Defense Agenda

Dr Adam Baker, Visiting Fellow, Cranfield University; Royal Academy of Engineering visiting Professor at Sheffield University; Head of Project Engineering, Magdrive

Dr Adam Baker has almost 30 years of experience in the space industry, with a career covering spacecraft propulsion, small spacecraft, launch services and related technologies. He has an MEng in materials engineering and a PhD in aerospace composite materials from Oxford University; and is a graduate of the International Space University. Dr Baker worked in both industrial and academic capacities for a range of entities across the UK, including QinetiQ, Virgin Galactic, Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd and Kingston University London. He has also consulted widely within the UK Space industry in areas of launch and propulsion and is a visiting fellow at Cranfield University and a Royal Academy of Engineering visiting Professor at Sheffield University. He is a qualified teacher in UK higher education. He represents small companies on the UK Space Agency’s Space Technology Advisory Committee and co-founded the UK’s space propulsion industry-academia-government working group. Dr Baker is also working with Magdrive since 2020, co-developing next generation propulsion technologies to improve UK competitiveness in the global market. He is the Head of Project Engineering, responsible for multiple research & development projects in support of production flight systems.

Christian earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Stuttgart in 2019 and diploma in 2013. Since 2012 he had been actively involved in developing, building and launching hybrid sounding rockets. From 2014 to 2018, he has been working at the German Aerospace Center on system analysis of rocket vehicles with a special focus on hybrid rocket systems, sounding rockets, launch vehicles and lunar landers. In 2018, he co-founded HyImpulse and embraces the role of the CEO leading the start-up to develop a smallsat launch vehicle and get into space!

Dr. Thomas Sinn is CEO of Dcubed GmbH and its space power brand Araqys, driving the development of scalable space infrastructure technologies. Prior to this, he held roles in German industry and at the European Space Agency (ESA), and studied in the United States and Scotland. A lifelong space enthusiast.

Ruchi Nema is the Co-Founder and CEO of Space Exchange Global, a think tank shaping critical dialogues and research at the intersection of space, policy, industry, and global collaboration. Over the past four years, she has curated high-level conversations with leaders across the space sector, bringing together government, industry, academia, and emerging innovators to examine the priorities defining the future of space. Through Space Exchange Global, Ruchi creates platforms for strategic research, informed debate, and multi-stakeholder engagement, supporting more connected thinking across the global space ecosystem. She is also the Director of Production for Counterspace Expo.

Khrystyna Holynska is a policy researcher at RAND. Her research focuses on great power competition, foreign information manipulation and interference, and lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine. She is also an Associate Professor at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), Ukraine. Prior to joining RAND, Holynska led KSE StratBase, a defense and security policy research startup, and served as a professor of public policy and governance at KSE. She was also a strategic analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, where her work focused on Russia’s coercive behavior, deterrence, nonproliferation, the future of NATO, and geodynamics. From October 2022 to February 2023, she was a Research Associate at the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In October 2023, she participated in the New Security Leaders Program of the Warsaw Security Forum. Holynska holds a Ph.D. in policy analysis from the RAND School of Public Policy, a Ph.D. in political science from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and an M.B.A. and M.B.A.I. in business, artificial intelligence, and data analytics from KSE.

Lina Pohl is a Research Fellow and the Relations Officer for Germany & Austria at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), seconded by the German Space Agency at DLR since July 2021. Her field of expertise in space policy is space security and defence, including militarisation of space, spacefor security and defence, space and defence sector convergence trends in programmes, industry, and investments, as well as the impact of the war in Ukraine on the space sector. Prior to her position at ESPI, she held different positions at DLR in the Department for International Relations, worked in the finance sector, international relations in academia, and in the European office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Sciences (MA) (2020) at the University of Cologne, focusing on international relations and security/defence policy, and published her Master thesis on Russia’s hybrid warfare in Ukraine.

Dr. Tim Sweijs is the Director of Research at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS). His work is multidisciplinary in nature and straddles political science, science and technology, strategic studies, and war studies. He is the initiator, creator and author of numerous books, articles and studies on strategic foresight, interstate coercion (compellence and deterrence), war’s past, present and future, emerging technologies, international norms and regimes, alliances and alignments, defence and national security planning for small and middle powers, and strategy and capability development. At HCSS, he is responsible for the overall research portfolio of the entire institute, spearheading a staff of over 30 researchers and a large network of affiliated subject matter experts, working on international and national security. He has advised international organisations, governments and defence departments across the globe. He has provided expert testimony to the United Nations Security Council, the European Parliament, the Dutch Parliament, as well as to NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. He regularly comments on international affairs in national and international media and guest-lectures at the Netherlands Defence Academy, Leiden University, and King’s College London. Dr. Sweijs is also a Research Affiliate at the Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute for Technology in the United States. He serves as a board member at the European Initiative for Security Studies where he chairs the War, Coercion and Statecraft Working Group. He is also the Scientific Advisor to the Secretariat of the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain, an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He holds degrees in War Studies (PhD, MA), International Relations (Msc) and Philosophy (BA) from King’s College, London and the University of Amsterdam. Recent book projects include De Oorlog van Morgen [The War of Tomorrow] (Balans 2025), Beyond Ukraine: Debating the Future of War (Oxford University Press / Hurst 2024), Defence Planning for Small and Middle Powers: Rethinking Force Development in An Age of Disruption (Routledge 2024), The Use and Utility of Ultimata in Coercive Diplomacy (Palgrave Macmillan 2023) (www.coercivediplomacy.com), Deterrence in the 21st Century: Insights from Theory and Practice (Asser-Springer 2021) and The Conduct of War in the 21st Century Kinetic, Connected and Synthetic (Routledge 2021).

Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is a recipient of the 1989 Gerald Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense.

Roberto Vittori is an astronaut, visiting professor, associated researcher, and entrepreneur. He has flown to space three times, aboard Soyuz missions in 2002 and 2005 and the Space Shuttle in 2011. A former Brigadier General of the Italian Air Force, military pilot, and experimental test pilot, he has logged more than 2,500 flight hours on over 50 aircraft types. He served as the first Italian space attaché at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C., gaining extensive experience in space diplomacy. Vittori has received numerous recognitions, including the Gold Medal for Aeronautical Value from the President of the Italian Republic, a NASA gold medal for space exploration, and a medal from the President of the Russian Federation. He was the first Italian to fly on Soyuz and the first non-Russian fully qualified as Soyuz commander. His vision focuses on extra-atmospheric resources as a foundation for the future global economy and the preservation of Earth’s ecosystem.

Kees Buijsrogge obtained his degree in Science and Policy at Utrecht University (M.Sc., distinction). He has been with TNO for 18 years and has served in various roles in applied research in High Tech Systems applications within TNO. He started his career at TNO in business development, then moved towards management of research groups in the defense domain of TNO. Since 2012 he has been Research Manager of the Optics Department in Delft, which includes the Optics Manufacturing unit. Since September 1, 2017 he has been appointed Director Space & Scientific Instrumentation. As Director, he is responsible for the strategic vision of the unit: ensuring that the unit’s objectives align with both society’s needs on Satellite Communication, Earth Observation and Astronomy, and boosting Dutch commercial competitiveness within international value chains. Since 2023 he is also involved in TNO’s Defense unit for the military use of Space. In addition to his role at TNO, he is a Supervisory Board member at Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, a Board Member at SpaceNed, member of the Supervisory Board at TU Delft Space Institute and Board Member at Space Expo Noordwijk.

Celia Pelaz has served as Spire’s Chief Operating Officer since January 2025. With over 20 years of experience in the defense and security industry, Ms. Pelaz has built her career on developing and implementing strategies that drive growth, technological innovation and operational excellence. She joined Spire from HENSOLDT AG, where she served as Chief Operating Officer from April to August 2024, Chief Strategy Officer from July 2021 to March 2024 and Head of Spectrum Dominance & Airborne Solutions Division from April 2018 to August 2022. She was also a member of the Management Board from July 2021 to August 2024. HENSOLDT AG was carved out of Airbus Group in 2017 and focuses on sensor technologies for defense and security missions. During her time at HENSOLDT AG, Ms. Pelaz led transformative initiatives, including major acquisitions, global market expansion, and the development of key defense technologies. She holds a degree in Industrial Technical Engineering from Cámarabilbao University Business School.

Chiara Pertosa is the CEO of SITAEL S.p.A., the space company of Angel Holding, an Italian industrial group active in aerospace, rail, mechatronics and advanced technologies. With a strong industrial and strategic background, she leads SITAEL’s growth in the space sector, focusing on small satellite platforms, electric propulsion, avionics and end-to-end space missions. Under her leadership, SITAEL is strengthening its role as a key Italian and European player in satellite manufacturing and electric propulsion technologies, supporting institutional, commercial and dual-use space programmes.

Colonel Marcin Mazur is the Vice-President of the Polish Space Agency  (POLSA) – an executive agency of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, est. 2014. POLSA supports the Polish space industry, cooperates with international agencies and public administration in the field of exploration and use of Outer Space.

Col Mazur’s goal is to execute the Polish Space Strategy issued in 2017, which is in compliance with both the NATO Overarching Space Policy 2019 and the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence 2023. 

Col Mazur’s responsibility in POLSA is to systematize security and defence activities, in  particular the development of dual-use capabilities which may apply for military and civilian  applications: 

• EO – Earth Observation satellite systems; 

• SATCOM – Satellite Communications systems; 

• SSA / SST – Space Situational Awareness / Space Surveillance and Tracking; • Launching technologies. 

Colonel Mazur was commissioned in 1998 and promoted to his first officer’s rank, 2^nd lieutenant,  in 2002. He graduated from the Military University of Technology in Warsaw with a Master’s  Degree in Topography and Mapping. He started his career as a Geospatial Officer at the 6^th Independent Geographical Unit in Torun where he became the leader of Mobile Geospatial Support Team dedicated to NATO Response Forces. Following that, Colonel Mazur served at the Joint Force Command Brunssum, the Netherlands, in the Geospatial Support Section, J2  Intelligence Division, and as an IMINT Officer at the Military Geographical Centre in Warsaw from where he was assigned in 2012 to the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, P2  Intelligence Division, Imagery Intelligence Branch. As an Intelligence Officer, he was also appointed as a Part-time Inspector for Treaties on Conventional Arms Control in Europe  (CFE) and Vienna Document 2011 (VD11) inspections. In August 2017 he became the IMINT  Branch Head and in January 2019 was promoted to Colonel rank. As the IMINT Branch Head he was responsible for defining Earth Observation (EO) and Space Situational Awareness (SSA)  military requirements. He was the co-chairman of the Polish-Italian Operational Working Group with regards to the COSMO SkyMed (CSK) and OPTSAT-3000 systems. Nationally, he served in the Chairman role of the Inter-ministerial Earth Observation Task Group. 

