A second edition of his book “The Pinch” on fairness between the generations was published in 2019.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with Massimiliano Ladovaz, Chief Operations Officer at Eutelsat Group. Massimiliano leads the UK-based Eutelsat Group team responsible for the completion of  the Gen-1 LEO constellation and the design and development of the LEO-GEO Next-Gen constellation. For his achievements, he was chosen as the 2023 SSPI-UK Satellite Personality of the Year and honored at the 2023 Better Satellite World Awards Dinner. Massimiliano joined OneWeb in 2018 at its UK HQ and became the Chief Technology Officer in 2020. With HMG investing in OneWeb after bankruptcy, Massimiliano was instrumental in re-starting the engineering and satellite operations teams in the UK; thus leading the timely production and launch of 650 satellites and the procurement/deployment of 45 gateways and ground network around the globe. Massimiliano started his career at the European Space Agency, then moved to Luxembourg-based SES as VP Spacecraft Platform Engineering and Launch Systems. He then joined Inmarsat in the UK as Senior VP Space Segment & System Architecture at Inmarsat, leading the design, procurement and deployment of several multi-billion US dollars space programs. He holds a Masters in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Rome.

In this Making Leaders podcast, we hear from Onyinye Nwankwo, PhD Candidate in Atmospheric and Space Sciences at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and one of three Promise Award Recipients in 2023. Onyinye is an accomplished scientist in the field of upper atmospheric and space sciences, currently pursuing her PhD in Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Industrial Physics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in her home country of Nigeria before obtaining a Master’s degree in Space Geophysics from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in Brazil and a second Master of Science in Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering from the University of Michigan. During her undergraduate studies, Onyinye served as an industrial trainee “Radio Signal Officer” at the Nigeria Port Authority in Lagos State, where her skills in maintaining radio signals and signal processing were key to ensuring efficient communication and navigation services. She went on to become a Scientific Officer with the Center for Atmospheric Research, National Space Research and Development Agency (CAR-NASRDA) in Anyibga, Kogi State, Nigeria, where she showcased her expertise in data processing, management and the operation of cutting-edge imaging technology. In this role, Onyinye provided key raw data handling for the All-Sky Airglow Imager and Fabry Perot Interferometer and made significant contributions to the understanding of atmospheric phenomena, which also bolstered Nigeria’s stature in space and atmospheric research. Before joining CAR-NASRDA, she worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Physics at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Umudike, Nigeria, where she handled a range of responsibilities for the department, including course instruction, design and implementation of research methodologies, contributions to lab experiments and management of administrative tasks.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with representatives of the three 2023 recipients of Better Satellite World Awards. Libby Barr, Chief Operating Officer of Avanti Communications, Fernando Carballal, Associate Director of Product Development and Operational Partnerships for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Stephen Wood, Senior Director of the Maxar News Bureau join Lou to discuss their projects, goals and making a better world for all. Libby Barr is the Chief Operating Officer at Avanti Communications (“Avanti”) and a member of its Executive Committee. Joining in January 2019, Libby is responsible for the development and growth of the Carrier, Mobility and Enterprise customers along with overseeing the end-to-end customer experience across Avanti’s Sales and Marketing departments. Libby is passionate about connecting some of the hardest-to-reach communities in the world. Key milestones include the connectivity of over 1,000 villages in Africa, to which Avanti has made significant investments to provide satellite infrastructure and digital connectivity in rural and ultra-rural areas. Along with her team, Libby’s focus will be on connecting a further 10,000 villages and schools over the next five years. Prior to Avanti, Libby was at BT for nine years. As Managing Director of Customer Care, she was a key member of the BT Consumer Leadership Team who grew the company’s revenue by more than £1.2bn in five years. Libby was also responsible for the strategic vision, leadership and transformation of a 10,000 strong Customer Care organisation across more than 30 sites worldwide. Libby began her career at Vodafone. At the company for 22 years, she held positions in both the global and UK organisations, leading the Enterprise Sales and Service organisations. In addition, Libby was a Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation. Avanti Communications’ rural solution is a groundbreaking satellite service designed to bridge the digital divide by connecting ultra-rural villages in Nigeria for the first time. This innovative solution has proven key to the Nigerian Communications Commission's (NCC) National Broadband Plan of 2020, which sets out two national goals: to achieve 90% population coverage and a penetration rate of 70% by 2025. Avanti Rural solution uses advanced satellite technology to extend mobile network coverage to the hardest-to-reach areas of Nigeria, that would be impossible to reach using traditional terrestrial infrastructure. This off-grid service is a game-changer in the