Constellations - Explore Space Network Technologies with Industry Leaders

Live from the show floor of Smallsat, Dr. David Voss of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) explores how next‑generation mission architectures are shifting toward hybrid, distributed and resilient designs. He explains how onboard processing, autonomy, multi‑orbit integration and cross‑domain interoperability are redefining how future constellations will operate in a contested space environment and why resilience must be engineered across systems, not treated as a single‑system attribute.

Chad Fish, CTO of Orion Space Solutions, outlines the core constraints that determine whether a VLEO mission is viable and how altitude choices reshape spacecraft behavior and sensing performance. He also discusses how missions like ACMES push thermal imaging, atmospheric measurements and multi‑instrument operations into more demanding territory.

In this episode, Kat Hickey and Federico Trovarelli of Novaspace discuss the industry's transition from voluntary best practices to measurable economic, operational and regulatory strategies for preserving the space environment. Kat and Federico explore how orbital sustainability is evolving from an environmental concern into a business imperative shaping investment, regulation, spacecraft design and operations.

​​Live from the show floor of Smallsat, Constellations is joined by Jonas Aslund and Viktor Pankov of SSC Space, who dive into one of the most important shifts happening across the sector: the emergence of a new space infrastructure built on global ground networks. As satellite demand continues to grow, the next generation of infrastructure is becoming more essential.​

Dr. Kelly Backes of MITRE addresses why Space ISAC launched its Quantum Community of Interest, how the space industry can prepare for the quantum era and which technologies are poised to have the greatest impact on the security and resilience of future space systems.

As governments across the Middle East invest in sovereign space capabilities and secure communications, regional operators are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the future of satellite services. Mohamed Sayed, Vice President of Commercial at Es'hailSat, Qatar's national satellite operator, joins Constellations to discuss how they are navigating the rise of mega-constellations, supporting national resilience and digital sovereignty, and helping build a more collaborative and competitive space ecosystem across the region.

​​As autonomous systems play a bigger role in spacecraft decision making, Jesús Bernal Allende, space lawyer and founder and director of IURUS Consulting, discusses how existing space law should be applied. Jesús unpacks how responsibility, licensing and coordination are being interpreted as autonomy becomes part of modern mission design.​

Financing in the space industry is often overlooked, yet a critical aspect to growth within the industry. Joining Constellations is Phaedra Chrousos and Max Yergan of SLI Aerospace, pioneering aerospace asset leasing to help manufacturers and operators finance the satellites, ground infrastructure and other space assets they need without the burden of large upfront investments. In this episode, Phaedra and Max will discuss how innovative financing models could accelerate the commercialization of space and reshape the economics of the industry for years to come.

As humanity pushes toward sustained activity beyond Earth, legal and operational questions around resource extraction, safety, and behavior in shared environments are coming to the forefront. Hon. Peter Beshar, former Air Force and Space Force General Counsel, joins Constellations to unpack how long‑standing treaties intersect with modern lunar ambitions, what safeguards can prevent gray‑zone behavior and how nations can build trust as more actors crowd the space domain.

Earth observation is evolving as users demand faster decisions, tighter workflows and more dependable data. Satellogic VP of Space Systems Luciano Giesso shares how these rising expectations are reshaping EO missions, influencing everything from how organizations approach responsiveness to how they define truly trusted insights.