SSPI

Part of the Better Satellite World podcast, From Connectivity to Intelligence is a new quarterly series underwritten by Quvia, exploring how AI and satellite connectivity are changing what's possible in the world's most demanding operating environments. In the debut episode, SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Quvia Founder and CEO Benny Retnamony about what happens when connectivity stops being just a pipe and starts becoming intelligent. From aircraft and cruise ships to offshore energy and other remote environments, Benny explains how vast amounts of valuable data remain trapped at the edge, why traditional policy-based network management is no longer enough, and how AI can help orchestrate data movement across complex hybrid networks. The conversation explores multi-orbit connectivity, quality of experience, cloud-edge integration, and the emerging future of "physical AI" in connected operations.

Happy International Women's Day! Celebrate by tuning into this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, based on the conversation conducted at the SSPI-WISE meeting on February 24. WISE speaks with special guest, Nicole Stott, former Astronaut. Nicole Stott is a veteran NASA astronaut, aquanaut, engineer, artist, and author of Back to Earth. With 104 days in space, including service on the International Space Station and Space Shuttle, she brings the life-changing perspective of spaceflight into her creative and advocacy work on Earth. Through art, education, and environmental stewardship, Nicole champions the spirit of STEAM, uniting science, engineering, and creativity in service to our shared home.

How do you keep a remote school connected — not just on day one, but for years? In this episode of Signal to Soar, Vaibhav Magow, Vice President of the International Division at Hughes, explains what it really takes to make rural school connectivity reliable and scalable. From satellite backhaul enabling 4G and 5G expansion, to the role of the Jupiter System and hybrid GEO/LEO networks, this conversation explores how infrastructure decisions shape educational access across Africa and Asia-Pacific. When connectivity holds, classrooms expand. And when classrooms expand, communities grow.    

In this rebroadcast of the December edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, the conversation is taken to the next level by grounding it in a shared, evidence-based understanding of the current state of space and satellite activity in New York State. This session features Empire Space, whose research, census work, and ecosystem mapping anchor the discussion.  We will also have two spotlight sessions, each featuring a New York–based company operating at very different edges of the space economy. Together, the speakers offer a composite picture of where New York's space sector actually stands as we head into 2026. Featured speakers include: Patrick Chase, Founder - Empire Space Kaylon Paterson, Founder & CEO, Patterson Aerospace Systems  Maxine Hoover, Director of Communications, Mars Ocean Analog

In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, based on the panel conducted at the SSPI-WISE meeting on January 22, WISE navigates the fast-evolving frontier of space. Tune in to hear leading experts as they decode the regulatory and policy shifts shaping the future of satellites and orbital operations. Speakers Include: Dr Alice Bunn OBE, International Director, UK Space Agency Karen Cox, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, LeoLabs Laura Stefani, Managing Partner & Founder, Trailfinding Regulatory Solutions Meagan Sunn, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Ice Miller LLP Katina Mruk, Associate Director, RKF Engineering Solutions, LLC (moderator)  

In this Better Satellite World Awards Roundtable, SSPI's Tamara Bond-Williams is joined by leaders from Astroscale, INTEGRASYS, and River Advisers for a candid conversation about how space and satellite systems shape everyday life on Earth. The discussion goes beyond technology to explore responsibility, resilience, and long-term stewardship. From orbital sustainability and interference protection to spectrum access and regulatory strategy, the panel examines why decisions made in space increasingly affect safety, connectivity, and opportunity for people and communities worldwide. This roundtable is part of SSPI's Better Satellite World campaign, focused on how space and satellite technologies serve your world — and what it takes to protect them for the future. Speakers include: Nick Shave, Managing Director, Astroscale  Alvaro Sanchez, CEO, Integrasys Dr. Jennifer Stone, Chief Strategy Officer, River Advisers

In this New Member Spotlight episode of the SSPI Podcast, Tamara Bond-Williams welcomes INTEGRASYS and CEO Álvaro Sánchez in a conversation about growth, engagement, and shared purpose within the space and satellite industry. Álvaro discusses how INTEGRASYS approaches satellite operations through software-defined capability, explaining why interference mitigation, spectrum awareness, and operational resilience have become central concerns for satellite operators. He shares how customers are increasingly seeking systems that support long-term decision-making and continuity in complex, contested environments, and how INTEGRASYS works alongside operators to address those evolving operational challenges. Álvaro has been part of the SSPI community for several years, recognized as a 2022 20 Under 35 honoree and most recently as a 2025 Better Satellite World Award winner. In 2025, INTEGRASYS expanded that engagement by joining SSPI as a corporate member, marking a deeper commitment to the community and to contributing its experience and perspective to the future of space and satellite.

In this New Member Spotlight episode of The SSPI Podcast, we welcome GOMspace to the SSPI community and get to know the company behind the name. Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Slava Frayter, CEO of GOMspace North America, about how GOMspace is helping North American customers turn satellites into mission capability. The conversation explores the company's approach to bespoke small satellite solutions, including integrated mission design, subsystem reliability, operational support, and long-term sustainability. Frayter also shares why North America is a priority market for GOMspace, how customer needs are evolving beyond hardware and software, and what motivated the company to join SSPI as a corporate member. This episode is part of SSPI's Space and Satellite Futures track, highlighting the people and organizations shaping the future of the space and satellite industry.

