SSPI

Hosted by Space & Satellite Professionals International

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

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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60 recent

August 13, 202645 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, 202656 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, 202647 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, 202637 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 conversatio n 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, 202645 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, 202645 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, 202640 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, 202633 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, 20261 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, 202629 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.