(September 3, 2024 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today announced the beginning of Digital Space, a multi-week campaign featuring videos, podcasts, live conversations and a new issue of SSPI’s digital magazine, The Orbiter. The campaign explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and space-based digital infrastructure, from the ground breaking developments in Lunar data storage to the innovative software that powers the next generation of sales. The Digital Space campaign is underwritten by Hughes Network Systems, LLC.

The campaign begins this week with the first episode of a new podcast series, underwritten by Hughes and RKF Engineering Solutions, LLC, featuring an interview with Chris Stott, Founder, Chair and CEO of Lonestar Data Holdings, Inc. Later this month, SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement) will conduct a panel session of women experts to discuss the growing market and the opportunities it opens up for women. New Digital Space content will be published weekly at www.sspi.org/digitalspace2024.

“SSPI’s topic campaigns highlight important trends and enduring value provided by the space and satellite industry,” said SSPI executive director Robert Bell. “Our industry has long clung to its analog roots, but the digital revolution is upon us, bringing both disruption and opportunity. The Digital Space campaign shines a light on all of it.”

About Digital Space
Our digital technology world owes a debt of gratitude to space. It was the need to miniaturize electronics for the first civilian and military space programs that created demand for the integrated circuits independently invented by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce of Intel in 1960. From that pioneering work came today’s silicon chips that cram 100 million transistors in a space the size of the head of a pin.

Today, more than 60 years later, space is going digital at last. Human activity in Earth orbit has long been ruled by radio waves, which transmit information in a continuous analog stream unlike the series of separate bits in digital circuits. Satellites were designed to send and receive to fixed spots on Earth’s surface and were unable to adapt to changing market demand. Deliberately designed for simplicity, they beamed back to Earth whatever analog signal they received. The ground systems they connected to were assemblies of analog hardware that amplified, split, combined and switched communications.

The new generations of satellite being launched into GEO, MEO and LEO are increasingly commanded by onboard software that interacts with AI-enabled software on the ground. They steer their electronically-generated beams wherever needed, adapting minute by minute to demand. The digital capacity of space keeps growing with new satellites, on-orbit servicing and debris removal spacecraft. Businesses have been funded to put data storage systems in orbit and on the Moon. And ground technology is beginning a revolution to replace analog systems with end-to-end digital, creating the possibility of seamless interconnection with the world’s telecommunications networks. An industry long restricted to an insignificant slice of telecom spending has begun a journey toward a much bigger role in connecting and comprehending the planet we share.

You can learn more about the Digital Space campaign on SSPI’s website.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(July 24, 2024 – New York City) – After an election by the membership, the Board of Directors of Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) welcomes seven new Directors for three-year terms beginning July 1:

• Kidsan Barnes, Senior Vice President, Maritime, Cruise & Ferry, Neuron
• Leslie Blaker Glass, Vice President Strategic and Business Development, Hughes Defense Intelligence Systems Division
• Cristi Damian, Vice President, Business Development, Comtech
• Tim Deaver, Vice President, Global Sales and Solutions, Mynaric
• Andrew Faiola, Commercial Vice President, Astroscale
• Jamie Graham, Business Development, KippsDeSanto & Co.
• Matt Grob, Chief Technology Officer, Globalstar

In addition, the election returned five Board members for a second term:

• Julie Bettinger, Chief Marketing Officer, ST Engineering iDirect
• Josef Bogosian, Vice President, Business Development, Commercial Satellites, Boeing
• Marie-Pierre Pluvinage, Director, C4lSR & Secure Comms, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc.
• James Trevelyan (SSPI Chair), Global Commercial Lead, Speedcast
• Elias Zaccack, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, SES Networks

Having previously served as President, James Trevelyan, Global Commercial Lead at Speedcast has been appointed Chairman of SSPI, following the successful term of Chairwoman Katherine Gizinski, Chief Executive Officer of River Advisers. Jessica Beahn, Vice President and Chief Engineer at Maxar Space has been appointed by the Board as its next President.

“A quick review of these lists shows the diversity of the space and satellite industry as represented on SSPI’s Board of Directors,” said executive director Robert Bell. “It makes for a complex ecosystem but also a strong one that is adapting at speed to a changing market.”

Continuing in service on SSPI’s Board of Directors are:

• Jessica Beahn (SSPI President), Vice President and Chief Engineer, Maxar Space
• Aaron Lewis, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Government Relations, Arianespace, Inc.
• Mike Safyan, Vice President of Launch & Strategic Initiatives, Planet

Tina Ghataore of Aerospacelab serves as SSPI-WISE Liaison. Elizabeth Evans of Clyde & Co. serves as General Council.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(July 16, 2024 – New York City) – SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement) has announced the results of its 2024 officer election, which took place over the final week of June.

Having served her final year of a three-year term as the first Chairwoman of SSPI-WISE, Debra Facktor of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense now retires from the position. SSPI-WISE has elected Tina Ghataore of Aerospacelab as its new Chairwoman, to begin a three-year term as of this July.