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.

In this episode, Tamara Bond-Williams, Executive Director of Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), speaks with Josef Nemec, Technical Director of GovSat, to discuss the importance of secure satellite communications for governmental and institutional users. GovSat, a public-private partnership between the Luxembourg government and SES, operates the GovSat-1 satellite, which provides secure, non-preemptible, and assured communications with features like X-band and military Ka-band capacity and anti-jamming technology. The conversation highlights how GovSat supports national security, operational assurance, and trusted connectivity across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The episode also explores the strategic role of Luxembourg as a secure satellite hub for Europe and NATO allies, the influence of interoperability and coalition operations on GovSat's service design, and the challenges of maritime law and international coordination in satellite communications. Josef shares insights on the evolving European defense communications ecosystem, opportunities for joint procurement and shared infrastructure, and GovSat's participation in shaping the future of allied secure connectivity.

In this episode, Tamara Bond-Williams, Executive Director of Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), speaks with Andreas Nil, Co-Founder and Managing Director of MediaMobil, about how satellite communications at sea have evolved from kilobits to multi-orbit, multi-network systems. The conversation explores how maritime operators use VSAT, GEO, and LEO satellites, global teleport networks, and adaptive gateways to keep ships connected across oceans, ports, and national jurisdictions. Andreas explains how MediaMobil's Multilink Gateway dynamically switches between satellite systems based on cost, performance, regulation, and availability—ensuring reliable connectivity even where LEO coverage is restricted. The episode also examines how satellite connectivity supports mobility, sustainability, and critical operations, from route optimization and emissions monitoring to offshore launch platforms and future 5G and 6G non-terrestrial networks. Throughout, Europe emerges as a laboratory for collaboration, regulation, and trust in satellite systems.

In this episode, Tamara Bond-Williams, Executive Director of Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), is joined by Craig Bowley, Regional Vice President of Sales for Europe at ST Engineering iDirect, to launch a new European series focused on the vertical markets shaping connectivity across the region. The conversation explores the macro trends redefining Europe's satellite landscape, from EU programs like IRIS² and GovSatCom, to the growing importance of secure, interoperable communications for governments, including their defense capabilities, and essential public systems.  Bowley explains how multi-orbit systems, software-defined terminals, and new ground architectures are enabling resilience across land, sea, air, and space. This episode also examines emerging applications such as connected trains, mobility, IoT, and the convergence of satellite and 5G networks, revealing how satellite systems quietly underpin everyday life and strategic operations alike.

How does a region become a launchpad for the next space economy? In this New Member Spotlight episode of The SSPI Podcast, Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams sits down with Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), one of SSPI's newest corporate members. Together they explore how Fairfax County's powerful technology base, world-class universities, and proximity to the U.S. federal government are fueling investment in satellite, aerospace, and quantum innovation. Hoskins shares how FCEDA is building a complete ecosystem—from K-12 STEM outreach to AI-driven workforce pipelines—and why the region's 150 space companies are positioning Northern Virginia as a global hub for the $1.8 trillion space industry of the future. About our Guest: Victor Hoskins is President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), where he leads strategy for one of the nation's strongest innovation economies and the largest economy in Virginia. Under his leadership, FCEDA has secured more than $3 billion in new investment, supported the creation of 54,000 high-tech jobs, and helped grow a cluster of more than 150 space and aerospace companies in Fairfax County. An MIT-trained urban planner with decades of experience in economic strategy and innovation ecosystems, Hoskins serves on multiple regional economic and business boards and has been recognized with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to economic development.

In this 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.

In the third and final episode of this mini-series, we hear from Nobu Okada, Founder & CEO of Astroscale. Since establishing Astroscale in 2013, Nobu has grown the company from a one-person venture into a global organization with offices in five countries, raised over $383 million in funding, and led the company to a successful IPO.  A highly respected figure in the space industry, Nobu is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, an advisory board member of the Space Generation Advisory Council, and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He previously served as Vice President for Space Economy and Sponsorship at the International Astronautical Federation until 2023 and co-chaired the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Space Technologies until 2021. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing the Space Sustainability Rating, a system designed to promote responsible space operations.  Under Nobu's leadership, Astroscale has received numerous accolades, including the IAF Excellence in Industry (SME) in 2023, the Japanese Prime Minister's Award in 2022, and recognition as one of TIME100's Most Influential Companies in 2022. Nobu has also received individual recognition, including the 2020 SpaceNews Company Leader of the Year and the 2019 Forbes JAPAN Start-up of The Year. Before founding Astroscale, Nobu was an IT entrepreneur and strategy consultant, managing IT companies across Japan, China, India and Singapore. He successfully led one company to an IPO. Earlier in his career, he worked at McKinsey & Company and served in the Japanese Ministry of Finance. Nobu holds a bachelor's degree in Agriculture from the University of Tokyo and an MBA from the Krannert School of Business, Purdue University.