EDUCATION 

2003 Master of Science in Topography and Mapping, Military University of Technology,  Warsaw 

2013 Military Intelligence Officer Course, Regional Joint Intelligence Training Facility,  US European Command / US Africa Command, Warsaw 

2016 Postgraduate Studies, GIS, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing for Defence and  Security Purposes, Military University of Technology, Warsaw 

2023 Master of Business Administration Studies (MBA 4 IT), Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, Warsaw 

2024 Defence Policy Postgraduate Studies, War Studies University, Warsaw 

ASSIGNEMETS 

1998 – 2003 Officer Cadet, Military University of Technology, Warsaw 2003 – 2008 Geospatial Officer, 6^th Independent Geographical Unit, Torun 2008 – 2010 Geospatial Officer, Joint Force Command Brunssum, the Netherlands 2010 – 2012 Imagery Intelligence Officer, Military Geographical Centre, Warsaw 2012 – 2017 Imagery Intelligence Officer, P2 Intelligence Division, General Staff of  the Polish Armed Forces, Warsaw 

2017 – 2021 Imagery Intelligence Branch Head, P2 Intelligence Division, General  Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, Warsaw 

2021 – Vice-President, Polish Space Agency, Warsaw

Jeff Foust is a senior staff writer for SpaceNews, joining the publication in 2014. He covers civil and commercial space topics, ranging from NASA programs to developments among entrepreneurial space companies. He has extensive experience writing about space policy, commercial space, and related topics. In 2003, he started The Space Review, a weekly publication of longform articles and commentary on a wide range of space topics that continues to operate to this day. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999 and a B.S. with honors in geophysics and planetary science from the California Institute of Technology in 1993. He received the Press Award from the National Space Club and Foundation in 2018.

Daniele Dallari is the Sales & Customer Manager at PLD Space, where he leads the commercial strategy for orbital launch services and works closely with satellite manufacturers and operators to shape mission-ready launch solutions. With more than 15 years of international B2B sales experience and a strong technical background, he specialises in turning customer mission requirements into clear customer value focusing on launch readiness, reliability, and schedule confidence. Before joining PLD Space, Daniele was Sales Manager at Southern Launch, Australia’s privately operated spaceport provider. There, he gained direct experience in spaceport operations, launch campaign preparation, regulatory interfaces, and access-to-orbit design, while securing new launch customers and strengthening the company’s global commercial presence. Prior to that, he worked for the Government of South Australia on the Australian Space Park initiative, where he helped develop the strategy for a new space manufacturing hub in collaboration with Airbus Defence & Space and key industry partners.

Chris Quilty is one of the most recognized and influential analysts in the global space sector. He began covering the industry more than two decades ago as a sell-side analyst at Raymond James, where he initiated formal Wall Street coverage of the commercial space market in the mid-2000s. During his tenure, he was twice recognized by The Wall Street Journal as a “Best on the Street” analyst and became a trusted authority and frequent media commentator on the evolving space economy. Over the course of his career, Chris has published thousands of company-specific, macro, sector, and thematic research reports spanning the full space value chain. In 2016, he founded Quilty Space (formerly Quilty Analytics), establishing a cross-industry research platform focused exclusively on space. His work integrates applications, technologies, regulatory dynamics, capital formation, and competitive strategy across manufacturing, launch, satcom, Earth observation, hardware, and downstream analytics. Chris serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to investors, prime contractors, satellite operators, technology companies, and government stakeholders worldwide. He holds a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from The University of Chicago.

Nicolas Capet is the Founder and President of ANYWAVES (www.anywaves.com), a space technology company specializing in high‑performance antennas and electronics for critical space and defense applications. He holds a PhD in electromagnetics and has built his career at the intersection of advanced RF engineering, satellite systems, and strategic industrial development. Prior to founding ANYWAVES, he worked as an antenna engineer in the French institutional space ecosystem, contributing to numerous satellite programs and more than 20 patents. Since creating ANYWAVES, Nicolas Capet has led the company’s growth from deep‑tech innovation to international markets, positioning it as a key player in NewSpace, sovereign space infrastructures, and defense‑oriented space systems. His current work focuses on enabling resilient, high‑performance RF payloads for next‑generation satellite constellations and contested space environments. He is actively involved in the European NewSpace ecosystem as YEESS vice president and regularly contributes to strategic discussions on space policy, industrial competitiveness, and defense space capabilities, both in Europe and internationally.

Nick Destrycker is the CEO and CoFounder of EDGX, the Belgian spacetech company on a mission to build Europe’s sovereign compute layer in space. EDGX develops NVIDIA-based compute systems that enables satellites and general space infrastructure to process data directly in orbit. Backed by European private investors, ESA, the Belgian Ministry of Defence, NVIDIA, the European Commission and recognised as IMEC Future Unicorn (2024) and ESA Rising Star (2025)

Co-Founder and CEO of ISISPACE since 2006 Chairman of SpaceNed, Branche Organisation of Space Companies in the Netherlands since 2018

Dr. Emma Gatti is a planetary scientist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge and a postdoc from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech. Since 2018, she has worked as an independent space analyst and journalist. She is a visiting professor of Space Communication and Geopolitics at the AGH University of Krakow and, since 2026, the European correspondent for SpaceNews.

CEO of SATLANTIS
leading MIDCAP in EO space technologies, LWIR, Swir & VNIR submetric cameras, with solutions for methane leaks detection, fires and defense. Companies in Spain, US, UK, and France. 100% successful space missions. Industrial investors ENAGAS & WILLIAMS, funds ORZA BPENERGY PARTNERS and institutional investors from ICO, SEPI, CDTI, BASQUE GOVERNMENT, DIPUTACION FORAL BIZKAIA.

Independent Coordinator Board member of DOMINION, a stock exchange quoted company ( over 1 billion USD) devoted to Industrial & Technological services.

Board member of EGILE & MODALIA.
Visiting Professor for Innovation Management at the University of Florida and Deusto Business School.

