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SSPI

Space & Satellite Professionals International

This is the official podcast of the Space & Satellite Professionals International. On this channel, we release podcasts in two series: Making Leaders and Better Satellite World.

Find out more about SSPI at www.sspi.org

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22 episodes
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Avg 44 min
English

Episodes 22

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Yesterday · 42 min
Hacking the Jungle: Building Space for Earth
How does a space ecosystem move from an empty incubator to a globally recognized center of commercial activity? Stuart Martin joins SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams to reflect on the growth of the Harwell space cluster and the model that guided the Satellite Applications Catapult: identify the barrier, build what the market needs, and move on when others can carry the work forward. Stuart explains why European space companies now face a scale-up funding gap, how the Space for Earth Growth Fund aims to attract larger pools of capital, and why he believes space-based solar power has reached an economic tipping point. The conversation also examines careers in the AI era, orbital congestion, insurance exposure, circular use of space hardware, and the commercial activities that may expand human life and work in space.
October 23 · 31 min
What Has to Change on the Ground?
Satellite constellations are multiplying, orbits are diversifying, and the infrastructure needed to connect them to Earth is expanding rapidly. What does all that growth mean for the satellite ground segment? In this episode of the SSPI Podcast, Tamara Bond-Williams welcomes Scott Mumford, CEO of Go Global Communications, one of SSPI's newest corporate members. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience in satellite communications, including leading Liquid Telecom Satellite Services across Africa, Scott brings an engineering and commercial perspective to the changing ground segment. Scott explains why LEO constellations require more geographically distributed gateways, how evolving technical demands are reshaping ground infrastructure, and what it takes to build and support satellite networks around the world. He also shares how Go Global Comms is responding to these changes and what the company hopes to contribute to the SSPI community. Learn more about SSPI at https://www.sspi.org.
October 15 · 53 min
SSPI-WISE Presents: Ready to Lead: Carol Craig on Risk, Reslience and Making Your Own Path
Carol Craig did not set out to become a naval aviator, launch a company, take a space company public, or spend her career navigating one rapidly changing industry after another. Her path kept changing, and she learned how to change with it. In this SSPI-WISE conversation, Carol joins Lyn Chassagne to talk about the experiences that shaped her approach to leadership, from becoming one of the first women eligible to fly in U.S. Navy combat aircraft to founding Craig Technologies and building Sidus Space. Their conversation explores L1[resilience in the face of unexpected change, learning when to take a risk, building trustworthy partnerships, navigating leadership as a woman in a male-dominated industry, making room for family while building a career, and knowing when an opportunity to lead may require finding a new path.] Carol also reflects on mentorship, board service, entrepreneurship, the future of the space industry, and one piece of advice she believes emerging leaders should remember: "You deserve to be here." This conversation was originally presented as an SSPI-WISE All Members Meeting. Learn more about SSPI-WISE and Space & Satellite Professionals International at SSPI.org.
October 8 · 47 min
Credible Optimism: What UK Space Needs Next
What does UK space look like after four and a half years at the head of its space agency? Dr. Paul Bate joins SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams for a wide-ranging conversation about what he can see now that he has stepped outside the UK Space Agency and into academia. Paul reflects on the UK's growing role in European and international missions, the importance of relationships when geopolitical systems are under stress, and a possible new model for collaborative, digital-first space R&D. He also explains why the sector needs credible optimism and distinguishes that discipline from hype, what a UK Space and Satellite Personality of the Year should champion, and why space sustainability requires deeper independent research into the orbital and atmospheric environment. The conversation closes by asking what humans need to thrive there, and which ethical questions institutions must answer as human activity moves farther from Earth.
October 1 · 48 min
Collateral Risk, Episode 5: Partnership and Risk
What does it take to build a commercial space partnership when market opportunity, national security, and regulation all cross the same border? In Collateral Risk, Episode 5, Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Fuhua Ni, founding and managing partner of Shanghai Zenith Law Firm, about the changing legal environment around China's commercial space sector. Fuhua traces the sector's growth since the government opened more room for commercial participation in 2014. He explains why companies face a fragmented regulatory landscape, how commercial and dual-use activities overlap, and where export-control systems such as ITAR and EAR shape the practical limits of international deals. The conversation also examines the Wolf Amendment, a proposed CSIS report on areas of possible US–China cooperation, and the effort to establish an SSPI China chapter. Throughout, Fuhua returns to a central question: how can professional relationships and clearer legal frameworks reduce risk without ignoring genuine political and security constraints? Collateral Risk is part of SSPI's Defense of Space initiative, which explores the commercial, legal, policy, and security choices shaping the space economy. The episode includes proofed English and Simplified Chinese captions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TdBgAkSo3M
