SSPI

By Space & Satellite Professionals InternationalBusiness Technology Careers

SSPI episodes

June 15, 2020 Better Satellite World: Frank White, Author and Space Philosopher
41 min
June 08, 2020 David Hershberg, HOF member, CEO & Founder STS Global, Inc.
32 min
May 25, 2020 Making Leaders with Paul Gaske, Executive VP and GM of Hughes Network Systems North America
12 min
May 18, 2020 Making Leaders with Steve Collar, CEO of SES
In this Making Leaders interview conducted at the Hall of Fame Celebration, we hear from Steve Collar, CEO of SES and one of the three inductees to the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame in 2020.

In 2011, Steve Collar became CEO of O3b Networks, the company founded four years earlier by Hall of Famer Greg Wyler. The impact of his leadership soon made itself felt. Within two years, the company launched the first four satellites of its pioneering MEO constellation and added another eight the following year, and later bringing the number of O3b satellites launched to 20 in 2019. By 2016, O3b had built a firm backlog of $350 million with more than $100 million in current-year revenue, making it the fastest-growing satellite operator in history.

SES was one of the company’s early investors and, in 2016, it exercised its option to acquire O3b Networks. The deal created the first communications satellite operator with spacecraft in both GEO and MEO orbits. Steve was appointed CEO of SES Networks, the newly-formed data-centric business unit of SES, in May 2017. Less than a year later, he became CEO of SES. Behind his fast rise was a major transformation in the marketplace, which demanded aggressive response from the company. Video distribution and contribution had long provided most of SES’s revenue, but the explosive growth of online streaming triggered what soon became an accelerating decline in that business, with impacts across all the major satellite operators. With its significant exposure to that decline, SES needed a fast-growing source of replacement revenue, and SES Networks looked set to deliver it.
14 min
May 11, 2020 Making Leaders with Tory Bruno, President & CEO of United Launch Alliance
In this Making Leaders podcast, Robert Bell speaks with Tory Bruno, President & CEO of United Launch Alliance and one of the three inductees to the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame in 2020.