Martin Langer is the CEO of OroraTech, where he leads the company’s evolution into a global space infrastructure provider for persistent thermal intelligence. With over 15 years of experience in satellite systems engineering, his background spans mission leadership, reliability research, and the deployment of orbital sensing platforms. He co-authored the Wiley reference book Nanosatellites: Space and Ground Technologies, Operations and Economics and has published research on satellite reliability and system-level validation — foundations that inform OroraTech’s focus on dependable, scalable thermal infrastructure for real-time decision systems.

Maxime Jambon is Chief Public Affairs & Communication Officer of Exotrail, a company specializing in space logistics, created in 2017. After 7 years contributing to and then managing institutional relations, as well as the cabinet of the President of Arianespace, Maxime has continued his commitment to the European space sector by joining Exotrail in 2022. In charge of Exotrail’s relations with public authorities, communications and the company’s CSR policy, Maxime is also the Secretary of the Executive Committee. Committed to defending a complementary model to traditional space, Maxime hold the position of Secretary for the French union Alliance Newspace France, and of board member at the Young European Enterprises Syndicate for Space (YEESS).

José Luis serves as Hispasat 5G Strategy Manager. In this role, he is building the development of the 5G connectivity strategy, leading initiatives that capitalize on new market opportunities. He actively contributes to the international 5G satellite ecosystem through three distinct roles: as a member of the NTN Forum Steering Board, as Hispasat’s 5G NTN design authority within Iris2, and as a delegate promoting standardization at 3GPP. José Luis is a Telecommunication engineer with nearly 20 years of experience in the Telco sector. He has navigated various segments of the industry, including roles at engineering companies, consulting firms, utilities, telco vendors, and mobile network operators (MNOs). His diverse responsibilities have spanned strategy, innovation, design, deployment, pre-sales and post-sales. In addition to his extensive technical expertise in 5G mobile communications, he holds a broad perspective on commercial trends in both terrestrial and satellite telecommunications.

Michael Nebel began his career with 15 years in the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), earning a diploma in electrical engineering. Transitioning to the private sector, he held key roles in engineering and product management at Rohde & Schwarz and NDSatCom, and worked as a managing consultant for defense and space. Currently, as Vice President of Strategic Key Account Management Defence at OHB SE, he focuses on building strong relationships to customers and managing key partnerships in the defense and space sector.

As the VP of Sales at ReOrbit, Srinath focuses on providing secure communication solutions for national sovereign & defence capabilities. With over 20 years of experience in the satellite sector, he possesses a strong industry background and expertise in delivering secure communications. Furthermore, Srinath has actively advocated for sovereign digital development and resilient communication infrastructure. As a space enthusiast, he is inspired by the positive impact that space has on our everyday lives.

Warren Gebbett currently focuses on Innovation and Partnerships within the Future Business & Innovation group at SES. In more than 10 years with the company, he has held a variety of roles, from Systems Engineering for O3b Networks and Fleet Development to managing a Software Engineering team. Currently based in the Netherlands, Warren has previously lived and worked in both Luxembourg and the United States. He holds an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Ms. Christy Monaco is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

Previous to joining OGC, Christy was the Vice President of Programs at the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), a role she held since December of 2020. She previously served for over 30 years in the U.S. Intelligence Community, during which she held a number of positions including with the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). A government executive for over half of her federal career, in 2022 she was recognized by President Biden as a Meritorious Executive in the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service for her contributions at NGA. Christy currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.

Ms. Monaco was born in Nashville, Tennessee, grew up in Ormond Beach, Florida, and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian and English. Ms. Monaco has also earned a Master of International Management degree with a concentration in International Commerce from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces, from which she graduated with highest distinction. She is also a Pilates enthusiast and instructor, enjoys fly fishing, painting, and tries really hard to actually read the book club books.

Carlos Román is a Business Development professional with over 20 years of experience in the geospatial industry and holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration. Carlos brings deep expertise in Earth observation, geospatial solutions, and satellite applications, supporting and fostering the adoption of geospatial intelligence across defense and security domains, helping bridge space capabilities with mission-critical operational needs. For the past eight years, he has been with Vantor Technologies, where he leads business development activities for Southern Europe in the Defense and Intelligence market.

Director of Sales, Europe As Director of Sales of Europe, Jonathan Debilde leads regional business development and customer engagement efforts across the European market, supporting government and commercial customers with real-time geospatial intelligence solutions. Prior to this role, he served as Regional Sales Manager, Europe, where he helped expand BlackSky’s presence across the region and advance adoption of the company’s on-demand imagery and analytics capabilities. Jonathan joined BlackSky in 2022 following his role as Senior Sales Executive NATO & Benelux at Preligens, where he supported defense and security customers with AI-powered geospatial intelligence solutions. Previously, he served as Sales Director Security & Defence at EMDYN, delivering intelligence-led security solutions to government and commercial organizations. Earlier in his career, Jonathan was Vice President of Business Development EMEA at AllSource Analysis, where he focused on delivering finished geospatial intelligence solutions to enterprise and government customers. Jonathan holds a Master of Social and Military Science degree from the Royal Military Academy.

