Industry Innovator Awards
2012 Awards
INNOVATION IN KA-BAND SERVICES
KA-SAT and ViaSat-1
SSPI honors two for-profit companies and strategic partners for the development and launch of transformative high-throughput satellites that seek to provide broadband Internet access to homes and small offices at rates and speeds comparable to terrestrial alternatives. More...
INNOVATION IN THE MITIGATION OF GALAXY-15
Intelsat and SES
SSPI honors a satellite operator that forged an unprecedented collaboration with another leading operator to prevent a perfect storm of radio frequency interference over the US domestic arc. More...
INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY COLLABORATION ON THE SAFE USE OF SPACE
Space Data Association
SSPI honors an association formed by satellite operators to make operations in space safer for themselves and more reliable for their customers. More...
INNOVATION IN IDENTIFYING THE SOURCE OF INTERFERENCE
Comtech EF Data
SSPI honors Comtech EF Data for developing, on its own initiative and at its own expense, a critical component of a long-term solution to the problem of satellite radio frequency interference (RFI). More...
2010 Awards
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT & APPLICATIONS
The US Broadcast Networks
In the for-profit sector, SSPI honors the four US terrestrial broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX – for successful completion of a nationwide conversion from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasting. More...
Télécom sans Frontiéres
In the non-profit sector, SSPI honors Télécom sans Frontiéres, or Telecommunications Without Borders, a relief organization in southern France founded by Monique Lanne-Petit and Jean-Francois Cazenave. More...
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT & APPLICATIONS
Inmarsat 4 Spacecraft
In the for-profit sector, SSPI honors Inmarsat as the creative innovator and EADS Astrium as systems engineer and project manager for the complex, multi-year effort to develop and launch the Inmarsat-4 system of spacecraft. More...
Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group and WBU-ISOG
In the non-profit sector, SSPI honors the Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG) and the World Broadcasting Union – International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) for leadership over many years in the effort to reduce the impact of satellite radio frequency interference (RFI). More...
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT & APPLICATIONS
Cisco Systems Internet Router in Space
In the for-profit sector, SSPI honors Cisco Systems for developing and placing into operation a hosted satellite payload offering the ability to route IP traffic on the satellite, which eliminates the need to send the data to and from an extra ground station to implement the circuit-switched function. More...
NASA Innovations in Space Communications and Robotic Operations Related to the Deep Space Network, Mars Exploration and the Hubble Space Telescope
In the non-profit sector, SSPI honors the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for innovations in deep space communications and robotics in support of Mars exploration programs and the reconditioned Hubble Space Telescope. More...
Articles
-
Better Satellite World Podcast: Space for All, Season 2 - The Factory Floor of the New Space & Satellite Industry
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 fourth episode features a conversation between SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla, Stephen Hampton, Manager of Government Affairs at Telesat and Josh Mejia, Executive Director of the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation. Stephen and Josh talk about how the space and satellite industry became the engine for the factory floors of Quebec and Brownsville. Stephen Hampton is Manager of Government Affairs at Telesat, a position he has held for over 2 years. In February 2021, the Quebec government announced that it will invest 400 million Canadian dollars in Telesat’s Lightspeed LEO communications network and MDA will produce the constellation's phased array antennas in the province. The Lightspeed program aims to create 600 high-paying STEM jobs, leverage Quebec's existing aerospace expertise and infrastructure and allow the province the harness the significant economic growth from the burgeoning new space economy. Operating under its international priority Ka-band spectrum rights, Telesat’s Lightspeed will redefine global satellite connectivity with ubiquitous, affordable, high-capacity links with fiber-like speeds. Prior to joining Telesat, Stephen served as Senior Project Manager at TELUS, a Consultant for Crestview Strategy and a Senior Fellow at CJPAC. Outside of work, he has been a volunteer with Lanark County Interval House working to combat violence against women and children for 16 years. Josh Mejia is Executive Director of the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, a position he has held for over 2 years. In April 2021, Brownsville announced that Space Channel, Inc., a news and entertainment channel dedicated to space, will locate its new studio operations there, moving from Los Angeles to the Rio Grande Valley as part of a new media and economic development partnership with the city. The new studio will support Space Channel's international network by focusing on Brownsville's space-related infrastructure and its growing role in the greater space industry. Josh is a results-oriented and highly motivated strategic leader with over 10 years of extensive experience in accomplishing remarkable results in economic development, marketing and government relations. He is highly skilled in strategic planning, organizing, communications and economic development functions from conception to completion, including focuses in entrepreneurship and small business development. He previously served in Marketing and Small Business Development for the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation after founding his own company Mejia & Company to provide freelance economic development strategies for rural, small and mid-sized communities. Josh has achieved success throughout his career in strategic budgeting, human capital development, cross-departmental project management, government relations, communications and data analytics. His other experience includes serving as Director of Government Relations for the Pivot Group, Creative Director for RGV | Spotlight and Business Operations Manager at Apple, among other positions. 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
