In the second season of The Road Less Traveled series, guest host Lou Zacharilla speaks with people whose lives and work inspire us because they walk “the road less traveled,” the one leading us to a wider view of space, satellites and our quest for the dwelling of light we call “The Truth.” This episode features a conversation with Justin Park, entrepreneur, technology consultant and member of the SSPI Mid-Atlantic Chapter Board who joins us to talk about his most recent endeavor, The Cross on the Moon Coalition (https://mooncross.org).

Justin Park is an entrepreneur, technology consultant, and thought leader with Master’s degrees in aerospace management and computer science from the International Space University and the University of Iowa, respectively. He worked as an intern at the NASA Ames Research Center during his tenure with Accenture and as an associate for Booz Allen Hamilton at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. His first company, Intergalactic Education, developed over a dozen space-centric mobile apps. He was a volunteer editor for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) for five years and in 2017, gave a TEDx talk at Suffolk University on the emerging commercial space economy. He has presented at the Humans to Mars Summit, the International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC), as well as at the International Space Development Conference (ISDC). He is a published author and was awarded the Yuri Gagarin Medal of Cosmonautics at the Robert Heinlein Flight into the Future Contest in 2008.  He currently sits on the Board of the Space and Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) – Mid-Atlantic Chapter and is an active member of MoonDAO, a decentralized space organization that sent two astronauts into space on the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. His most recent endeavor, The Cross on the Moon Coalition, is focused on bringing together spirituality and space exploration.

In the second season of The Road Less Traveled series, SSPI's Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with people whose lives and work inspire us because they walk “the road less traveled,” the one leading us to a wider view of space, satellites and our quest for the dwelling of light we call “The Truth.” This episode features a conversation with Award-winning composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg, creator of THE MOONS SYMPHONY (https://www.moons-symphony.com).

THE MOONS SYMPHONY fuses music and science to bring lunar exploration vividly to life through cinematic visuals and orchestral storytelling. Inspired by astronauts’ profound perspectives, this symphonic journey reimagines our place in the cosmos and culminates in a powerful tribute to Earthrise. THE MOONS SYMPHONY is the result of bold collaboration between composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg, a symphony orchestra, and a team of planetary sciensists. A visionary work of music inspired by the real science of our solar system’s most enigmatic moons. This multi-movement symphony brings together NASA data, cinematic visuals, and choral grandeur to awaken a deeper curiosity about the universe.

In the second season of The Road Less Traveled series, guest host Lou Zacharilla speaks with people whose lives and work inspire us because they walk “the road less traveled,” the one leading us to a wider view of space, satellites and our quest for the dwelling of light we call “The Truth.” This episode features one of the great untold stories in our industry, provided to us by our guest, podcast host Joanne Higgins.

Host Joanne Higgins worked in film and TV production for 13 years as a production coordinator and associate producer. Later, she transitioned into the construction industry, co-owning a company that developed and built single-family homes across LA. She’s a lifelong Angeleno, growing up in Compton and attending Cal State Long Beach. She spent her childhood hearing her godfather talk about working on the Apollo program. Concerned that this unique legacy could be forgotten, she began a journey to record and capture their experiences as a first-time podcast host.

In this episode of She Reaches, host Tanveer Pujara speaks with Benedetta Cattani, the visionary Founder, CEO, and CTO of Ecosmic. From her beginnings as a graduate trainee to a member of an all-female startup team, Benedetta’s journey is one of purpose, persistence, and passion for space sustainability. She shares how Ecosmic is turning the challenge of space debris into an opportunity for innovation—and how their commercial solution is helping ensure the future of space remains safe and accessible.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a space enthusiast, or simply curious about the people shaping the space industry, Benedetta’s story offers insight, inspiration, and a fresh perspective from a first-time founder working to make an out-of-this-world impact.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, based on the May 2025 edition of the New York Space Business Roundtable, leaders from Pixxel, Dhruva Space, TMT Law Practice, VegaMX, and the US-India Business Council have a candid conversation about opportunity, access, and alignment in India's rapidly growing space sector. Our speakers include:

• Chetan Bikkina, Chief Commercial Officer, Dhruva Space Private Limited
• Jay Gullish, Executive Director, Digital Policy, U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC)
• Abhishek Malhotra, Senior Advocate, Chamber of Abhishek Malhotra
• Vivek Mital, CEO, VegaMX Inc.
• Aakash Parekh, Chief Commercial Officer, Pixxel

India is rapidly transforming its space sector, moving from a government-led model dominated by ISRO to a new era of public-private collaboration and global engagement. Recent policy reforms - including liberalized FDI caps, the launch of IN-SPACe as a commercial regulator, and the Indian Space Policy 2023 - are opening doors for private enterprise and international investment. At the same time, Indian companies are stepping into global supply chains, developing satellite constellations, launch vehicles, and Earth observation capabilities that are redefining India's position in the global space economy. Yet, foreign participation still requires careful navigation of regulatory, legal, and strategic frameworks shaped by India's evolving priorities.

