SSPI-WISE is a group that welcomes all women members from the space & satellite industry. Our focus is engaging women in the space industry through STEM outreach, structured mentor programs and partnerships with other women's groups. We meet once per month, usually on Zoom, to discuss goals, plan new events and, of course, have fun! Learn more about SSPI-WISE Initiatives.
A global network supporting those who identify as women in space and satellite, and their allies.
Recent Media
Five years ago, in the throes of the global pandemic, a ray of hope was born of the unique vision of then SSPI President Nicole Robinson – that SSPI should have a gathering for the women of the industry. That gathering took place on the evening of December 16th, 2020, while Nicole was President of SSPI.
Five years! SSPI-WISE has accomplished so much since then and is looking forward to reaching even higher heights, but it all started with that initial vision.
In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, based on the panel conducted at the December 16 WISE anniversary meeting, Nicole Robinson, President, Gilat Datapath, Tina Ghataore, CEO, Aerospacelab North America, and Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc. and past Chair of SSPI-WISE, join us for SSPI-WISE's anniversary celebration and share their thoughts.
Panel discussion spotlighting NIGCOMSAT leaders who are advancing digital inclusion and transforming education through satellite broadband:
- Moderator: Ruth Okoh, Founder/Managing Director, Spaceboss Consulting Ltd.
- Engr. Florence Ibrahim, Satellite Control & Operations, NIGCOMSAT
- Engr. Opeyemi Kareem – Product & Presales Engineer, NIGCOMSAT
- Ifeoma Maureen Nzekwe – Deputy General Manager & Programme Coordinator, NIGCOMSAT
Panel discussion on career transitions between government and private industry
- Moderator: Andrea Maléter
- Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch – Viasat SVP, Government Strategy & Policy
- Jennifer Manner - AST SpaceMobile SVP, Regulatory Affairs & International Strategy
A panel discussion on getting involved in industry conferences, why it’s important and how to make it happen. Our speakers include:
- Moderator: Alex Duran - Viasat
- Dawn Harms – Space Architectures LLC
- Toni Lee Rudnicki – TLR Consulting LLC
- Ustina Choi - CONTEC
Space is changing fast. Commercial activity is accelerating. Talent needs are shifting. Orbits are filling. And with the growing threat of Kessler Syndrome, long-term access to space may become more constrained than ever before. This roundtable, conducted on at the May 1 meeting of SSPI-WISE, brings together leaders working at the intersection of education, workforce development, and space business strategy to examine how women can prepare for—and shape—a future that is both promising and precarious. Our guests included Donya Naz Divsalar, (incoming) Head of Future Projects at Magdrive; Elizabeth Kennick, President, Teachers In Space, Inc. and Genna Ng, Venture Partner, Beyond Earth Technologies and Co-Founder, Singapore Space Network.
She Reaches: Women in Space, Episode 8: Lee Steinke on Defining the Future of Space and National Security
In the She Reaches series, journalist and podcast host Tanveer Pujara sits down with trailblazing women across the space industry, from founders and engineers to visionaries and scientists, who are redefining what it means to reach for the stars. In the eighth episode of She Reaches, host Tanveer Pujara speaks with Lee Steinke, Chief Operating Officer at CisLunar Industries, Partner at Elara Nova Space Consultancy, and former Interim COO at Orbit Fab.
With experience spanning NASA, DARPA, Space Force, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Lee brings a unique perspective on how government, industry, and innovation intersect to define the next era of space operations. She led the Space Futures Workshop to explore the commercial implications of space for U.S. national security and continues to influence policy and strategy through her work with Space Force and NewSpace Nexus.
Before entering the aerospace sector, Lee built her career in the energy industry as an executive and licensed professional scientist — and today she is a published author, TEDx speaker, and advocate for advancing U.S. leadership in space.
Tune in to hear how Lee’s journey from energy to aerospace reflects the power of curiosity, courage, and strategic leadership in shaping humanity’s future beyond Earth.
SSPI-WISE Blog
SSPI is fortunate to have the talented Elisabeth Tweedie pen a blog on our behalf.
Latest Blog Post:
Major Savior or Gross Polluter? The Space Industry’s Dual Role in Climate Change – By Elisabeth Tweedie, Founder, Definitive Direction
As mentioned in a previous blog: “The Unsung Heroes of Battle,” the satellite industry is playing a significant role in combating climate change. That blog was written over a year ago, and since then several more satellites have been launched, increasing the amount of information gathered, and so furthering our knowledge as to where the major emissions of carbon dioxide and methane occur. Later this year, one company GHGSAT will launch a hosted payload satellite that will have the capability to pinpoint carbon emissions to individual industrial facilities, the same way that its satellites do this for methane emissions. Obviously, this information will be a huge boon to governments and local authorities committed to reducing their carbon footprint. Read More...
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