In season 2 of the popular Space for All podcast series, we continue to explore the question of inclusion: examining the ways in which we make space and satellite accessible as a service, as a technology and as an idea. The fifth episode features a conversation between SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla, Betty Bonnardel-Azzarelli, Founder and CEO of AB5 Consulting, Ltd. and Bhanu Durvasula, Vice President at Hughes Network Systems. Betty and Bhanu talk about how space and satellite can empower people in underserved rural areas to participate in the global economy while remaining in the communities they so deeply value.

Betty Bonnardel-Azzarelli is the Founder and CEO of AB5 Consulting, Ltd. and the award-winning SME Farmer Charlie. She has extensive international experience in the high tech, aerospace, satellite, energy, nuclear, transport, and defense industries, for both public and private sectors. Betty has strong skills and experience in strategy, business, regulatory, highly complex and technical project/program management, contract and bid management, change and risk management and business development. Before founding AB5 Consulting, she served for over 20 years at DGA (Direction générale de l'armement) as Supply Chain Project Manager - Satellite Space Segment and then Project Manager Tendering - Sea Defense System on board Frigate, and she still serves today as Ingenieur de l'Armement. Betty is the Chair of SSPI's UK Chapter, a position she has held for 4 years. She has served in a variety of other leadership roles outside work, including as a board member for International Women in Engineering and Science, Vice Chair and member of the Executive Committe for Women in Nuclear UK and Project Manager Nuclear Transport Regulations for the World Nuclear Transport Institute.

Bhanu Durvasula is Vice President at Hughes Network Systems. He leads the company’s international product and operations team, responsible for product line management of satellite broadband systems. In his 30+ years at Hughes, Mr. Durvasula has held a variety of leadership roles in engineering and product development for solutions including, among others: cellular backhaul over satellite, Mobile Satellite Systems (MSS) ground networks; and point-to-multipoint wireless products for terrestrial cell backhaul and last-mile access. Most recently, Mr. Durvasula’s efforts have been focused on satellite network technology for community Wi-Fi hotspot and cellular backhaul solutions in support of the company’s efforts to bring connectivity to unserved and underserved areas of the world. He holds several patents, both issued and pending. Mr. Durvasula earned a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Consumers, businesses, governments and communities around the world benefit from the connected experiences enabled by Hughes technologies and services.

Season 2 of the Space for All podcast series is sponsored by

SSPI’s Better Satellite World campaign is made possible with the support of our corporate partners