Tory Bruno came to United Launch Alliance (ULA) in 2014 after a long career managing programs for some of the most advanced and powerful weapons systems in the American arsenal. As general manager of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, he led a team of men and women responsible for the Navy’s Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile, the Air Force’s ICBM Reentry Systems and the Terminal High Area Altitude Defense System (THAAD). He managed a joint venture responsible for producing and safely maintaining the UK’s nuclear weapons and has engineered control systems for rockets and hypersonic weapons, for which he holds numerous patents. No words describe him better than Tom Wolfe’s famous phrase, “a steely-eyed missile man.”
13 min
April 27, 2020 Mentorship Roundtable Part 4: To Be Young Again with Clementine Decoopman, Jomya Lei, Sajit Jumani and Jeremy Turpin
In this conversation, the final of a four-part series on mentorship, SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla speaks with four of the youngest and brightest stars of the future in the commercial space & satellite industry. Clémentine Decoopman, Sajit Jumani, Jomya Lei and Jeremy Turpin are all members of the 2019 “20 Under 35” cohort, chosen for their initiative, creativity and problem-solving skills that has led to outstanding achievements in the industry before the age of 35.
53 min
April 20, 2020 Mentorship Roundtable Part 3: Inside a Giant with Chris Emerson and Ben Levine
In this conversation, the third of a four-part series on mentorship, SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla speaks with two men whose careers have taken them to the top of their respective professions at some of the industry’s largest corporations. They share with us the unique advantages and challenges of mentorship “inside a giant.” Airbus is an international company and a leader in designing, manufacturing and delivering aerospace products. And with 133,671 employees, it certainly qualifies as a giant. Its US Space & Defence Group is led by Chris Emerson. Chris has served as president of the group since 2019, where he oversees the operations and strategy of all its companies in the USA. He also serves as Chairman of the Board. Founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy, this ad agency can be found in 132 offices in 83 countries around the world. Adweeks’ Agency of the Year in 2016, Ogilvy’s client list is long and ranges from American Express to Ikea to Samsung. Ben Levine serves as Executive Partner and Head of Global Partnerships from Ogilvy’s main office in New York. He is responsible for developing and growing strategic relations across the Ogilvy Group, its parent company WPP and external networks to find greater value for its clients. Ben also serves as Global Client Leader for the agency.
35 min
April 13, 2020 Mentorship Roundtable Part 2: Women Making a Better Satellite World with Penelope Longbottom, Nicole Stott & Jennifer Dawson
In this conversation, the second of a four-part series on mentorship, SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla speaks with three women mentors and leaders of the industry. Dr. Jennifer Dawson is the Staff Functional Safety Engineer with the Toyota Research Institute. Before that, she worked at Space Systems Loral as the Technical Director for Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites, as Head of Safety and Technical Program Manager at Nuro and as a researcher at Stanford University, where she developed a cryogenic test facility, conducted experiments on a superconducting position sensor, defined requirements, and fabricated and tested customized electrical connectors. Dr. Dawson received a Promise Award from SSPI in 2016 and was also responsible for nominating the 2019 Mentor of the Year, Rob Lyon, whom you heard from in Episode 1. Penelope Longbottom is a member of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame who has devoted her career to explaining satellites as one of the industry’s premiere public relations executives. She served in a variety of jobs, from Director of Communications and later Vice President at Hughes to Senior Marketing Communications Executive with Lockheed Martin Intersputnik, Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles and XM Satellite Radio. While at Hughes, Penelope was key to the promotion of DirectTV and America’s first Mobile Satellite System. She founded Longbottom Communications and merged the company with Sage Communications one decade later. Penelope has been a relentless advocate for more space for women in the industry and has been a mentor to dozens. Nicole Stott was seen recently in super bowl commercial with Busy Philipps and Lilly Singh riding the first Olay rocket! It was her third mission to space. Nicole is a retired NASA astronaut who performed two important missions on the International Space Station, where she served as flight engineer for Expeditions 20 and 21. She was a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle Missions 128 and 133. Nicole began her career as a Structural Design Engineer with Pratt & Whitney. She was the first astronaut to have a picture taken with the SSPI logo from space.
43 min
April 06, 2020 Mentorship Roundtable Part 1: Mentor of the Year with Rob Lyon, Tim Deaver & Peter Plumley
In this conversation, the first of a four-part series on mentorship, SSPI Director of Development and Innovation Lou Zacharilla speaks with three people who are considered world-class mentors and have been responsible for nurturing diverse talents to success. Dr. Peter Plumley is the Chief Program Officer for the Museum of Science & Technology and a research professor of civil & environmental engineering at Syracuse University. Peter has an extremely broad portfolio of research and interests related to the environment of the Earth and space. His current research is focused on the man-made world and the impact of technology on our drive to invent and explore the impact of technology on society and civilization - as well as its overall impact on the environment. Tim Deaver is the Director of US Space Systems at Airbus Defence & Space. Tim manages all US government space-related program management and customer liaison. Tim is a satellite industry veteran, having worked for SES, where he led business and product development and was responsible for securing many high-end contracts. He served in the US Air Force for over 20 years and holds degrees from the Universities of Nebraska and Colorado. Rob Lyon is the Executive Director of Flight Assurance at Maxar. Rob decides when each of the spacecraft built is ready for launch. He began his career at the USA’s naval academy where – among other tasks – he qualified people to run nuclear reactors to eventually become the top operations officer in the pacific submarine fleet. Rob is a highly sought-after mentor in his company’s program. He earned his advanced degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and Physics at the naval academy. Rob has had a distinguished career of nearly 15 years at Maxar, and in June of last year, he was named the space & satellite industry’s Mentor of the Year at SSPI’s annual Future Leaders Dinner in Silicon Valley, where he was introduced by Tim Deaver.
38 min
March 30, 2020 BIRDS Out of the Nest - Abhas Maskey Pt 2
17 min

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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.