Tina Ghataore joined Aerospacelab in August 2023 as Group Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, and CEO of Aerospacelab’s new North American branch. Prior to joining the fast-growing international startup specialized in designing, manufacturing and operating small satellites, Tina served as Chief Commercial Officer of Mynaric and President of Mynaric USA where she led the company’s efforts to position Mynaric as the preferred laser communication provider for aerospace application for both government and commercial markets. In 2022, Tina’s contribution to the aerospace industry was recognized by both the public and industry peers alike when she was voted Via Satellite’s “Satellite Executive of the Year”, accepting her award in front of a select audience at the industry’s leading annual conference SATELLITE 2022. Before Mynaric, she held numerous leadership positions at Yahsat, the EKKAM Group – which she founded – and Panasonic Avionics Corporation. Tina began her more-than-20-year career in the space and satellite industry at The Boeing Company’s Satellite Systems business unit.

The membership of SSPI-WISE has also elected former Vice President Vinitha Lalvani of AvL Technologies as its President and Justyna Kosianka of Ursa Space as Vice President. Presidents and Vice Presidents of SSPI-WISE serve one-year terms with the Vice President taking on the role of President in the year following her service as Vice President.

When SSPI-WISE was founded four years ago, outgoing President Jomya Lei of Rocket Lab quickly became the organizational thread knitting together the energy generated by the inspirational leadership of President and founder Nicole Robinson. She continued as Debra Facktor’s Vice President and, when the role of Chairwoman was created, the functions that Jomya pioneered as Vice President quickly became the template for the newly defined President’s role. Having completed her term as President, Jomya will now serve as Co-Chair of the Elevating Women Working Group.

“Three years ago, Debra Factor guided SSPI-WISE towards transforming the women's grassroots energy into a sustainable organization,” said Director of Engagement Tamara Bond-Williams. “Jomya Lei, our first Vice President and then President, was instrumental in bringing Debra’s vision to life. With the successful transition and recruitment of the exceptional Tina Ghatore as our new chair, we acknowledge Debra’s and Jomya’s impactful contributions and are excited for the leadership direction Tina will provide over the next three years.”

SSPI-WISE’s membership also elected four new candidates to officer positions and three returning officers to new positions:

• Lyn Chassange, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, Marketing and Communications, BlackSky will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE STEM Outreach Working Group
• Mary Clark, Project Administrator, AvL Technologies will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Mentoring Working Group
• Caroline Duemling, R&D Systems Engineer, Sandia National Laboratories, and Jomya Lei, RF Product Manager, Rocket Lab, will serve as Co-Chairs of the SSPI-WISE Elevating Women Working Group
• Katina Mruk, Associate Director, Strategy and Transactions, RKF Engineering will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Sustainment & Infrastructure Working Group
• Manal Tadros, Boeing Satellite Systems Insurance Office Manager, The Boeing Company, and Rosario Toxqui, Senior Director of Marketing, Comtech Communications Corp. will serve as Co-Chairs of the recently re-established SSPI-WISE Networking Working Group

Continuing to serve as SSPI-WISE officers are:

• Alix Wright, Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications, Speedcast will serve as SSPI-WISE Secretary
• Divya-Kala Bhavani, Associate Director – PR, Comms & Marketing, Dhruva Space will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Elevating Women Working Group
• Melissa (Orlick) Hansley, Sales & Business Development Manager, Intellian Technologies will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Sustainment & Infrastructure Working Group
• Jennifer Hoil, Director of Product Marketing, ST Engineering iDirect will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Sustainment & Infrastructure Working Group
• Andrea Maleter, retired, Space Business Booster will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Mentoring Working Group
• Wendy (Lewis) Newman, Public Relations and Communications Consultant, Strategic Voice will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Mentoring Working Group
• Audrey Puderbaugh, Spacecraft Engineer, Iridium will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE STEM Outreach Working Group
• Toni Lee Rudnicki, Fractional CMO/Founder, TLR Consulting will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Elevating Women Working Group
• Rosario Toxqui, Senior Director of Marketing, Comtech Telecommunications Corp. will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Social Media Working Group
• Elisabeth Tweedie, Founder and Owner, Definitive Direction will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Social Media Working Group
• Helen Wheedon, Owner and Senior Account Director, Radical Moves and Managing Director, Satcom Innovation Group will serve as Co-Chair of the SSPI-WISE Social Media Working Group

SSPI-WISE was founded in December 2020, with the goal of engaging women in the space and satellite industry on topics ranging from STEM outreach and mentoring to networking and elevating women. In this new election cycle, the Networking Working Group will function in an ad hoc capacity, and SSPI-WISE did not elect leads for its function.

SSPI-WISE membership is open to women who are SSPI members, and has a mailing list option for those who identify as allies of women. Members may serve on working groups including working groups that focus on STEM Outreach, Elevating Women, Social Media and Mentorship. SSPI-WISE holds networking events at various conferences, and bi-monthly meetings that are open to men and women, with informative guest speakers.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(New York City, NY, USA & London, UK – 6 June 2024) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today opened nominations for the 2024 Better Satellite World Awards. The winners will be honoured at the Better Satellite World Awards Dinner on 2 December in London. Nominations are due by 16 September 2024.

As part of its Better Satellite World Awards Dinner, SSPI honours three organisations that have demonstrated the use of satellite to make a significant contribution to human welfare, good governance, safety, peace and security, improved education or other measures of human achievement. The Better Satellite World Awards are produced by SSPI and its UK Chapter. Click here to learn more about the awards and past winners.

Previous recipients of Better Satellite World Awards include Maxar News Bureau, ASTERRA’s potable water detection technology, the United Nations’ Crisis Connectivity Charter, SATMED e-health satellite platform delivered by SES, the Bidi Bidi project in sub-Saharan Africa of Avanti Communications, and Speedcast’s support for Peru’s Willka Yachay nonprofit, among many others.