Space is changing fast. Commercial activity is accelerating. Talent needs are shifting. Orbits are filling. And with the growing threat of Kessler Syndrome, long-term access to space may become more constrained than ever before. In this SSPI-WISE Presents podcast, based on the panel conducted at the May 1 meeting of SSPI-WISE, we hear a roundtable discussion between Donya Naz Divsalar, (incoming) Head of Future Projects at Magdrive; Elizabeth Kennick, President, Teachers In Space, Inc. and Genna Ng, Venture Partner, Beyond Earth Technologies and Co-Founder, Singapore Space Network.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Tamara Bond-Williams speaks with Ed Fox, Chief Technology Officer at MetTel. They explore one of the hot topics of the industry: the convergence of the telecom and satellite industries and what that may spell for the future.

Ed Fox is MetTel’s technology leader, responsible for the planning, deployment, and operations of MetTel’s broadband, data, and VoIP network infrastructure. He is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and a contributing author for IDG influencer network. Ed has over 30 years of telecommunications and network experience managing massive organizational and customer growth at major telecommunications providers.

In the She Reaches series, an initiative of SSPI-WISE (SSPI Women in Space Engagement), journalist and podcast host Tanveer Pujara sits down with trailblazing women across the space industry, from founders and engineers to visionaries and scientists, who are redefining what it means to reach for the stars.

In the debut episode of She Reaches, Tanveer speaks with Vanessa Clark, CEO of Atomos Space, to discuss her journey from physicist to space industry entrepreneur. Vanessa shares how she navigated the challenges of founding a venture-backed startup, the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership style, and her vision for the future of space mobility and logistics. Tune in to hear how she’s building the infrastructure for the next generation of space exploration – and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Tanveer Pujara (left) and Vanessa Clark (right)

In Everyday Guardians, the podcast series of the Securing the Future of Space campaign, we speak with the people who are helping to build a more resilient, sustainable and secure orbital environment - whether through technology, policy or ethical leadership. Securing the Future of Space is underwritten by the American Space Exploration Fund. In the second episode, we hear from Dr. Alina Utrata, political theorist and Career Development Research Fellow at St. John's College, Oxford University.

Dr. Alina Utrata is a political theorist focusing on the politics of technology corporations and currently a Career Development Research Fellow at St John’s College, Oxford University. She received her PhD in Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge as a Gates-Cambridge scholar, where her research examined how Silicon Valley companies have come to amass forms of political power through their control of technological regimes. Alina grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she received her BA from Stanford University in History with a minor in Human Rights, and her MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen’s University Belfast as a Marshall Scholar. In her free time, she hosts and produces the podcast The Anti-Dystopians, the politics podcast about tech.

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In the second episode of season 2, we hear from Dr. Femi Ishola, Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation.

Dr. Femi Ishola is an experienced Innovator, Entrepreneur, Engineer, and Researcher with a strong background in Electro-Optics, Space, and Satellite Systems Engineering. Accredited and licensed engineering practitioner by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering(COREN); Reg. No. R.4218. With over 15 years of professional experience in the global space industry, Dr. Femi brings a super-heavyweight perspective to aerospace engineering projects and gatherings across the continents!

Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation, a multinational new space company with operations in Nigeria, Japan, and USA. Served as a Researcher at the Japanese Space Communication Systems Laboratory, National Institute of Information Communications Technology (NICT), Tokyo, Japan. Systems pioneer and Project Manager at the National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria. Versatile in optical systems development, antennas, and microwave systems. Actively conducting research on Laser Communication technologies for Small Satellites, Drones, Beyond-5G integration, Beamed Energy Systems, and Unmanned Autonomous Systems.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2010, Incorporated Phemotron Systems Ltd in 2013, obtained a Master of Science degree from the International Space University, France, in 2014, and a Ph.D. degree from the Laboratory of Lean Satellites Enterprises and In-Orbit Experiments, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan in 2021. His Ph.D. research was focused on free-space optical communication technologies for small satellites. Completed advance satellite design course at the Samara National Research University, Samara, Russia.

Dr. Femi served as the SSPI Nigeria Director of Student Affairs where he galvanized undergraduate student exposure to space education and general STEM activities. Dr. Femi participated and contributed to the Japanese Engineering Test Satellite (ETS-9) HICALI project and the 6U CubeSOTA optical communication terminal and mission development. He also participated in the Southern Australian Universities QB50 Collaboration Satellite project. He was the Pioneer and Project Manager of the Nigerian Space Agency Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion (CSTP) Ground Control Station. Recipient of the Best and Most Innovative Project Award, SEEES National Universities Competition 2009, Kano State Government Award for the Best Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Project, in 2011, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Emerging Space Leaders Award, 2019 and the grand prize winner of 9th Annual SATShow (SATELLITE). Startup Space Competition, Washington DC, 2025.