telecommunications industry, providing cellular services to the most remote communities, and in turn, promoting digital inclusion and socio-economic development. As of 2023, Avanti has deployed over 500 ultra-rural sites in 21 Nigerian states, providing 2G and 3G connectivity to 2.5 million Nigerians. All these areas previously had no connectivity, with residents forced to travel on foot or by local bus to the nearest towns with coverage just to use their mobile phones. Fernando Carballal is Associate Director of Product Development and Operational Partnerships for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization that helps people affected by humanitarian crises—including the climate crisis—to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. He is also Co-Founder and Innovation Consultant of Impactspace, which works with businesses, NGOs, government and academia internationally to explore and commercialize new impactful ideas. Before joining IRC and co-founding Impactspace, Fernando served as Head of Design and User Engagement for Sen and as a Designer for a variety of companies, including Satellite Applications Catapult, Thingmaker and Cyclehoop Ltd. He is a graduate of London Metropolitan University with a Masters in Product Design and the University of East London with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture. The Mapping Invisible Populations project is an innovative initiative by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), created in collaboration with Flowminder and Humanitarian Open Street Map. The project was developed in 2023 with the central aim of providing support services to hard-to-reach populations. This initiative primarily targets fragile and conflict-affected areas which may receive less medical and other humanitarian support. Using satellite imagery mapping techniques and GIS methodologies provided by its partners, the Mapping Invisible Populations project gathers satellite and spatial data and combines it with population estimates analyzed by its partners to determine the location of these underserved populations. Subsequently, these estimates are verified by community informants for further corroboration. The objective is to identify populations living in areas that are large enough to justify IRC investing resources, time, and risk to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. Stephen Wood is the Senior Director of the Maxar News Bureau. He has more than 30 years of experience analyzing satellite imagery and performing all-source analysis for government, commercial and media customers. Mr. Wood joined DigitalGlobe (which became Maxar Intelligence) in 2000, after 14 years in the U.S. government, where he held a range of senior imagery intelligence-associated positions. He was the co-founder of AllSource Analysis, an imagery analytic company based in Colorado. He has an in-depth record of creating geospatial and all-source material and has briefed audiences extensively throughout his career, including high-ranking government officials, CEOs and the media on geospatial information and high current interest issues. The Maxar News Bureau is a unique partnership program that collaborates with renowned media organizations worldwide, focusing on using technology for social good and global transparency. The program is operated by Maxar Intelligence, a leading provider of secure, precise geospatial intelligence. The Bureau leverages the business’ satellite imagery, analytics and expertise to complement quality journalism and provide irrefutable evidence in an era where credibility is critical. The Maxar News Bureau has provided high-resolution satellite imagery and analysis for notable reports like The New York Times’ 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning report on Russia’s use of shadow warfare and the 2019 Emmy-winning “One Building, One Bomb” story, which reconstructed a chemical attack in Syria. The Bureau’s satellite imagery allowed the Times reporters to enhance their storytelling and lend credibility to their reports. In the realm of current events, information is traditionally released by the media, governments or organizations directly involved in the event. The Maxar News Bureau serves as an auxiliary source, providing supporting evidence or context to unfolding situations.

In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, guest host Divya-Kala Bhavani, General Manager for PR, Communications & Marketing at Dhruva Space and co-chair of the SSPI-WISE Elevating Women Working Group interviews Pramoda Hegde, former Mission Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). They discuss Pramoda's journey from a small coastal village in India to Mission Director at the ISRO and how she continues in retirement to tour different villages across India to speak with young engineering hopefuls about the space industry. A note for non-Indian listeners of this podcast: the convention "Pramoda Ma'am" is an expression of respect for a female elder that is common in India. Divya-Kala Bhavani oversees the Public Relations, Communications & Marketing activities at Dhruva Space, a full-stack Space engineering company and the first private Space-Technology company in India. Divya-Kala has previously worked as a journalist and National Technology Features Editor at The Hindu, one of India’s largest and oldest English daily newspapers. Divya-Kala holds a Master’s degree in Media & Communications Governance from London School of Economics, and a Bachelor’s (Hons) in Journalism from London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. Divya-Kala is an active member of HAPS Alliance and of Space and Satellite Professionals International and SSPI-WISE, where she is the Co-Chair of the Elevating Women Working Group. Dhruva Space has been recognized twice by the Government of India, having been awarded the National Startup Award for its efforts in Satellite