It Began with a Dream
I guess if someone who worked for a company whose boss was sitting on a giant Roman Candle about to be launched into orbit by that commercial rocket and wasn’t happy about their holiday bonus, they might have mixed emotions.
But if that company was in the space and satellite industry, they would not! That is but one of the differences between our industry and others.
Since I have been in this industry, I have been inspired by the fact that mission and engagement come first to its professionals. In every admirable way, we are “old school,” even the New Space companies and people. These people are dreamers who see dreams realized every waking moment. And they work HARD to achieve them. Whether it’s Frank DeMauro talking about the MEV-1 success or Dr. Steve Hamburg realizing a dream to have a dedicated satellite launched and operational to track methane gas emissions – the “low-hanging fruit” for climate change remediation – the feeling is much the same.
As new Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Gladys West said at her induction, quoting from the title of her new book, “It began with a dream.” I am guessing Sir Richard and Blue Orbit’s Jeff Bezos can relate.
So can the hundreds of professionals of all ages who engage in SSPI events and programs throughout the year – and throughout their career. They use our events and their SSPI Chapter to reinforce and leverage in the best way the intelligent communities that educate them, mentor them, identify opportunities for them and help them to do deals. They also engage to celebrate. Joy is essential to a mission. You only need to spend one night at the Future Leaders Dinner or especially the Better Satellite World Awards Celebration to see how joyful this industry is. We like that part very much.
It is said that one cure for depression or frustration or whatever is bugging you is to go beyond yourself and do something for a greater cause. This is the basis of many successful organizations and people. It is especially true for those who engage through SSPI. Our causes are profound: to make the world better and to make OTHER worlds more familiar.
Our Promise Award recipients are driven dreamers who go beyond themselves. What has been most satisfying is to watch the SSPI networks become part of their professional and personal growth over time. Their successes or awards more times than not lead them to stay in the industry and then find ways to give back.
Where do the best dreams lead? In my conversation with Nicole Robinson, the (new) President of Ursa Space Systems and founder of SSPI-WISE, they led to Ithaca, New York. You can watch our conversation in A Career Journey with SSPI: Interview with Chair Nicole Robinson.
So as you look for ways to engage, look at our programs, ask me what you can do and most important: dream of a #bettersatelliteworld.