Patrick Butler is the Executive Vice President of Engineering and Programs for Sidus Space, where he leads the company’s engineering organization and program execution across satellite systems and space-based compute solutions. In this role, he is responsible for guiding technical development, overseeing program management, and ensuring the successful design, integration, testing, and delivery of Sidus Space’s products. He drives engineering, program performance, and cross-functional coordination to support reliable mission execution and the continued advancement of Sidus Space’s technology portfolio. Prior to joining Sidus Space, Mr. Butler served as the Director of Launch Execution for Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket where he was responsible for launch and recovery mission planning and external regulatory coordination, in addition to operations management of the launch pad and the launch team’s training and certification program. Previous roles at Blue included management of the New Glenn Supply Chain at Blue Origin’s Orbital Launch Site. Prior to joining Blue, Patrick worked for Bell Helicopter’s Innovation Team supporting the development of new unmanned aerial vehicles. Mr. Butler began his career as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps flying the UH-1Y Huey for over ten years. He held a series of major leadership roles including the Logistics Department Head during a combat deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan and Operations Officer for the Marine Aviation Training System Site in Hawaii where he led the operations of all aircraft simulator systems for Marine Aircraft Group 24. Mr. Butler holds a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy and two master’s degrees in Aeronautics/Astronautics and Business Administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

MSc, Lt Cdr (Ret) Tero Vauraste serves as Head of Business Development Defense and Security at Kuva Space and Chairman of the Airship company Kelluu. He has provided Advisory Services to many clients such as Aldoria, Hybrid CoE, Iceye, European Innovation Council EIC, IQM, Techtour, Cailabs, ConstellR and many others with his company Mariadi Oy. He is President of European Innovation Council EIC Scaling Club NewSpace (2024->). He is member of the Finnish Ministry of Defence Scientific Committee Arctic and Space Working Group. Vauraste has a Naval Officer Degree and with serving in the Finnish Coast Guard and he has held various CEO and Senior Executive positions within security, aviation, automotive, maritime, rail, logistics and Arctic industries. He has a Master of Science degree from the Leicester University (2002) in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management and he is currently a PhD Student at the National Defence Academy in Finland with research on the maritime and space security of supply. During 2009-2018 he served as the CEO of Arctia ltd, the owner of the Finnish icebreaker fleet with operations in the Baltic Sea and Arctic areas including the US Beaufort and Chuckhi Seas and Greenland waters. He has also held a long-term position of Chair/Vice Chair of the Arctic Economic Council during 2014-2019. During 2021-2023 he served as a Director and Member of the Board at EARSC, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies. He is an Emissary of the Arctic Circle Conference organisation in Iceland. He is the founder and owner of Arctic, Maritime, Technology and Space Consulting Company, Mariadi Oy. He is a co-author of the book “Arktinen Alue Geopolitiikan Murroksessa” (11/2024), “The Arctic Area at geopolitical crossroads” (In Finnish). More information also available on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tero-vauraste-008092165/

Over the course of his career, Thys has built a unique blend of experience across the space, medical device, and software development industries. He began as an electronic systems engineer, contributing to the development of Earth Observation payloads for satellites—a role that immersed him in the high-stakes technical environment of the European and South African space sectors.

Transitioning into product leadership and business development, Thys served as CEO of a medical device startup, where he successfully led the company from concept to market launch in the United States with a practical, hands-on approach.

Since 2018, Thys has returned to the satellite industry as Chief Commercial Officer at Simera Sense, a leading provider of optical payloads for small satellites. He was instrumental in positioning the company as the preferred supplier of optical payloads in the international small satellite market.

Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is a recipient of the 1989 Gerald Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense.

Frank is a partner and co-founder at Nadir Space Venture, chairman of the Founding Committee of D-Orbit Saudi Arabia, an advisory board member of Alpine Space Venture, and an advisor to New Space companies. Frank is a former Vice Governor for Space sector in Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For 3.5 years, he worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: the key fields mandate was starting the ecosystem & sector development, policy & regulation, Space law, venture capital, and the entrepreneurship initiatives and human capital development in the Space sector. Before joining CST, Frank was the Head of the Innovation and Ventures Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), where he built the largest Space entrepreneurship network in the world, the ESA BICs. He and his team initiated over 380 technology transfers, supported over 1,500 start-ups, and facilitated over 1,000 downstream business cases. Frank also headed the Technology Transfer Program Office (TTPO) and the Commercial Development for Human Spaceflight and Exploration unit at ESA. Prior to joining ESA, Frank served as the founder and CFO / COO of an IT start-up based in Munich, Germany, which merged with CANCOM IT SA. In addition to his seven years of experience at Apple Computer and served 2 years in the German Air Force and has an industrial engineering degree.

Guy de Carufel is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cognitive Space, a Texas based startup which is redefining how space assets are orchestrated through AI for the effective use of Space. Guy has two decades of experience in the space industry, including working on the NASA Artemis program with safety critical software, building advanced simulation models, guidance software for launch vehicles and automation systems. Guy grew up in Canada, where he gained his master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Toronto.

Marco Rocchetto is the CEO and co-founder of Spaceflux Ltd bringing more than 15 years experience in data analytics, technology management, and entrepreneurship. He leads Spaceflux’s mission to provide advanced Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Space Intelligence services using AI-driven data from a global network of proprietary optical sensors. Under his leadership, Spaceflux has become a trusted partner in high‑precision orbital monitoring, helping ensure the long‑term sustainability and safety of space operations. This has led to multiple government and commercial contracts focused on developing sovereign space‑domain awareness capabilities.

Stewart is Sales Director for Telespazio in Germany. Graduating with a degree in Systems Engineering in 1992, Stewart trained and worked as a software engineer and ground systems architect until 2014, helping develop ground segment systems for many well-known space programmes, including: Rosetta comet chaser, Mars Express and Beagle 2, Galileo FOC, Meteosat Third Generation and OneWeb. From 2019 until 2024 he was Deputy Head of Strategy and Sales at Thales Alenia Space in the UK.

Dr. Emma Gatti is a planetary scientist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge and a postdoc from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech. Since 2018, she has worked as an independent space analyst and journalist. She is a visiting professor of Space Communication and Geopolitics at the AGH University of Krakow and, since 2026, the European correspondent for SpaceNews.