September 24 · 33 min
Why I Serve, Episode 4: with Shruti Vyas
What happens when you build a career around curiosity rather than a predetermined destination? In this episode of Why I Serve, we meet Shruti Vyas, Head of Programmes at SES and a member of the SSPI Board of Directors. Shruti's career has moved across satellite engineering, sales, procurement, insurance, risk management and launch management. She says those moves were guided by a simple principle: a career should carry forward a storyline. That journey eventually put her in the middle of two extraordinary industry stories. She helped navigate the launch of SES-10 on the first flight-proven Falcon 9 booster used for a commercial satellite mission, bridging very different attitudes toward risk and innovation. Today, she helps lead the execution of IRIS², Europe's ambitious secure connectivity initiative. This episode is part of SSPI's Space and Satellite Futures track, focused on leadership and the next generation of the industry. If you are interested in satellite communications, on-orbit servicing, space sustainability, professional leadership and the future of the space and satellite community, this conversation offers a thoughtful view from a new member of the SSPI Board.
September 17 · 1 hr 2 min
The Industrial Base Behind Defense of Space
Defense of space begins long before launch. It depends on the industrial base that can deliver components, ground systems, financing, insurance, contracting, manufacturing capacity, and commercial services when national-security missions need them. In The Industrial Base Behind Defense of Space, SSPI and the New York Space Business Roundtable convene an in-person discussion at Milbank in Hudson Yards. Moderator Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Zack Hester of Novaspace, Quadri Bello of Empire Space, Col. Tim Trimailo of Space Systems Command, David Myers of Applied Aerospace and Defense, Chris Kunstadter of Triton Space, and Dara Panahy of Milbank. The conversation asks where commercial space can move faster, where contracts and capital create bottlenecks, how insurance and flight heritage shape risk, and what the Northeast can contribute to a more resilient defense space ecosystem. The video release appears in two parts. The podcast release presents one continuous audio episode with the David Myers cold open and a separately produced intermission.
September 10 · 36 min
The Connective Tissue of a Space Economy
What does it take to build a space economy? Dr. Barbara Ghinelli has spent more than 15 years working on that question. As Director of Innovation Clusters and Harwell Campus at UKRI-STFC, she has helped develop the Harwell Space Cluster and founded the new UK Space and Defence Gateway. In this episode of SSPI's 2026 UK Space and Satellite Personality of the Year nominee series, Barbara joins Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams to explore what makes clusters work, why investment needs its own ecosystem, and what the UK needs to turn extraordinary innovation into companies capable of growing at industrial scale. Barbara also explains why the next evolution of clusters may require stronger connections across sectors and regions, what she believes the UK Space and Satellite Personality of the Year should champion, and why human spaceflight requires a fundamental shift toward designing for failure as well as success.
August 27 · 39 min
Are We There Yet? - Episode 5: Bricks, Satellites and Space Safety
Bricks, Satellites and Space Safety What does a failed satellite have to do with the Space Safety Economy? In Episode 5 of Are We There Yet?, Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Carol Craig, Founder and CEO of Sidus Space and Founder and CEO of Craig Technologies, about how safety is designed, tested, operated and valued inside real space missions. Carol shares lessons from Sidus Space's LizzieSat missions, including why safety starts on the ground, why on-orbit learning matters and why software-defined satellites can preserve mission value after launch. The conversation explores redundancy, maneuverability, mission operations, autonomy, hyperspectral imaging, customer value and the importance of protecting the shared orbital environment. Carol also points toward one of the key future markets in space safety: standardization. As on-orbit servicing, repair and deorbit capabilities develop, satellites will need standardized physical and communications interfaces that make those services practical, affordable and widely usable. Sponsored by the American Space Exploration Children's Trust Fund.
August 13 · 45 min
Collateral Risk, Episode 3: Sovereignty and Self-Sufficiency
Europe cannot build space resilience by trying to own every element itself. Sovereignty now depends on trusted access, interoperability, and a commercial ecosystem that can adapt as quickly as the threat environment. In Episode 3 of Collateral Risk, SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Chiara Manfletti, CEO of Neuraspace and Professor at the Technical University of Munich, about sovereignty and self-sufficiency in a rapidly changing space sector. Manfletti explains why civilian and military space cannot be cleanly separated; why resilience depends on the entire chain from launch and ground systems to cloud services and data; and how Europe can combine public purpose with commercial speed and innovation. In this conversation: Why the civil-military boundary is partly artificial in hardware but still matters in law and responsibility Why protecting the satellite is insufficient when the attack surface is the full service ecosystem How modular sovereignty can replace the goal of complete technological self-sufficiency How government procurement can create market pull for resilient commercial services How primes, startups, universities, agencies, and commercial operators can reinforce one another Collateral Risk is part of SSPI's Defense of Space campaign within the Better Satellite World initiative. Like this content? Subscribe to the SSPI Podcast