“Celebrating the industry in London at the start of the holidays has become an iconic evening. The recipients too have earned iconic status for what they have done to make the world better through the use of commercial satellites and space. We look forward to honouring them and welcoming a surprise Keynote speaker again this year,” said SSPI Director of Innovation Lou Zacharilla.

Nomination forms are available on SSPI’s website.

About the Better Satellite World Campaign
The modern world literally runs on satellite – from data networks and TV to Internet, agriculture, energy and transport – though far too few people know it. The commercial satellite industry is now attracting a new generation of entrepreneurs and investors dedicated to lowering launch costs, downsizing spacecraft, servicing them in orbit and delivering ubiquitous connectivity at competitive prices. The Better Satellite World campaign shows the world why our industry, though often invisible, is indispensable to modern life, through powerful stories and videos that depict space and satellite technologies contributing to the economy, society and sustainability of planet Earth. More at www.bettersatelliteworld.com. The Better Satellite World podcast and interviews with previous recipients can be heard at www.sspi.org/podcast.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(May 16, 2024 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today released Putting a CAP on Climate Change, its newest video in the Better Satellite World campaign. It explores how nations in the European Union are benefiting from the fusion of multi-orbit, public and private satellite data to meet ambitious goals for reducing GHG emissions from food production. Putting a CAP on Climate Change is made possible by funding from Planet with additional support from Artel,Comtech and RKF Engineering.

“Before we started this project, I had no idea how much modern agriculture contributes to carbon emissions and climate change,” said executive director and video producer Robert Bell. “The EU is trying to do something hugely ambitious in supporting farmers while driving reform in farming methods. We are proud to tell the story and share Planet’s contribution to the success of the program.”

You can watch the video on SSPI’s website and on Youtube.

Inside the Story
Agriculture produces 1/4 of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than transportation or industry. Fertilizer and animal waste don’t stay on the farm, but wash into rivers, lakes and oceans.

We need more sustainable ways to grow the food that gives us life. That’s what the European Union decided to do through changes to its Common Agricultural Policy or CAP. The CAP distributes more than €50 billion each year to support farmers and keep food affordable.

In 2019, the EU added a new goal: make European agriculture climate neutral by 2035. That would mean replacing traditional practices with sustainable ones across hundreds of millions of hectares of farmland. Is that even possible?

With the help of satellite data and imagery, it is. Using public satellite data from Europe’s Sentinel-2 mission, countries can capture visible changes in their farmers’ fields from planting to harvesting. But in some parts of Europe, governments found it hard to analyze the complicated layouts of small farms with just the available data. So, they turned to a service from Planet, a global Earth observation company.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(May 15, 2024 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today opened nominations for the “20 Under 35” cohort of 2024. The “20 Under 35” will be honored at the annual Future Leaders Celebration on October 22 during Silicon Valley Space Week 2024. Nominations are due by July 29, 2024.

Every year, during its Future Leaders Celebration, SSPI honors its list of the “20 Under 35” (www.20under35.com) young space and satellite professionals to watch in the years ahead. “20 Under 35” honorees are employees or entrepreneurs under the age of 35 who have demonstrated initiative, creativity and problem-solving skills that created new capabilities, overcame major challenges and ensured excellence in technology and service.

The “20 Under 35” are selected by a panel of judges based on scoring of nomination forms. SSPI will unveil the list in September. At the Future Leaders Celebration, SSPI will honor the “20 Under 35” and will present three honorees, announced that night, with its Promise Award in recognition of their potential to advance into leadership roles in the industry. On the same evening, SSPI will honor its Mentor of the Year: a space and satellite executive who has devoted time and energy to fostering the next generation of industry employees and entrepreneurs.

“Every year, someone in the audience for the Future Leaders Celebration says the same thing about our ‘20 Under 35’ list,” said executive director Robert Bell. “They say ‘our industry is in good hands!’ It still comes as a welcome shock to many that the new generation of satellite executives and entrepreneurs are so accomplished, creative and dedicated – the same qualities that have made the industry what it is today. We’re proud to be the ones to point the industry’s attention to the people who will build its future.”

Nomination forms are available on SSPI’s website.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Associate
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(April 22, 2024 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today announced the beginning of Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure, a multi-week campaign featuring videos, podcasts, live conversations and a new issue of SSPI’s digital magazine, The Orbiter. The campaign explores the little-known, frequently surprising ways in which satellite technology contributes to life, health, welfare and the economy on Earth.

The campaign begins this week with the first episode of a new podcast series, underwritten by SES, featuring an interview with Karl Horne, SES VP of Digital and Cloud Solutions. Later this week, SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement) will conduct a panel session of women experts to discuss how satellite technology contributes to modern life and progress. New Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure content will be published weekly at www.sspi.org/cpages/invisible-indispensable-infrastructure.

“Our new campaign offers valuable insights to students, new hires, customers and investors in our industry – and a few surprises even for those who have worked in satellite for years,” said director of engagement Tamara Bond-Williams. “We thank the many corporate and individual members who have helped us bring the campaign forward.”

About Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure
Our world is supported by infrastructure that no one can see. It keeps computer and communication networks running. It detects hurricanes and wildfires as they form and tracks the carbon driving climate change. It guides ships and aircraft, connects homes and schools, battles disease and uncovers illegal activity.