In this episode of The People Behind the Progress, we explore a question at the heart of every technological leap: how do you write the rules for innovation? Few people can answer that with more insight than Mike Thompson, who has spent more than thirty-five years shaping the policies and regulatory frameworks that allow new technologies to take flight. From the UK Radiocommunications Agency and Inmarsat to co-founding Access Partnership, Mike has helped define how spectrum is shared, how satellite networks coexist, and how global agreements are built. His work has influenced everything from Ultra Wide Band adoption to the protection of critical C-band infrastructure, from fair-play procedures at the ITU to new spectrum allocations that improved aviation and maritime safety. In conversation with Tamara Bond-Williams, Executive Director of SSPI, Mike reflects on the diplomacy, technical understanding, and strategic patience needed to develop rules that don't restrict progress, but enable it. He shares what he has learned about aligning governments and industries, anticipating future technologies, and building trust into the very architecture of global communications. This episode celebrates Mike's selection as a finalist for the UK Space & Satellite Personality of the Year Award, honoring a career spent ensuring that innovation has the stable, thoughtful foundations it needs to thrive.

This special mini-series, The People Behind the Progress, celebrates the finalists for the UK Space and Satellite Personality of the Year Award – A distinction that honors people whose ideas, integrity, and influence have advanced the UK's role on the global stage.  In the first episode of this mini-series, we hear from Dr. Alice Bunn, President of UKspace. Dr Alice Bunn is a globally recognised leader in science and engineering, with a distinguished career spanning strategic leadership, international diplomacy, and public engagement. Awarded an OBE in the Queen's Honours List in 2022 for her services to the UK space sector, Alice is President of the UKspace Trade Association and has a 25-year career in the space sector where she has held leadership positions in national, European and global contexts. Alice sits on the Advisory Board of Strategy International and acts as strategic advisor to a number of companies spanning the UK and international space sectors. As former Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, she led a global organisation of over 115,000 members, where she successfully reversed a 15-year financial decline and implemented a transformative strategy focused on societal impact. Previously, Alice served as International Director at the UK Space Agency, where she secured record investments in the European Space Agency and pioneered new approaches to civil space security and infrastructure. Alice is a passionate advocate for science communication and is a chartered engineer. Alice is regularly called upon as a media expert contributor to all things space and engineering, appearing on BBC, Radio 4, ITN, Sky News and in demand as a speaker at international summits and conferences such as Davos, UN Summits, TEDx and more. Alice has a PhD in Metallurgy from Darwin College, University of Cambridge, and is also a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Aeronautical Society. As an avid wild swimmer, she proudly sits as the Chair of the Board at SwimTayka, a drowning prevention charity that teaches kids in developing countries to swim.

In this episode of She Reaches, host Tanveer Pujara speaks with Maureen Gannon, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of X-Bow Systems, a company redefining the rocket motor and launch vehicle market through advanced manufacturing and innovation. With over 30 years of experience across aerospace, defense, and commercial sectors, Maureen has built a remarkable career leading high-performing teams, securing hundreds of millions in startup funding, and winning major U.S. defense contracts. As one of the few women co-founders in the solid rocket motor industry, she's not only disrupting technology — she's reshaping how leadership looks in aerospace. Tune in to hear Maureen's entrepreneurial journey — from co-founding Galactic Unite and Firefly Space to scaling X-Bow Systems — and her insights on breaking barriers, building momentum, and fueling innovation in a high-stakes industry.

In the Movers in Our Orbit podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We'll find out what they're doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In a rebroadcast of the first episode of season 2, we hear from Kelsey Doerksen, GeoAI Postdoctoral Researcher at Arizona State University and 2021 Promise Award Recipient. Passionate to do impactful work for Earth, in space, Kelsey Doerksen is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Oxford in the Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems Centre for Doctoral Training Program, in the Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning Group under supervision of Yarin Gal. She is focusing her research on the uses of AI and Machine Learning to enable science discovery and understanding of climate-focused applications (expected graduation, 2025). Kelsey is a Research Affiliate at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and a part of the Machine Learning and Instrument Autonomy group, working on the Scientific Understanding from Data Science Strategic Initiative. She is also a Data Scientist with the Climate and Data Environment Unit at UNICEF, building the data pipeline infrastructure and providing analysis necessary to create the UNICEF Children's Climate Risk Index.

In Everyday Guardians, the podcast series of the Securing the Future of Space campaign, we speak with people who are helping to build a more resilient, sustainable and secure orbital environment – whether through technology, policy or ethical leadership. Securing the Future of Space is underwritten by the American Space Exploration Fund.  In the fifth episode, we hear from Moriba Jah, President and Co-founder of GaiaVerse.  Moriba Jah is a world-leading space environmentalist, astrodynamicist, and social justice advocate, a MacArthur Fellow and Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Mrs. Pearlie Dashiell Henderson Centennial Fellowship. He directs the Jah Decision Intelligence Group at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. He also serves as Chief Scientist at Privateer and Co-founder of Moriba Jah Universal.