July 30 · 56 min
Defense of Space: Building Resilience at Every Layer
Space systems underpin modern life, national security, and the global economy - but defending space requires resilience far beyond the satellite itself. In this Defense of Space episode, SSPI rebroadcasts an SSPI-WISE conversation moderated by Katina Mruk with Jennifer Jeffries of the U.S. Space Force Commercial Integration Cell, Darren McKnight of LeoLabs, and Ambericent "Amber" Cornett of ChameleCo. Together, they examine persistent orbital intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technologies, commercial-military integration, information sharing, policy, culture, and the human side of space safety. The panel's central message is clear: commercial capability cannot be treated as a backup plan, and technology alone cannot create resilience. Effective defense depends on trusted partnerships, shared language, timely information, and people who can work across organizational and national boundaries. This conversation was originally presented as an SSPI-WISE All-Members Meeting on July 23, 2026.
July 16 · 47 min
Collateral Risk, Episode 1: Who Ultimately Bears the Risk?
Commercial satellites support civilian life, global commerce, humanitarian work, and active military operations. When those roles overlap, who ultimately bears the risk? In Episode 1 of Collateral Risk, SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Dr. Jessica West, Senior Researcher at Project Ploughshares, about the risks created when commercial space becomes essential infrastructure for national security. West explains why space security must begin with people; why dual use is not a single category; how disruption of space-enabled services can spill into civilian life; and what commercial operators, governments, and international institutions should decide before a crisis. In this conversation: Why human impacts and civilian services belong at the center of space security How commercial, civilian, and military uses overlap without becoming one uniform category How targeting and disruption can spill over to civilian users What commercial operators, boards, and governments need to establish before a crisis How contracts, accountability, Article XI, UNOOSA, and debris prevention shape practical restraint Collateral Risk is part of SSPI's Defense of Space campaign within the Better Satellite World initiative. Like this content? Subcribe to the SSPI Podcast
July 9 · 37 min
Why I Serve, Episode 3: with Andrew Faiola
Who are the leaders helping guide the future of the space and satellite industry, and why do they choose to serve? In this episode of the SSPI podcast, Why I Serve, we meet Andrew Faiola, Commercial Vice President at Astroscale and Chair of the SSPI Board of Directors. Andrew reflects on more than two decades in satellite communications, beginning with a 1992 Space Shuttle mission that sparked his interest in the industry and now connects directly to his work in on-orbit servicing and space sustainability. In this conversation we find out: What first drew him into the satellite industry How the industry has adapted through major technology shifts Why he has chosen to serve through SSPI, GSOA, MSUA and the SSPI UK Chapter What makes SSPI different as a membership organization His vision for SSPI's next two year why the industry must do a better job telling its story And why the people entering the industry make him optimistic This episode is part of SSPI's Space and Satellite Futures track, focused on leadership and the next generation of the industry. If you are interested in satellite communications, on-orbit servicing, space sustainability, professional leadership and the future of the space and satellite community, this conversation offers a thoughtful view from SSPI's new Chair.
July 6 · 45 min
Are We There Yet? Episode 4: The Lighthouse Problem in Space
The Lighthouse Problem in Space Everyone wants safer space. But who pays for it? In Episode 4 of Are We There Yet?, Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Dr. Joseph N. Pelton about one of the hardest problems in the Space Safety Economy: shared safety infrastructure. Joe offers a deceptively simple analogy from maritime history, and it may be one of the clearest ways to understand the economic challenge of space safety. The conversation also explores why debris mitigation cannot depend on voluntary guidelines alone, how the Kessler Syndrome could threaten access to space, and whether an insurance-style fund could help pay for debris removal while rewarding operators for clean launches and successful deorbits. Widening the frame, Joe discusses space safety concerns beyond debris. Space safety includes solar storms, coronal mass ejections, planetary defense and the protection of Earth's increasingly space-dependent infrastructure, from satellites and power grids to pipelines and communications systems. Sponsored by the American Space Exploration Children's Trust Fund.
June 29 · 45 min
Why I Serve, Episode 2: with Stephen Hanna
Who are the leaders helping guide the future of the space and satellite industry, and why do they choose to serve? In this episode of the SSPI podcast, Why I Serve, we meet Stephen Hanna of Vantor and a member of both the SSPI Mid-Atlantic Chapter Board and the SSPI International Board. Stephen shares his journey from geography and business into geospatial intelligence, satellite imagery, and space intelligence. He reflects on the rapid evolution of geospatial technologies, the importance of continuous learning, and the role that professional communities play in helping people build meaningful careers. In this conversation Stephen reveals: how he found his way into the space industry how geospatial intelligence has evolved over the past two decades why mentorship and professional communities matter what makes the SSPI Mid-Atlantic Chapter successful and what excites him most about the future of space sustainability This episode is part of SSPI's Space and Satellite Futures track, focused on leadership and the next generation of the industry.