Unlike other infrastructure, it consumes no concrete or asphalt and needs no heavy steel beams for support. It circles the entire Earth, but your eyes never see it nor do your fingers ever touch it. It is the network of communication and observation satellites orbiting the world, thousands in number and growing fast. Day in and day out, they generate knowledge, share information and experiences and help protect, feed, inform and connect us. Without the invisible, indispensable infrastructure of satellite, life as we know it would be impossible.

You can learn more about the Invisible, Indispensable Infrastructure campaign on SSPI’s website.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(26 October 2023 – New York City & London) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) announced today the recipients of the industry’s ninth annual Better Satellite World Awards. The awards honour established companies along with disruptive innovators who make the world more prosperous, healthier, better-educated, more sustainable and more inclusive. An international jury selected Avanti Communications’ rural connectivity solution, the International Rescue Committee (IRC)’s Mapping Invisible Populations project – created in collaboration with Flowminder and Humanitarian Open Streetmap, and Maxar’s News Bureau as recipients of this year’s awards. They will be honoured at the Better Satellite World Awards Dinner on 4 December in London along with the SSPI UK chapter’s Personality of the Year, Massimiliano Ladovaz, COO of Eutelsat Group.

The selection of recipients was made by an international jury consisting of a broad cross-section of industry thought leaders and distinguished professionals.

“The 2023 Better Satellite World Awards reinforce that satellites bring hope, truth and a promising future to society,” said Director of Innovation Louis Zacharilla, who will emcee the Better Satellite World Awards Dinner in December. “You can go anywhere on the planet and note that the satellite industry plays a role, both visible and behind the scenes, to make things better for people. In 2023, our committee identified as most worthy the accelerated efforts to bring connectivity to communities that will keep cultures and local economies stable and prepare them for the future. The committee also awarded the industry’s far-reaching technical ability to observe a war-ravaged theatre and validate information within the ‘fog of war.’ In addition, SSPI’s UK Chapter identified an executive who, in this complex world, has a unique ability to solve problems and design strategies to scale his company and our industry to new heights. This is all ‘business as usual’ for the global satellite community!”

The Better Satellite World Awards Celebration, a festive networking event and dinner will be held at Whitehall Place on 4 December. It is produced by SSPI and its UK Chapter. The UK Chapter is chaired by Betty Azzarelli, CEO & Founder, AB5 Consulting.
 

The 2023 Better Satellite World Award Recipients:

Avanti Communications’ Rural Connectivity Solution
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. With the first 500 sites successfully installed, Avanti is now working with local partners to connect 10,000 rural sites over the next 5 years.

In addition to providing the satellite technology, Avanti also ensures the long-term sustainability of the service by providing skills and training to regionally-based field teams. This approach ensures that the sites are easily maintained by a local crew, so that reliable service is not entirely dependent on Avanti’s own field technicians. Reliable connectivity has dramatically improved the lives of Nigerians in the areas currently covered by Avanti, by reducing the time and money previously spent on traveling to neighboring cities for mobile access. Small businesses are booming in the now-connected villages, including resellers of SIM cards, phone charging and repair facilities and many other new enterprises. The GSMA reports that access to 3G coverage is expected to uplift Nigerian households from extreme poverty by as much as 4 percentage points within a single year and 7 percentage points within 2 or more years of coverage, which is why Avanti has focused on offering 2G and 3G services as standard through its service.

Avanti’s -rural solution is not only changing the landscape of mobile network coverage in Nigeria but also setting a precedent for other countries with similar geographical and infrastructural challenges. The solution paves the way for these remote communities to have access to vital services such as online education, telehealth and digital commerce, which were previously inaccessible due to lack of connectivity. For its successes, as well as the over 200 new skilled field engineering jobs created in the process, the program was recognized by the Nigerian telecoms industry in its 2021 and 2022 awards.

The Mapping Invisible Populations Project by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with Flowminder and Humanitarian Open Street Map

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.

The Mapping Invisible Populations project focuses on areas where no humanitarian organization has a presence due to insecurity. Such areas often lack essential, up-to-date demographic data, including census information, displacement data and settlement locations. Accurate population data provides an essential basis for developing access and delivery strategies for the IRC's support services. Once a clear methodology is established, the IRC hopes to replicate it in other regions, allowing for the identification of new settlements. One of the most significant aspects of this project is its potential to bring much-needed attention to communities in need of greater visibility and support.

Maxar News Bureau
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 a groundbreaking development, Maxar Intelligence became the primary source of information during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, providing the first evidence of a Russian military convoy heading towards Kyiv, Ukraine. Media organizations and the public did not know about the convoy’s progress or the amount of equipment it carried until Maxar Intelligence distributed the imagery, adding a new dimension to its role in news reporting. Since early 2021, the Maxar News Bureau has been actively monitoring the evolving situation in Ukraine. The Bureau has released images showing the build-up of Russian troops and equipment along the Ukrainian border, providing an in-depth and unbiased view of the conflict. The team has since produced and analyzed thousands of images to identify newsworthy activities in Ukraine, distributing over 400 images of the conflict to journalists and media organizations for public dissemination.

Maxar Intelligence’s industry-leading imagery has provided indisputable insight into global events, enabling the public, journalists, customers and governments to gain a clearer understanding of complex situations and make informed decisions. The Maxar News Bureau stands as a testament to the powerful convergence of technology and journalism, providing transparency in a world rife with misinformation. Through its innovative use of satellite imagery, the Bureau underscores the importance of irrefutable evidence in journalism and the pursuit of truth.