and Space Technology, and having been awarded the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Excellence Award 2022 for the company’s work in the field of Satellite Communications. On 24 June 2022, Dhruva Space became one of the first private companies to receive authorization from IN-SPACe. The company has since completed three Space missions within 12 months; including the history-making Thybolt Mission, which saw the launch of India’s first two private satellites, Thybolt-1 and Thybolt-2, authorized by IN-SPACe, to be successfully deployed into orbit. In January 2024, Dhruva Space also successfully validated its P-30 Nanosatellite platform, which kicks off the company’s LEAP initiative of hosted payload solutions for the global market. Pramoda Hegde is a former Mission Director at the Indian Space Research Organisation. Her career at ISRO spanned 32 years, during which she played pivotal roles in some of India's historic Space missions. In 2011, Pramoda was designated as Mission Director for the GSAT-12 mission; this was the first time a woman was designated as Mission Director for a GEO Mission in ISRO's history; additionally, this was also the first time all three key positions of a mission were handled by women. Pramoda also took on the roles of Project Manager, Operations Director, and Deputy Project Director for many other Geostationary satellite missions: INSAT-4A and INSAT-4B, GSAT-9 GSAT-12, GSAT-18, and GSAT-31. After retiring from ISRO, Pramoda frequently delivers lectures at various research institutes across India, and is also known for her 'From Village to Space' storytelling sessions where she recounts her journey of growing up in Muroor, a small farming village in India, and eventually joining ISRO.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we explore the exciting developments in space-based data analytics and the absolutely game-changing nature of this relatively new part of the industry. The fourth episode features a conversation with Mike Collett, Founder and Managing Partner of Promus Ventures and Joe Fargnoli, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the New York Space Alliance and co-host of the monthly New York Space Business Roundtable alongside SSPI's Lou Zacharilla. Mike and Joe join Lou to talk about space-based data analytics and the role satellites play. Mike Collett is Founder and Managing Partner of Promus Ventures. Since its inception in 2012, Promus Ventures invests in DeepTech early-stage startups, with offices in Chicago, San Francisco and Luxembourg. Mike has been a venture capital investor for over 20 years. Mike has invested in over 100 startups, including Rocket Lab, AngelList, Whoop, Mapbox, ICEYE, Bellabeat, FLYR, Kensho, Swift Navigation, Spire Global and others. Prior to Promus Ventures, Mike was Founder and Managing Partner of Masters Capital Nanotechnology Fund, a venture capital firm. While working at Masters Capital, a hedge fund, Mike invested in software and hardware startups. Prior to venture capital, Mike was a Vice President in Merrill Lynch’s Mergers & Acquisitions group. Mike holds a BA in Math and BA in English from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a MBA in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis. Mike and his wife Paige have four children and live in Chicago. Joe Fargnoli is one of the co-founders of the New York Space Alliance (NYSA), a Public Benefit Corporation focused on bringing the immense and diverse resources of New York City and State to the New Space Economy. NYSA offers programs in tactical entrepreneurship such as an accelerator, a bootcamp in conjunction with Founder’s Institute and a Hacking for Space Program in development as well as an online Innovation Exchange community connecting the many different space impacting industries with the New Space Economy. He also serves as a Solutions Architect for Raytheon Intelligence & Space and SMA, Inc. and Managing Partner for both NYSA and Innovation Acceleration Capital in Rochester, New York. Together with SSPI, Joe co-founded the New York Space Business Roundtable, a monthly dialogue and real New York style conversation about the space & satellite industry and its many facets, including where the investments are going. January's edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable - 2024: What We Want! - is coming up later this week on Wednesday, January 17. You can learn more and register for the Roundtable on SSPI's website. His previous career background includes Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems group working on both National Electro-Optical as well as SAR system and Kodak/ITT/Exelis/Harris with focus on National and Commercial systems.  He also served as a Technical Fellow within the NRO. Joe holds an MS in Optics from the University of Rochester, an MS in Telecommunications and Computers from the George Washington University a BS in Mathematics and MS degree in Electrical Engineering from The State University of New York.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we explore the exciting developments in space-based data analytics and the absolutely game-changing nature of this relatively new part of the industry. The third episode features a conversation with Raimundo Rodulfo, Director of Innovation & Technology and Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Coral Gables in Florida. Raimundo joins SSPI’s Lou Zacharilla to talk about how Coral Gables is using satellite technology to manage city services and provide better quality of life for its citizens - one of many reasons why Coral Gables was recognized in 2023 as a Top7 Intelligent Community of the world by the Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org). Raimundo Rodulfo started his career 30 years ago in the early 1990s as an electrical engineer in the telecommunications industry, developing urban networks and intelligent