June 18 · 40 min
The Next Mission: Diana Klochkova on Strategy, Startups, and Taking the Leap
Careers rarely follow a straight line. In this episode of Movers…In Our Orbit, SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams welcomes back Diana Klochkova to discuss her transition from marketing leadership to corporate strategy, her move from Privateer to Rebel Space Technologies, and the role curiosity has played throughout her career. From economics and storytelling to startup growth and executive leadership, Diana shares lessons learned from building businesses, communicating complex ideas, and creating opportunities by reaching out to people who inspire her. The conversation also explores the importance of systems thinking, the growing need for non-engineering talent in the space industry, and why some of the best career opportunities begin with a simple conversation. And finally, listeners will meet Merle, Diana's seventy-four-pound sulcata tortoise and neighborhood celebrity.
June 11 · 33 min
Are We There Yet? - Episode 3: Dialing 911 in Space
What happens when astronauts, spacecraft, or future lunar settlers need help and there's no communications network to call on? In Episode 3 of Are We There Yet?, Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Toni Spatola, Chief Commercial Officer of Filtronic, about the communications and navigation infrastructure that may enable safe operations beyond Earth orbit. Using the Artemis II communications blackout as a starting point, the conversation explores how governments and industry are building the communications, positioning, and navigation systems that future lunar missions may depend upon. If communications infrastructure is a prerequisite for safe operations, it may also become one of the foundational investments and service sectors of the emerging Space Safety Economy. Sponsored by the American Space Exploration Children's Trust Fund.
June 8 · 1 hr 18 min
Safety, Capital, and What Happens After Artemis?
Artemis has returned human spaceflight to the Moon. Attention is now turning to what follows — how activity between Earth and the Moon develops, where opportunity begins to take shape, and how safety and operational readiness influence participation. This rebroadcast of the May edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, brings together perspectives from industry, finance, and policy to examine what is forming now, what signals matter to investors and operators, and how organizations are positioning themselves in response. This session explores: Where early opportunity is taking shape What signals matter to investors and operators How safety and reliability influence decision-making How organizations are positioning themselves for what comes next Featured speakers include: Shatel Bhakta, ESDMD SAO Lunar Architecture Team Lead, NASA Stephen Eisele, CEO, Lonestar Data Holdings Jessica Gregory, VP, Civil Space Programs, Voyager Technologies Zack Hester, Head of U.S. Office, Novaspace Paolo Pino, Co-Founder & CTO, Volta Space Technologies
June 1 · 29 min
Movers…In Our Orbit: Bob Patterson, Before Live Was Normal
Before livestreaming became ordinary, satellite communications transformed how humanity experienced the world. In this episode of Movers…In Our Orbit, SSPI Executive Director Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Robert M. Patterson, founder of The SPACECONNECTION, about the rise of satellite television and the communications revolution that made live global broadcasting possible. Inspired by the Apollo 11 broadcast, Patterson went on to help pioneer satellite sports distribution, HDTV broadcasting, digital transmission techniques, and transportable uplink systems that reshaped television infrastructure worldwide. The conversation also explores what today's NewSpace generation can learn from earlier cycles of communications innovation, industry transformation, and technology hype.
May 21 · 46 min· Video
Quvia: Aviation connectivity is about more than just bandwidth
What if aviation's real problem was never bandwidth? When airlines deploy new connectivity systems, installations can take years across an operational fleet. But satellite connectivity ecosystems are now evolving far faster than traditional aviation deployment cycles. In this episode of SSPI's From Connectivity to Intelligence series, Mike Moeller, SVP of Aviation at Quvia, discusses what happens when rapidly changing connectivity environments collide with the realities of commercial aviation infrastructure. Drawing on more than two decades in in-flight connectivity, Mike explores the industry's transition through GEO, Ka-band, Ku-band, LEO, and increasingly complex multi-orbit environments. The topic locks in a core insight: by the time a connectivity upgrade reaches an entire fleet, the connectivity landscape itself may already have changed. Quvia has a solution. SSPI thanks Chandra Labs for "Chandra Deep Field South, in X-ray Light," from the album Universal Harmonies (Suah Sounds, 2023), featured in the intros, outros, and intermissions of select SSPI podcasts. This track is a sonification of NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory data, created by Dr. Kimberly Arcand and the Chandra Labs team, translating the light of distant galaxies into sound. Listen to the full album: https://chandralabs.bandcamp.com/album/universal-harmonies

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