About the Better Satellite World Campaign
Working with partner associations and supporting companies around the world, Space & Satellite Professionals International’s Better Satellite World campaign (www.bettersatelliteworld.com) is changing the global conversation about satellites and their influence on the economy, business and societies everywhere. The campaign was launched in Washington, DC during SATELLITE 2015. It has since become a cornerstone and a viral effort that is successfully communicating the incredible power of satellites for human good.

SSPI has published a series of stories and videos that dramatize the immense contributions of the “invisible infrastructure” of satellite to life on Earth, which are widely shared by individuals, companies and the media. The Better Satellite World campaign is available for repurposing by any organization or person who wishes to use the content to help promote the industry at www.bettersatelliteworld.com and through the Twitter hashtag #bettersatelliteworld.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

Debra will be honored along with this year’s “20 Under 35” outstanding young professionals at the 18th Annual Future Leaders Celebration on October 18 in Silicon Valley

(September 7, 2023 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today announced that it will present its 2023 Mentor of the Year Award to Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc. Debra will be honored on October 18 at SSPI’s 18th Annual Future Leaders Celebration for the attention, support, wisdom and guidance she has provided to young professionals and colleagues throughout her career in the industry. During the Celebration, SSPI will also honor the “20 Under 35” space and satellite professionals to watch in the coming years and present three of them with its Promise Award for outstanding achievement.

“Mentors are the unsung heroes of our industry,” said executive director Robert Bell. “Quietly, consistently and persistently, they develop the skills, talents and understanding of future leaders, not with formal training or policies but by listening, suggesting, sharing enthusiasm and introducing them into the professional networks that power career success. We are honored to add Debra to our list of unsung heroes including Steve Bates and Donna Potter of Maxar, Dawn Harms of Momentus, Randy Segal of Hogan Lovells and Clay Mowry of Voyager Space.”

The 2023 Future Leaders Celebration (www.satfuture.com) will take place live on October 18 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA in conjunction with Silicon Valley Space Week 2023, produced by SatNews publishers. The proceeds of the Celebration go to fund SSPI’s educational, professional development and industry growth initiatives.
 

The SSPI 2023 Mentor of the Year:

Debra Facktor
Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.

Throughout her more than 30 years in the space industry, Debra Facktor has served as a mentor and guide for more than 25 interns and young leaders beginning their careers and countless more leaders as they continue their professional journeys. Of note, she provided vital advice and support to Gary Lai, who went on to become the Chief Architect at Blue Origin, when he was an intern and young engineer starting out at Kistler Aerospace. Debra founded the Women in Aerospace (WIA) Foundation in 2009 – which has provided scholarships to 35 women pursuing higher education degrees in aerospace fields over the past 13 years – and served as a mentor to the inaugural recipient, Dr. Whitney Lohmeyer, whom she still mentors today. She is a sought-after speaker for panels, business deals and general industry advice due to her powerful combination of enthusiasm, energy and sharp business acumen. Debra has an impressive ability to connect with people and recall details about their lives and professional history, and she knows someone at every event she attends. As a colleague at Airbus U.S. puts it, “People line up to catch up with Debra because she delights in their successes. She is a source of empathy and direct, unflinching advice during times of challenge.”

Debra is Head of U.S. Space Systems for Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, a position she has held for 3.5 years. In her current role, Debra leads the company’s space business line with a focus on small satellite constellations and space exploration, and serves on the board of the Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture. Her contributions have been vital to the company’s remarkable 4-year compound annual growth rate of 145%. Before joining Airbus U.S., she served as Vice President and General Manager of Strategic Operations at Ball Aerospace, where she led the firm’s D.C. operations and expanded its strategic capabilities in the defense, civil and commercial sectors. Debra’s previous positions also include President and an owner of AirLaunch LLC, which won funding from DARPA to develop an operationally responsive small launch vehicle under her leadership. She served as Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Planning at Kistler Aerospace, which raised over $600 million in private capital to develop a reusable launch vehicle for commercial markets. Her strategies laid the groundwork for what became commercial resupply of the International Space Station. Debra began her career at ANSER, where she served in a variety of leadership positions before becoming Chief of Moscow Operations.

Outside of work, Debra serves in many advisory and leadership roles in the greater industry. She is Chairwoman of SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement) – which includes a non-voting seat on the SSPI Board of Directors, a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) Advisory Board, a member of the Future Space Leaders Foundation Board and a mentor for the Brooke Owens, Matthew Isakowitz and Patti Grace Smith Fellowship programs. Debra serves or has contributed as an advisor, mentor and board member for many other aerospace and women’s leadership organizations as well, including the University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the AIAA ASCEND Guiding Coalition, Women in Aerospace (former chair of the board) and the WIA Foundation, the International Women’s Forum and CHIEF. She is a fellow of AIAA and the American Astronautical Society and an academician of the International Academy of Astronautics. Debra recently completed the Stagen Leadership Academy Integral Leadership Program, an intensive, year-long program designed for senior executives who want to specialize in transformational leadership.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(September 12, 2023 – New York City) – The Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today announced the sixth annual “20 Under 35” list of outstanding young space and satellite professionals age 35 and under. The honorees will be celebrated at SSPI’s 18th annual Future Leaders Celebration on October 18 during Silicon Valley Space Week, produced by SatNews publishers.

