(December 14, 2023 – New York City) – In January 2024, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will lift a Nova-C lander developed by Intuitive Machines into orbit on the start of a journey to the crater Malapert A near the south pole of the Moon. Along for the ride will be the full membership of Space & Satellite Professionals International, the largest membership association in commercial space.
The maiden voyage of the Nova-C lander will carry a mix of NASA and commercial payloads. Among them will be data storage developed by Lonestar Lunar as a first proof-of-concept for its plan to build Lunar Data Centers offering ultrasecure, long-term storage of high-value information. (See Nova-C lander photo.)
That data will include the full membership list of Space & Satellite Professionals International as well as of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame, whose members 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.
Why send members to the Moon?
“Who in our industry wouldn’t want an all-expenses paid trip to the Moon’s surface?” asked SSPI executive director Robert Bell. “Of course, what we’re really sending is a few kilobytes of data on magnetic storage. We have Chris Stott – founder of Lonestar Lunar and a chairman emeritus of SSPI – to thank for the idea and for its execution. We are also grateful to River Advisers, provider of consulting on international spectrum regulation and market access, for underwriting the commercial storage capacity.” Katherine Gizinski, CEO of Rivers Advisers (formerly known as ManSat), currently serves as Chairwoman of SSPI’s Board of Directors.
“SSPI represents the space global industry – one that connects humanity and makes the world a better place every day,” said Chris Stott. “Lonestar Lunar is now working to protect all of humanity’s data. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a member of SSPI and for all of us at Lonestar to support our fellow members in this small way . . . with more to come.”
SSPI’s membership includes employees of corporate member companies from Airbus, Arianspace, Comtech, Maxar and SES to Planet, Mynaric, Astroscale, Ramon.Space and Ursa Space. Also included in membership are individual professional members and students who receive free membership during their studies.
The launch is currently scheduled for 11:50 pm Eastern Time on January 12 from the Kennedy Space Center.
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