systems. He joined the City of Coral Gables in 2004 and currently serves as Director of Innovation & Technology and Chief Innovation Officer. He leads strategic planning, co-innovation, oversight and management of citywide IT operations, infrastructure and smart city initiatives. Under his leadership, the City has received numerous awards including IEEE Smart Cities Jury Award in 2022, first place in the Digital Cities 2018, first place in the U.S. Open Cities Index in 2019 and 2020, first place in the Government Experience award in 2023, Smart 50 Award in Urban Infrastructure in 2020 and 2023, Smart Cities Council Innovation Excellence Award in 2022, Smart21 and Top7 Intelligent Community in 2023, and being recognized as one of the 8 Smart Cities to Watch in 2020 by State Tech Magazine and as one of the Top 12 worldwide in the Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards for government in 2021. Prior to joining the City, he spent ten years in the private sector working for various Fortune 500 companies such as Bellsouth, Siemens, and NCR in varying capacities. During this time, he also worked on engineering and technology projects for Motorola and Lucent Technologies in Chicago, and Agilent Technologies in Silicon Valley. He volunteers as Co-Chair of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Global Cities Team Challenge (GCTC) Superclusters, as a member of the World Business Angel Investment Forum (WBAF) Miami Board of Directors and the Cities Today Institute (CTI) Leadership Forum, and as an advisory member of international nonprofit professional committees, academic programs, and engineering standard development organizations. He has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences and events, and has also authored multiple research papers, articles, technical book chapters and other publications in the areas of smart cities, engineering and technology. Rodulfo has received numerous awards and recognition throughout his career. Most recently, he was named City Executive of the Year in the 2022 LocalSmart Awards, received the Globant Digital Disruptor award and the CyberTrust Pioneer award in 2021, was named to State Tech Magazine's list of 30 State and Local Government IT Influencers Worth a Follow in 2020, was recognized as Sustainable Technology Innovator in 2023 and Smart Disruptor in 2020 by Smart Cities Americas, and received the Key to the City from the Mayor of Coral Gables.

In this Making Leaders podcast, we hear from Julie Newman, Program Chief Engineer at Boeing and one of three Promise Award Recipients in 2023. Julie is Program Chief Engineer for Satelit Nusantara Lima N5 (SNL), a major geostationary communications satellite program. In this role, she has been instrumental in overseeing risk management and problem resolution for the satellite, particularly in the midst of a challenging shift to a different payload. Julie regularly directs and approves the work of senior engineering staff and provides recommendations to the program management office and the customer. She has also represented her executive manager in various critical functions, ranging from safety to quality assurance across Boeing’s El Segundo site and has spearheaded multiple process improvement initiatives, including major efforts to improve Boeing’s engineering training and metrics tracking systems. Before taking on her current position, Julie was the Technical Program Manager, a role in which she led a team of 15 engineers to develop the engine controller assembly for the Space Launch System (SLS) first stage rocket. The team consistently exceeded expectations under her leadership while executing a late re-design of the unit to resolve a leakage issue associated with a sneak path discovered during testing of the engineering model. Julie is a graduate of Caltech with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we ask the question: "What would you do if you had the power to make the world a better place during your career?" Joining SSPI's Lou Zacharilla to answer that question in the first episode are 3 members of the "20 Under 35" cohort of 2023: Onyinye Nwankwo, Atmospheric and Space Scientist at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Amy Comeau, Lead Member of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner Chief Engineer's Office; and Dr. Justyna Kosianka, Senior Remote Sensing Scientist at Ursa Space Systems. Onyinye Nwankwo is an accomplished scientist in the field of upper atmospheric and space sciences, currently pursuing her PhD in Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Industrial Physics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in her home country of Nigeria before obtaining a Master’s degree in Space Geophysics from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in Brazil and a second Master of Science in Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering from the University of Michigan. During her undergraduate studies, Onyinye served as an industrial trainee “Radio Signal Officer” at the Nigeria Port Authority in Lagos State, where her skills in maintaining radio signals and signal processing were key to ensuring efficient communication and navigation services. She went on to become a Scientific Officer with the Center for Atmospheric Research, National Space Research and Development Agency (CAR-NASRDA) in Anyibga, Kogi State, Nigeria, where she showcased her expertise in data processing, management and the operation of cutting-edge imaging technology. In this role, Onyinye provided key raw data handling for the All-Sky Airglow Imager and Fabry Perot Interferometer and made significant contributions to the understanding of atmospheric phenomena, which also bolstered Nigeria’s stature in space and atmospheric research. Before joining CAR-NASRDA, she worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Physics