SSPI’s annual list of the “20 Under 35” features 20 employees and entrepreneurs to keep your eye on in coming years. They were selected from nominations submitted by the membership and evaluated by a panel of judges made up of many of the Mentors supporting SSPI’s student outreach programs as well as Members of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame. This year, SSPI received a record number of nominations for the “20 Under 35” list. At the Future Leaders Celebration, the three top-ranked members of the 20 Under 35 will be named as this year’s Promise Award winners.

“This year marks the sixth cohort of ‘20 Under 35’ honorees identified by our independent judges and members of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame,” said executive director Robert Bell. “That is 120 of the smartest, most dedicated and creative individuals in our global business, many of whom have already made a name for themselves and influenced the direction of the industry. I can’t wait to help introduce them to our audience at the Future Leaders Celebration on October 18.”

The “20 Under 35” of 2023:

• Aysha Alharam, Acting Head of Satellite Design and Development, National Space Science Agency, Bahrain
• Andrew Chau, Space Mission Program Manager, Millennium Space (A Boeing Company)
• Amy Comeau, Lead, Office of the Chief Engineer, Boeing
• Laura Cummings, Regulatory Affairs Counsel, Astroscale U.S.
• Bhavi Jagatia, Astrodynamics Engineer, Planet
• Christian Keil, Chief of Staff, Astranis
• Srikanth Kodeboyina, Founder & CEO, Blue Eye Soft Corp dba Blue Space
• Dr. Justyna Kosianka, Technical Product Owner, Ursa Space
• Neha Lin, Space Systems Engineer, Iridium
• Dr. Zhe Liu, Senior Materials & Process Engineer, Maxar
• Armando Loli, Project Engineer, Boeing
• Asad Malik, Founder, Chairman & CEO, iRocket
• Julie Newman, Program Chief Engineer, Boeing
• Onyinye Nwankwo, PhD Candidate in Atmospheric and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Klaus Okkelberg, Electrical Design & Analysis Engineer, Boeing
• Matej Poliacek, ISS Flight Operations Engineer & STRATOS Flight Control Team Deputy Lead, DLR – German Aerospace Centre
• Sapna Rao, Senior Systems Engineer, Lockheed Martin
• Alix Rousseliere, Strategy Consultant for Satcom, Euroconsult
• Glory Sikka, Technical Program Manager, Maxar
• Kenneth Smith, Risk Manager and Project Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation

Full profiles of the “20 Under 35” will be available shortly at www.20under35.com.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(October 18, 2023 – New York City, NY) - The Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today presented the 2023 Promise Awards to Bhavi Jagatia of Planet, Julie Newman of Boeing and Onyinye Nwankwo of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The Promise Awards honor the three top-ranked members of the annual “20 Under 35” list of space & satellite employees and entrepreneurs age 35 and under who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the early stages of their career. The three recipients were honored at the 18th annual Future Leaders Celebration in Mountain View, California, in conjunction with Silicon Valley Space Week, produced by SatNews publishers.

“This is the fifth time in the past 18 years that all the Promise Award winners are women,” said executive director Robert Bell. “The first time was in 2013, so our ‘20 Under 35’ and Promise Awards have been signaling for some time the arrival of extraordinary women employees and entrepreneurs in vital positions, who are gradually eroding the stereotype of an all-male industry.”

A jury of industry executives donate their time and expertise to selecting the “20 Under 35” honorees and the Mentor of the Year from nominations submitted by SSPI members. In a first this year, SSPI invited members of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame to select the Promise Award winners from among top-scoring candidates in the “20 Under 35” cohort. The Space & Satellite Hall of Fame honors innovators and executives including Joe Spytek of Speedcast, the founders of Planet, Kathryn Lueders of NASA, Steve Collar of SES, Gwynne Shotwell of SpaceX, Tory Bruno of ULA, Matt Desch of Iridium and Dr. Walter Scott of Maxar.
 

The 2023 Promise Award Winners:

Bhavi Jagatia
Astrodynamics Engineer, Planet

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.

In addition to her success with SkySats, Bhavi has made several other major contributions to Planet since joining the team. Her team developed algorithms to schedule repeatable sunglint images as part of the mission design for Planet’s upcoming hyperspectral imaging satellite constellation. While considering various approaches to validate the tasking model, Bhavi proposed the novel idea of implementing their strategy on Planet’s currently in-orbit satellites as a proof-of-concept experiment. She quickly taught herself the basics of tasking on Dove satellites and wrote scripts to add a new high off-nadir imaging strategy. Bhavi was able to validate her colleagues’ scheduling model by capturing sunglint images on an end-of-life Dove satellite, and her work was published and presented at AIAA Scitech 2023 and IEEE Aerospace 2023, where it received the Best Paper award.

Outside of work, Bhavi dedicates her time to increasing diversity in STEM and, most particularly, the aerospace industry. She currently volunteers with Ignite by serving as a panelist and sharing her knowledge with girls and non-binary youth at underprivileged schools in the Bay Area and recently organized a field trip for students from a local middle school to tour Planet. Read more about Bhavi.
 

Julie Newman
Program Chief Engineer, Boeing

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 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.

