News
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SSPI Calls for Nominations for the 2024 Space & Satellite Hall of Fame
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 -
Making Leaders Podcast: Driving Efficiency and Helping Planet Reach New Heights - A Conversation with 2023 Promise Award Recipient Bhavi Jagatia
In this Making Leaders podcast, we hear from Bhavi Jagatia, Astrodynamics Engineer at Planet and one of three Promise Award Recipients in 2023. Bhavi took on her current position at Planet after completing a successful internship for the Orbits R&D team. While at the company, 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. Bhavi received her Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, which she attended on the prestigious Tata scholarship. During her studies at Cornell, she worked with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on a project to investigate the use of flux-pinning on orbiting sample capture for a Mars sample return mission. Bhavi served as avionics lead for the project and participated in a microgravity test aboard a Zero-G flight with the JPL team. She also led Cornell’s project team for NASA’s Micro-G NExT competition while completing her studies and worked in internships at Boeing’s research lab, ASML, and Honda Aircraft Company. Read more about Bhavi. This podcast is sponsored by SSPI’s Making Leaders campaign is made possible with the support of our corporate partners -
Better Satellite World Podcast: A Special Report from UK Chapter President Dr. Tony Azzarelli, Live from WRC-23
In this Better Satellite World podcast, we hear a special live report from the World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23) in Dubai from Dr. Tony Azzarelli, President of SSPI’s UK Chapter and CEO of Azzurra Telecom Ltd. We’ll also get a sneak preview of what sorts of fun and excitement are in store at the upcoming Better Satellite World Awards Dinner in London this December! Dr. Tony Azzarelli is CEO of Azzurra Telecom Ltd., which he founded in August 2018 to provide expertise and consulting on Regulatory and Government Affairs for the telecom industry. He is also one of the founders of SSPI’s UK Chapter and its new President. Tony is the Founder and Company Director of ACCESS.SPACE Alliance, an organization dedicated to the small satelite industry, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET) and the Royal Society of Arts. Before founding Azzurra Telecom, he served in a variety of management roles at OneWeb, including VP of Market Access, VP of Global Spectrum Licensing and VP of Regulatory and Government Affairs. Tony previously served as Head of Space and Sciences Services Group for Ofcom, Deputy Director of International Market Access and Regulatory Affairs at Boeing and Director of Spectrum Affairs at ICO Global Communications. He began his career at the European Space Agency as a System Telecom Engineer and went on to become a Senior Engineer in Spectrum Management for INMARSAT. Tony holds a Doctorate in Electronic Engineering from Politecnico di Torino and an MBA from the Open University. SSPI’s Better Satellite World campaign is made possible with the support of our corporate partners -
SSPI Board of Directors Welcomes Leslie Blaker-Glass of Hughes Network Systems
(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
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December 7 - Grevenmacher, Grevenmacher
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December 20 TBD
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