Andrew FAIOLA Commercial Director, Astroscale Ltd. Andrew joined Astroscale in January 2023 to lead the Commercial team in the UK, encompassing Business Development, Sales, Marketing, and Product functions as the company expands to make in-orbit servicing and debris removal routine by 2030, and delivers on its vision for safe, secure, and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations. He is a senior leader with over 20 years growing revenue across the satellite communications and space industries. He was previously VP EMEAAP Sales at ALL.SPACE, leading sales and business development for all commercial and global government segments. Prior to that, he held senior positions at ST Engineering iDirect and Intelsat where he focused on providing critical communications infrastructure to the Aviation, Maritime, and Land Mobile segments. Earlier in his career, he held various sales and marketing roles at NewSkies Satellites, and at an independent teleport in the USA called ESATEL Communications. He also performed research and project development work at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC, and at NASA, which involved the provision of Internet service and remote sensing for environmental monitoring. Andrew holds a BA in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis, and an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Antonin has over 15 years of experience as a satellite communications engineer, with a track record spanning major broadband connectivity projects for both civil and defense applications. He began his career at Thales Alenia Space as a radio frequency expert, then joined Eutelsat where he worked on LEO and geostationary satellite systems. Before co-founding Skynopy, Antonin served as Technical Lead for Connectivity at Loft Orbital, a shared satellite services provider. He holds more than 10 patents in the field of satellite communications. Antonin is now co-founder and CTO of Skynopy, a startup providing Ground Station as a Service for Earth observation satellite operators. He is also a diving instructor, passionate about marine environments, and an amateur brewer.

B.Gen Donati is the Commander of Italian Air Force Command in Sardinia and Commander of Test and Joint Training Range since September 2025. B.Gen. Daniele Donati entered the Air Force Academy in 1994, with the course Rostro III. In 2001 was assigned to the 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle, XII Squadron C.I., on the TORNADO F3, then he was assigned to the 4th Wing – 20th Operational Training Unit, as operational conversion instructor on Eurofighter Typhoon, and was 20th Squadron Commander from 2014 to 2016. Transferred to the Air Force Staff – 3rd Department in 2016, he held the position of Deputy Head of Office of the 2nd Office “Policy of Air Forces Generation and Offering” and Chief of the 4th Office “Air Force Foreign Policy”. In 2021 he was Task Force Air Commander for the NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltics. From 2022 to 2024 Col Donati was Wing Commander for the 37° Air Force Wing in Trapani (Sicily) and Commander of the Air Force District for Western Sicily. In July 2024 he was appointed Chief of Space Policy Office within the Italian Defence General Staff. Promoted B.Gen. on July 2025, he has a Master’s Degree with honors in Political Science from the University of Trieste and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College, at the National Defense University in Washington DC.

David is Programme Director at Magdrive, one of Europe’s fastest growing in-space propulsion startups. His focus is securing institutional business, R&D funding and managing relations with stakeholders within government, space agencies and primes. He previously worked in commercial leadership roles at downstream space technology startups across geospatial intelligence startup and maritime satcomms, and has over a decade’s business development and relationship management roles in commercial aerospace and aviation asset finance. David holds a BSC in Economics, Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick.

Regina Peldszus, Ph.D., is a Space Security Specialist with the European External Action Service (EEAS), Security & Defence Policy Directorate. Her focus is on space threats and Space Domain Awareness. Prior to joining the EU, Regina was part of the German administration, and advised the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs on space security, Space Situational Awareness and related interagency mechanisms and likeminded wargaming. Until 2020, at the German Space Agency at DLR, she served as Co-Chair of EU Space Surveillance & Tracking (EU SST), and oversaw horizon-scanning studies at the intersection of global sensor architectures and geopolitics. She holds a PhD from Kingston University, London, with a focus on foresight and simulation for future missions, and was a researcher at the European Space Agency, including in future systems and mission control. Regina’s publications have explored foresight, resilience, and space infrastructure. She lectures occasionally, including at the European Security & Defence College. She is a senior member of the AIAA, and in 2024 served as invited expert at the German Parliament’s Defence Committee public hearing on the Space Strategy.

Mike Gruss is the chief content and strategy officer at SpaceNews. He has worked as a journalist covering national security space issues since 2013.

Johannes Willbold is Co-Founder of Variant Security, spearheading the development of a new generation of compiler-native proactive vulnerability remediation and exploit mitigation technology. His work builds on years of hands-on research into real-world security failures in space and satellite software. Johannes conducted his doctoral research at Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), focusing on the security of space and satellite systems. His work on onboard satellite software has been published twice at the highest-ranking cybersecurity venue IEEE S&P, including a Distinguished Paper Award for his research on flight software security. In 2022, he was a visiting researcher at the Cyber-Defence Campus at Swiss Federal Office of Defence Procurement, investigating the security of VSAT systems. He founded and organized the annual SpaceSec Workshop, the first academic venue dedicated to space and satellite systems security, co-located with top-tier cybersecurity conference NDSS. He was a finalist in the Hack-A-Sat 2 and 4 competitions and regularly spoke on space and satellite software security, including at Black Hat USA, DEF CON, REcon, TyphoonCon, CySat, and TTI/Vanguard. He has also presented his work at the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Johannes also served as subgroup chair for the Integration Layer in the IEEE P3349 Space System Cybersecurity Working Group, where he led the efforts to incorporate cybersecurity requirements across space mission segments.

Dr. Laetitia Cesari is a researcher and a legal practitioner working on the law and policy of digital technologies and outer space, with a focus on security and safety aspects, and particularly cybersecurity, space traffic and space situational awareness. She is a Fellow at UNIDIR’s Space Security Programme. Laetitia works for legal organisations, international institutions and private actors. Before that, she supported the work of national authorities on space-related topics. Laetitia has been a Visiting Researcher at UNSW Canberra in 2024 and at the University of Leiden in 2022.