Before joining Boeing, Julie served as the Technical Manager & Lead Electronics Hardware Designer for the radar instrument of the Europa Clipper Mission, which will provide detailed mapping of the surface and sub-surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa in order to identify areas most likely to harbor extraterrestrial life. When a late-breaking radiation lot-test failure threatened to derail the entire program, she came up with an innovative discrete component solution that allowed her to remove the suspect integrated circuit and redeem the hardware’s necessary high radiation tolerance. The spacecraft is currently scheduled to launch in 2024, which would not have been possible without Julie’s contribution.

Outside of work hours, Julie is the best-selling author of Pull Don’t Push: Why STEM Messaging to Girls Isn’t Working and What to Do Instead. She has spent the past decade volunteering in STEM outreach, especially to young girls and young women, in order to teach them about the thrills of solving important, impactful problems through engineering and working with collaborative, supportive teams. Read more about Julie.
 

Onyinye Nwankwo
Research Scientist in Atmospheric and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

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. Her work is increasing our understanding of how changes in Earth’s upper atmosphere affect radio-wave transmission. Most of the industry’s revenue depends on sending radio signals between Earth and space. So, as a changing climate changes the atmosphere, her award-winning research is paving the way for important advances in satellite communications and the prediction of space weather.

Her fascination with radio and the atmosphere has deep roots. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in her home country of Nigeria. During her studies, she also served as a trainee Radio Signal Officer learning signal processing for the Nigeria Port Authority. She went onto become a Scientific Officer with Nigeria’s space and atmospheric research agency. There, she used her growing skills in data processing and imaging to investigate “airglow.” That is a faint light emitted by our atmosphere at night, which can reveal activity that is undetectable during the day. Leaving Nigeria, she gained one Master’s degree in Space Geophysics from Brazil’s national space research institute, and a second in Climate and Space Science from the University of Michigan in the US. That’s where she works today while completing her Ph.D – except for a project that took her to Japan’s Space-Earth Environment Research Institute.

Onyinye has served as a leader throughout her academic career, taking on roles such as Vice President and Treasurer for Graduate Rackham International (GRIN), Treasurer for the Graduate Society of Black Engineers and Scientists (GSBES), and External Relations Officer for the Graduate Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE). Outside of working and study hours, Onyinye serves as a mentor for the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, guiding high school students interested in upper atmospheric and space science research. She also volunteers with the University of Michigan’s Xplore Engineering program, which provides hands-on experience in engineering to children in grades 4 through 7. Read more about Onyinye.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(November 21, 2023 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International today announced the appointment of Leslie Blaker-Glass of Hughes Network Systems to the Board of Directors. Ms. Blaker-Glass is Vice President of Strategic Development, currently supporting the Hughes Defense and Intelligence Systems Division (DISD) team.

“We are excited to welcome Leslie to the SSPI Board and eager to have her voice and knowledge as an industry veteran with many years of experience at a diverse range of companies throughout our industry,” said Katherine Gizinski, Chair of the SSPI Board and Chief Executive Officer of River Advisers.

Continuing in service on SSPI’s Board of Directors are:

• Julie Baker, Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder, Ursa Space Systems
• Jessica Beahn, Vice President & Chief Engineer, Maxar Technologies
• Julie Bettinger, Chief Marketing Officer, ST Engineering iDirect
• Josef Bogosian, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, Commercial Satellites, Boeing
• Jonathan Crawford, President Media & Broadcast, Roberts Communications Network
• Debra Facktor (SSPI-WISE Liason), Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.
• Katherine Gizinski (SSPI Chair), Chief Executive Officer, River Advisers
• James Hinds, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus OneWeb Satellites
• Chris Kinman, Chief Commercial Officer, Momentus Space
• Jennifer Little, Vice President of Sales & Sales Operations, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
• Aaron Lewis, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Government Relations, Arianespace, Inc.
• Marie-Pierre Pluvinage, Director, Business Development, Airbus US Space & Defense
• Christodoulos Protopapas, Chief Executive Officer, Hellas Sat
• Nicole Robinson, Chief Growth Officer, Comtech Telecommunications
• Mike Safyan, Vice President of Launch, Planet
• James Trevelyan (SSPI President), Executive Vice President of Sales, Speedcast
• Mark Witsaman, Vice President, Product Engineering, Globalstar
• Elias Zaccack, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, SES Networks

Elizabeth Evans of K&L Gates serves as General Council.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(January 18, 2024 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today released Satellites and the Art of War, its newest video in the Better Satellite World campaign. It explores how satellite data analysis revealed the hidden role of a Maritime Militia in China’s efforts to dominate the South China Sea. Satellites and the Art of War is made possible by funding from Ursa Space Systems.

“The automation of data analysis by companies like Ursa Space Systems is elevating the impact of earth observation in remarkable ways,” said executive director and video producer Robert Bell. “Not long ago, only government experts could interpret images from orbit. Automation is making the capability available to NGOs working to reveal what some governments would prefer to keep hidden.”

You can watch the video on SSPI’s website and on Youtube.

Inside the Story
The South China Sea is a triangle of ocean bordered by Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and China. In 1988, strange things started happening. China’s navy fired on three Vietnamese vessels, sinking them and killing 74 sailors. The dispute was over China’s claim to a group of mostly uninhabited islands far beyond its territorial waters. But in China’s view, the entire South China Sea was its exclusive property. It made that clear in another battle with a Philippine navy gunboat. Then everything went quiet, until years later, China began building forts and airfields on island reefs scattered across the sea.

