Adrian Morris
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Adrian Morris has solidified his reputation as a visionary in the field, pushing the boundaries of satellite technology to new heights and fundamentally transforming the landscape of global connectivity.
Adrian received a Bachelor of Science degree from Trinity College Dublin and completed his master’s at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. His career began in 1977 at Ferranti Electro Optics Division, where he worked as a hardware designer. In 1982, he joined Hughes as a hardware designer, unaware that he would spend the rest of his career there.
Adrian quickly distinguished himself at the company by leading initiatives in the DYNAC, TDMA and SCPC TES product lines, as well as the Italsat SS-TDMA system, which paved the way for future generations of satellite systems. He spearheaded the design and implementation of many of the world’s most successful satellite systems. His efforts have been critical in advancing fast, reliable connectivity across the globe. Under his leadership, Hughes designed and launched SPACEWAY 3Ò in 2007, the first operational Ka-band satellite system to employ traffic switching and routing. Listed among Via Satellite’s “30 Events That Shaped the Satellite Industry” between 1986 and 2018, SPACEWAY 3 proved the use case for Ka-band and commercial satellite internet service over satellite.
As the demand for broadband satellite internet has grown, Adrian has continually driven innovations in satellite technologies. He has overseen the design and successful deployment of the JUPITER™ 1, JUPITER 2 and JUPITER 3 HTS satellites. Giving equal attention to ground segment technology, he leads the team that packages Hughes innovations into equipment and technologies for other industry players, including SES, Eutelsat, Intelsat, Inmarsat and Telesat. The Hughes JUPITER System has become the most widely used VSAT system in the world. His leadership and strategic thinking have not only facilitated milestone achievements for the satellite industry, but have also fostered a culture of innovation and practical application at Hughes.
Today, as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, he oversees an engineering division of over 500 employees. Adrian holds multiple patents for his groundbreaking work in satellite communications, including inventions related to fixed, mobile and hybrid communications, enhanced quality of service and more.
Adrian unequivocally believes all global citizens should have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet, regardless of location or income. His work on SPACEWAY 3 paved the way for residents of rural and remote areas to access the internet using satellite, expanding mobile network access and government programs to connect the unconnected. For Adrian, connectivity is vital to human welfare and leads to a healthier, more educated, more prosperous and more just civilization.