IT and Telecommunication Master Engineer, with wide experience in defence sector, in resilience and security communications, with experience from software engineer for high secure systems and finance, system engineer at AirBus, to Quality and Project Manager in bank/finance and cybersecurity companies, for public and private sector. Sergio created Integrasys Sarl in 2022, and since then Integrasys Sarl has grown within national and European level to be the second R&D office from Integrasys, related in more then 3 European Defence projects Innovation projects, national and NATO initiatives.

Yohann Roiron is a Systems Security Engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA), based at ESTEC in Noordwijk . His work focuses on the specification, assessment, and verification of security architectures for space systems, with emphasis on onboard security mechanisms, satellite communications, and cryptographic modules.

Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is a recipient of the 1989 Gerald Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense.

Adrian has over 30 years of expertise in the global earth observation business, developing applications for the exploration of natural resources, rapid delivery of satellite information after natural or man-made disasters and for location based services markets. Since its establishment in 2002, Adrian has been the Chief Executive Officer of European Space Imaging in Munich, Germany and in 1998 he founded Space Imaging Middle East LLC, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Prior to that he held several senior sales and management roles with pioneering imaging satellite operators such as Space Imaging, Inc and the Earth Observation Satellite Company Inc, the company selected by NOAA to move the US Government Landsat program into the private sector, a move that laid the foundation for the global commercial remote sensing industry.

Jan Smolders holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of Technology and an MBA from Vlerick Business School. He brings more than 15 years of international experience in sales and business development, working with both small and large companies delivering high-tech engineering software, hardware, and services to customers worldwide. Throughout his career, Jan has built and led international sales ecosystems combining direct sales teams and channel partners across multiple regions and industries. He also served in Singapore as Director Business Development for Southeast Asia, where he expanded business activities across the region. Before joining Space Inventor, Jan led commercial strategy and sales operations at VEOWARE SPACE, where he helped position the company globally as a trusted provider of spacecraft attitude control systems. Since mid-2024, Jan has served as Chief Commercial Officer at Space Inventor, where he is responsible for driving international growth in satellite platforms and subsystems, strengthening commercial capabilities, and expanding into new markets.

Maxwell Keyte is vice president international data sales at ICEYE. He leads a global team that delivers sovereign space-based intelligence capabilities. Maxwell combines 25 years in defense, intelligence and security with market leadership. His responsibilities include ICEYE strategy, new market entry, thought leadership, sales lifecycle management, consulting clients and contracting. His experience contributes to unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before.

Jeff Foust is a senior staff writer for SpaceNews, joining the publication in 2014. He covers civil and commercial space topics, ranging from NASA programs to developments among entrepreneurial space companies. He has extensive experience writing about space policy, commercial space, and related topics. In 2003, he started The Space Review, a weekly publication of longform articles and commentary on a wide range of space topics that continues to operate to this day. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999 and a B.S. with honors in geophysics and planetary science from the California Institute of Technology in 1993. He received the Press Award from the National Space Club and Foundation in 2018.

Chris Blackerby is Group Chief Operating Officer for Astroscale Holdings, the global leader in securing the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations. In the role of COO, Chris oversees the operations and expansion of the growing international company, including strategic planning and internal coordination of entities spread across five countries. Prior to joining Astroscale, Chris was the NASA Attaché in Asia and the senior space policy official at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo from 2012-2017. In that capacity he identified opportunities for cooperation, served as strategic space advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and negotiated agreements and resolved disputes with partners. Chris began working for NASA as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2003. While at NASA he was a leader in forging international cooperative partnerships around the world in the fields of Earth science, space science and human space exploration. From 2005- 2007 Chris was the Executive Director of the NASA Advisory Council, a group of senior officials that provides feedback to the NASA Administrator on future policies and plans. Chris received a B.A. in History and Education from the University of Richmond (Va.) in 1995 and an M.A. in International Relations from the University ofRhode Island in 2002. In 2009 Chris earned an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Mariella Graziano is an Aerospace Engineer from Sapienza University of Rome (Sapienza – Università di Roma). She joined GMV in 1999 and, since 2022, has held the position of Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development for Space Segment – GMV Space Systems. She began her career at TER S.R.L., a small Italian technology company, and later joined ESA as a Young Graduate Trainee (YGT), working in systems engineering and space simulation. Since joining GMV, Mariella has taken on various technical and management responsibilities. In 2007, she was appointed Executive Director of the Space Segment and Robotics Business Unit, a position she held until 2020, when she became Executive Director of Strategy and International Coordination for the same domains. Following GMV’s reorganization in 2022, she assumed her current role as Executive Director of Strategy for Space Segment. From the same year, she has also been a member of the GMV–Alén Space Executive Committee. Mariella is an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), Engineering Sciences section. She is an active member of several international organizations, including the IAA Planetary Defence Committee, the IAF Committees for Space Exploration, Planetary Defence and NEOs, and Industrial Relations, as well as the Global Exploration Conference (GLEX). She has also served on the Board of Directors for Women In Aerospace Europe (WIA-E), focusing on STEAM and Education Outreach. In addition, Mariella is a member of the Advisory Council of the Journal of Field Robotics and has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications in the space field. She is deeply committed to initiatives that promote youth and female talent in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) and to fostering space culture among younger generations. Since 2025, Mariella holds the honorary title of “Maestra del Lavoro”, awarded by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in recognition of professional merit with the “Stella al Merito del Lavoro.”