Sun Tzu, born 2500 years ago, is famous for writing a short book called The Art of War. It teaches that wars can be won without fighting battles. They can be won by taking possession of small islands, and showing you are willing to fight for them without doing much fighting at all. China’s maritime militia is made up of hundreds of fishing boats that have surged out of harbors to surround disputed islands and menace U.S. Navy warships. They claim to be patriotic captains defending their nation’s rightful claims to the whole South China Sea.

But are they? A company called Ursa Space wanted to find out. Ursa builds data systems that automatically analyze radar images captured by satellite. By automating the process, Ursa can analyze thousands of images taken over months and years, and that specialty was a perfect match for the problem. The Ursa Space Analysis revealed an invisible navy of more than 150 fishing boats in ports across China’s southwest coast.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

Inductees to be honored at SSPI Hall of Fame Celebration in March 2024

(December 5, 2023 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today opened nominations for the 23rd Induction to the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame. The new Inductees will be honored at the Hall of Fame Celebration in March 2024. Nominations are due by January 8, 2024.

The Space & Satellite Hall of Fame recognizes the invaluable contributions of the visionaries who transform life on planet Earth for the better through space and satellite technology. Members of the Hall of Fame are recognized pioneers in satellite communications, earth observation, launch services, spacecraft technologies and applications, in-space operations, space law, space education and space science. They include company leaders Gwynne Shotwell, Matt Desch, Steve Spengler, Joe Spytek and Steve Collar; company founders Greg Wyler, Walter Scott, Rene Anselmo and Will Marshall, Robbie Schingler and Chris Boshuizen of Planet; and innovators from Frank DiBello of Space Florida and Professor Bob Twiggs of Morehead State University to Kathryn Lueders of NASA, Dr. Gladys West and Dr. Harold Rosen.

“Extraordinary individuals have built this industry and are now accelerating innovation in design, manufacturing, launch and services that has never been seen before,” said executive director Robert Bell. “Our industry is growing younger by the year, and our Hall of Famers are increasingly people with years ahead of them to help shape its future. With the Hall of Fame, we honor all that has been accomplished in the past and point the way to greater accomplishments in the future.”

Nomination forms are available on SSPI’s website.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org

(September 26, 2023 – New York City) – Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) today released Flying Higher, its newest video in the Better Satellite World campaign. It explores the unique capabilities that GEO orbit satellites bring to the world every day. Flying Higher is made possible by funding from Hughes.

“Satellite customers are understandably excited about the new LEO constellations bringing high capacity, low latency and aggressive pricing to satellite broadband,” said executive director Robert Bell. “Other satellite operators and service providers are understandably alert to the challenges of competing and cooperating with them. In the midst of so much change, SSPI is pointing to the bigger story: that we are all fulfilling the dreams of Sir Arthur C. Clarke that launched the satellite business: of connectivity reaching every corner of the globe.”

You can watch the video on SSPI’s website and on Youtube. Flying Higher is part of Eternal Orbit, SSPI’s latest campaign that explores the major value and proven business case that GEO continues to offer in a satellite business where LEO and MEO have attracted massive investment and customer interest but have yet to demonstrate long-term commercial viability.

Inside the Story
In a few years, there could be more than 50,000 satellites in orbit. Most of them will fly low, crossing the sky and covering the Earth with radio waves, cameras and radar. Flying so low, they brush the upper edges of the atmosphere, which gradually slows them until they fall to Earth.

But there is a place in space where no atmosphere reaches, where satellites are invisible because they fly so high, and where they can hover magically over a single spot on the Earth’s surface. It is called geosynchronous orbit or GEO, because it synchronizes with the turning Earth. It is the first orbit, the oldest one in continuous use by human beings. For decades, it has brought the world television and phone calls, internet and business networks, and communications for military bases and humanitarian missions, remote mines and ships at sea.

The first GEO satellite flew 60 years ago, but the value of GEO orbit keeps flying higher, even as low-flying spacecraft fill the skies. GEO is the only place in space where we can send a single digital signal and have it reach millions of sites. With no atmosphere to slow them down, satellites in GEO can last for more than a decade. GEO is getting smarter, as software-defined payloads are launched that can change their mission on the fly. And GEO is betting bigger, as companies like Hughes put spacecraft the size of buses into GEO capable of delivering high-speed broadband to millions of customers, while innovation in ground systems squeezes more capacity out of the same bandwidth every year.

About SSPI
Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the world’s best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. The space and satellite business has never seen a time of greater experimentation and disruption than we see today. Investment is the fuel for transformation, but people are the engine. SSPI helps the industry attract, develop and retain the talented people it needs to keep the engine turning. People who connect through high-profile events and gain recognition from prestigious awards. People who rely on SSPI for a broader understanding of the industry as much as for individual networking and career mentoring. From young people seeking a career path to industry veterans with wisdom to share, SSPI connects them all.

Talent, investment and opportunity flow to industries that make a difference. SSPI is the only organization that also promotes the enormous value of space and satellite through dramatic stories of our technologies and companies making a better world. Those stories overturn misconceptions about the industry that hold it back. They inspire our people and attract new ones to the industry. They help justify investment and give new customers a reason to care about our services and products. Through the stories we tell and the people we serve, SSPI inspires the growth of the $1 trillion space economy of the future.

For More Information
Victoria Krisman
Communications Manager
Space & Satellite Professionals International
vkrisman@sspi.org