at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Umudike, Nigeria, where she handled a range of responsibilities for the department, including course instruction, design and implementation of research methodologies, contributions to lab experiments and management of administrative tasks. Onyinye was selected as one of the three Promise Award Recipients for the 2023 "20 Under 35" cohort. Amy Comeau is a lead member of the CST-100 Starliner Chief Engineer’s Office at Boeing, a position that requires solving complex system-level design and integration challenges. As part of her current role, she facilitates factory tours of the Starliner program for key stakeholders, including legislators, community leaders, national and international customers, universities and other organizations, making constant use of her powerful communication and leadership skills. Amy began her career at Boeing in 2018 as a satellite systems vehicle engineer as part of a rotation program, where she led an in-depth analysis of test equipment anomalies and supported the setup and functional checkouts of various satellite payloads. Before joining Boeing, she worked in a fellowship for start-up Bryce Space and Technology as a Brooke Owens fellow – one of only 36 women selected for the fellowship in 2017. She also participated in NASA’s Micro-g NExT challenge as a student, during which she designed, developed and manufactured a tool that could seal micrometeorite debris holes on the International Space Station. Amy graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. Dr. Justyna Kosianka is a Senior Remote Sensing Scientist at Ursa Space Systems, with a history of designing and developing algorithms for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) analytics, geospatial modeling for synthetic SAR training data generation and data fusion. Within this she has focused on change detection as well as environmental monitoring analytics. Dr. Kosianka serves as the manager for Ursa’s SAR-based Analytics Team and has served as the technical lead for the company’s suite of SAR-based Earth observation analytics, including National Catastrophe, soil moisture, stockpile measurement, flood mapping, well monitoring and oil storage measurement and supply chain management. She was recently assigned the role of Product Owner for Ursa’s commodities-based product offerings. In this role, Dr. Kosianka is responsible for planning for design and development of commodities and Earth observation products, which helps set the direction for an entire suite of SAR-analytics-based products for the company. She has made particular progress in the area of 3D Change Detection while at Ursa, resulting in her being awarded 2 patents for SATELLITE SAR ARTIFACT SUPPRESSION FOR ENHANCED THREE-DIMENSIONAL FEATURE EXTRACTION, CHANGE DETECTION, AND VISUALIZATIONS (A-1 and B-1).

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we explore the exciting developments in space-based data analytics and the absolutely game-changing nature of this relatively new part of the industry. The second episode features a conversation with Peter Broadhurst, Senior Vice President, Safety and Regulatory at Inmarsat. Peter joins SSPI's Lou Zacharilla to talk about how Inmarsat is making continuous investments in safety and enhancing life at sea while helping to build maritime communities and collect and process data to improve our knowledge of and relationship with Earth's oceans. Peter Broadhurst joined Inmarsat in 2014 as Vice President of Service Delivery for the Maritime business unit, where he was responsible for leading the development of products and services from conception and implementation, through to launch and life cycle management. Peter was instrumental in the launch of Inmarsat’s high-speed broadband service Fleet Xpress launched in March 2016. With over 25 years of experience in the maritime industry, Peter began his career at sea as a Radio Officer, before running his own business and working for a maritime distributor. Peter then spent 15 years with Sea Tel Inc., / Cobham SATCOM as Vice President of Sales and Marketing where he was responsible for overseeing and managing global sales, support, marketing, training, and product management. Peter has a HND Electronics, Marine Radio General Certificate, Radar and Marine Navigation Aids accreditation from Wray Castle Merchant Navy School, and holds an Open University, BSc (Hons) First Class degree on Radio Frequency Systems. Peter is Acting President of Comite International Radio Maritime (CIRM), on the Board of the World Maritime University and an Ambassador for the Sailors’ Society.

In this Better Satellite World podcast series, we explore the exciting developments in space-based data analytics and the absolutely game-changing nature of this relatively new part of the industry. The first episode features a conversation with Geoffrey Craig, Senior Product Strategist at Ursa Space Systems. Geoff joins SSPI's Lou Zacharilla to talk about how satellite imagery can be applied to Commodities. Geoffrey Craig is a Senior Product Strategist at Ursa Space where he focuses on developing remote sensing products for commodity markets. Prior to joining Ursa Space, Geoff spent eight years at S&P Global Platts covering oil futures, renewables & carbon markets. He was also a Cairo-based business journalist, during which time he traveled widely across the Middle East & North Africa. Geoff began his career as an International Trade Analyst at the US Department of Commerce. He holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor's degree from The George Washington University. Headquartered in Ithaca, New York, Ursa Space Systems is a satellite intelligence company providing on-demand analytic solutions. Through its radar satellite network and data fusion techniques, Ursa detects real-time changes in the phsyical world to understand trends and events at deeper levels than ever before.