Dr. Rudy Opperman joined Momentus, a U.S. space company offering infrastructure and transportation services, in May 2021 and currently leads the company’s Systems Engineering and Configuration Management Department. He also serves as Lead Space Vehicle Systems Engineer and Mission Manager for the Vigoride-7 mission, launched in March 2026, and leads the company’s robotics and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) development initiatives. Dr. Opperman brings more than 17 years of flight project experience to his role. Before joining Momentus, he worked at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a Fault Protection Systems Engineer, contributing to the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover, Psyche, and Mars InSight Lander missions. Earlier in his career, Dr. Opperman worked at Aurora Flight Sciences, where he designed, built, tested, and supported the deployment of multiple pressurized satellite payloads operating aboard the International Space Station in Low Earth Orbit. His research and professional interests span systems engineering, orbital debris mitigation, space policy, human spaceflight physiology, space hardware mechanical design, sensor fusion and control, and, most recently, robotic space exploration and rendezvous technologies. Dr. Opperman holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, dual master’s degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics and Technology and Policy, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Systems Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Sabrina has been working for more than 12 years in the Space industry, from Engineering to Project Management up to Strategy and Business development for New Business Initiatives. She was the Head of On-Orbit Servicing for Thales Alenia Space from 2020 before joining ClearSpace in 2023 where she is now the Managing Director for ClearSpace Luxembourg. Sabrina has a Master of Telecommunications and holds several awards such as the Trophy of the Women in Industry as a promising newcomer in 2017 and the Stars of Europe award in 2019 with her work with European Projects. In 2021, she gave a TedX talk in Cannes titled ” Space Pollution: are we really going to make this mistake?” She is currently one of the French major broadcast “TF1” experts on space topics.

James Black is European Lead for Space, and Deputy Director at RAND Europe, the European arm of RAND, the world’s largest non-profit policy research institute and the original home of game theory and deterrence research. His research has supported development of the UK’s National Space Strategy and Defence Space Strategy, and related joint warfighting concepts, as well as conducting other classified and unclassified studies for national MODs, MFAs and space agencies across NATO Member States, Australia, Japan, and Ukraine, along with EU (EDA, DG DEFIS, Parliament) and NATO institutions. His focus areas include strategic competition, deterrence and escalation management, including around dual-use systems; the evolving contribution of space to multi-domain operations; lessons from Ukraine; and the development of small and middle powers’ space (and counterspace) capabilities to contribute to collective defence and deterrence. He has also briefed national parliaments, high-level conferences, and international media, as well as United Nations OEWG negotiations on responsible space behaviours. He was previously a non-resident NATO 2030 Fellow and prior to joining RAND he worked in UK Parliament and at Transparency International’s Defence and Security Programme.

Dr. Michael P. Gleason Senior Space Policy Analyst: Center for Space Policy and Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation Michael “Mick” Gleason is a well-regarded author on space policy subjects including the value of space to society, space security and defense, space arms control, space traffic management, and European Union space ambitions. He has presented his research on critical space policy issues at conferences in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and across the United States. Gleason has extensive experience in meteorological, telecommunication, and Earth observation satellite operations. Gleason’s career included stints on the U.S. Air Force Academy faculty, at the Pentagon, and at the U.S. Department of State. Gleason holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from George Washington University (GWU) and is an alumnus of the GWU Space Policy Institute.

Sabrina currently serves as Space Lead within the SnT Technology Transfer Office at the University of Luxembourg, where she supports the translation of space technologies into real-world applications. She is also the Founder and CEO of Matter Space and Defence and previously served as a Director leading KPMG’s EU Space Practice, working across government, institutions, and industry on a wide range of space and defence initiatives. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Physics, Sabrina entered the space sector through a Master’s at the International Space University in Strasbourg. Her career includes roles at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the European Space Agency (ESA/EAC), before she specialised in sustainability within the space sector and completed an MBA. She has held senior roles at SES Satellites and BDO, where she established and led new departments. Sabrina is also Chair of the Space and Defence Working Group at the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg. Alongside her professional work, she is actively engaged in education and sustainability, lecturing on space and sustainability at institutions including the International Space University, EPFL, the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (EIIS), Leiden University, and institutions across the UK. She has also served as Technical Manager for Space4Climate, a group chaired by the UK Space Agency, and is a mentor for the UN Space4Women programme.

Dr. Emma Gatti is a planetary scientist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge and a postdoc from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech. Since 2018, she has worked as an independent space analyst and journalist. She is a visiting professor of Space Communication and Geopolitics at the AGH University of Krakow and, since 2026, the European correspondent for SpaceNews.

Anna Purkhauser is a Manager at Novaspace in Munich, advising institutional and defense stakeholders on space policy, capability planning, and strategic innovation. She coordinates the firm’s global defense and security activities and leads key projects, including the Space Defence and Security Market Intelligence Report. Her work focuses on leveraging space capabilities for defense, with particular emphasis on strategic space posture, commercial resilience, and space threat assessment. She brings together commercial, institutional, and operational perspectives to help defense actors make effective use of the evolving space ecosystem. Anna holds a PhD in Space Engineering from TU Munich and has more than five years of consulting experience at the intersection of space, defense, and innovation.

Nicolas Moulin-Fournier is Chief Product Officer at Look Up Space, a European company specialized in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA). He leads the development of Look Up’s operational solutions combining sovereign radar capabilities, space surveillance, and multi-source data fusion to support safer and more secure space operations. With extensive experience in digital products, data platforms, and operational intelligence, Nicolas focuses on transforming complex space data into actionable insights for commercial, institutional, and defence stakeholders facing the growing challenges of an increasingly congested and contested orbital environment.

Nik took over as the General Manager of Slingshot International in February 2026. Before taking on this position, he was the UK and European lead for Lockheed Martin Space, responsible for the growth of the business in the region. He was also a member of the Lockheed Martin UK Executive Leadership team and was a member of the Board. Prior to that Nik served in the Royal Air Force which included time as a spacecraft operations officer as well tours in operations, acquisition, policy and defence engagement.