Raising a Glass to the 20 Under 35 of 2020
Taylor Kerl, Systems Engineer, Maxar Technologies
Taylor joined Maxar in 2017 after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nebraska — Lincoln. Taylor quickly distinguished herself upon joining Maxar, becoming the propulsion mission operations lead for both bi-propellant and electric propulsion subsystems. She has since supported orbit raising for more than twelve geostationary spacecraft, including long-duration electric orbit raising. Taylor served as the lead electric propulsion systems engineer for the NASA Psyche spacecraft that will embark on a deep space mission to a metallic asteroid. In this position, she developed, validated and delivered a new electric propulsion subsystem that utilizes high power hall-effect stationary plasma thrusters (SPTs) that serve as the primary propulsion element for the deep space mission. Most recently, Taylor has stepped in as the interim Project Manager for two NASA Tipping Point studies that aim to mature electric propulsion system capability for flight on NASA’s Power and Propulsion Element mission. Read more here
Brittany Zajic, Business Development and Disaster Response Operations Lead, Planet Labs Inc.
Brittany is a natural disaster research scientist turned businesswoman. She brings 6 years of geospatial industry experience to Planet, working across both public and private sectors, including several years in the Earth Science Division at NASA. In her current role at Planet, she manages the Disaster Data Program, providing first responders access to Planet imagery in the event of large disaster events to accelerate humanitarian and disaster response. As a member of the business development team, she is also responsible for the development of key partnerships and research of new markets that will help the company achieve target objectives. Brittany manages Planet’s natural disaster and humanitarian response operations and oversees Planet’s Disaster Data program. Planet has responded to over 100 natural disasters under Brittany’s management, saving lives and helping countless people around the world more quickly recover from disasters. Read more here
Brittany Zimmerman, Aerospace Engineer, Paragon Space Development
Brittany has spent 30 years working on expanding her breadth of skills to build a synergy of competencies to achieve her lifetime goal: organizational success through bettering the conditions of humanity. She takes the old philosophy of leaving the world a better place than you found it to the next level. In her most recent of many ventures, Brittany is implementing her multidisciplinary expertise of space systems to simplify complexities and make life support technologies easily accessible and affordable for terrestrial humanity. For this and other projects, she is seeking partners and investors. To continually diversify her activities and skills, she has opened a new location to a 501(c)(3) where she acts as Board Member and Director of Operations for a nonprofit which ensures safety and education to cross-cultural youth in California and Arizona. Brittany joined Paragon Space Development as an Aerospace Systems Engineer in 2016 after completing two internships at IEWC and Rockwell Automation as well as serving as an Aerospace Systems Engineer at Rockwell Collins, where she worked on design and architecture of the Bombardier Global cockpit system. Read more here
Harriet Brettle, Head of Business Analysis, Astroscale
Harriet joined Astroscale after gaining experience in a variety of fields, including planetary science research, finance experience at the Federal Reserve in New York, and public outreach with the Planetary Society in London. In her current role as Head of Business Analysis at Astroscale, she works to develop commercial solutions to the threat of space debris. Harriet leads a small team at Astroscale to define, model, and analyze the business case for future commercial and institutional debris removal services, a core component of the company’s mission to support space safety and long-term space sustainability. She collaborates extensively with engineering, policy, and other divisions to develop interdisciplinary consensus for Astroscale’s future strategy. Read more here
Reina Buenconsejo, PhD Student, Chemistry Department, California Institute of Technology
Reina is a PhD student in the Chemistry Department at the California Institute of Technology after completing her undergraduate studies in chemistry at Pomona College. Her undergraduate thesis explored the formation of organic matter and its implications for atmospheric chemistries on Titan. In her current program, Reina studies the role of volatile chemical products (VPCs) in air quality, with a specific focus on developing photooxidation mechanisms for VCPs leading up to formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). She spent three years as a Science Policy Fellow at the Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) before entering her PhD program, where she contributed to tasks on domestic and international science and technology policy issues for federal agencies, including the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, NASA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Defense. Read more here
Bethany Downer, Public Information Officer, European Space Agency — Hubble Space Telescope
Bethany works with a variety of space and astronomy organizations around the world as a communications and public outreach professional. In her role as Public Information Officer for the Hubble Space Telescope for the European Space Agency, she manages public outreach and press for the Hubble Space Telescope on its European page (SpaceTelescope.org). Bethany works closely with NASA and the space Telescope Science Institute to highlight European contributions to the Hubble mission by producing and coordinating press releases, pictures of the week and regular announcements as well as directing the popular Hubblecast documentary shorts. She is the primary contact for scientists, press and the public regarding ESA/Hubble questions, interviews and the coordination of releases with other institutions. As of January 2021, Bethany will become the Chief Communications Officer for the Hubble Space Telescope for the ESA. Read more here
James Farrell, Associate Technical Fellow, Boeing Space and Launch
James is an expert on high power radio frequency (RF) effects for high altitude and space applications. These effects include multipactor, ionization breakdown, passive intermodulation and thermal power handling, and all of them present critical risks to space platforms. James is frequently called on by program managers, chief engineers and mission assistance leaders to consult on high power RF topics. In his role as an Associate Technical Fellow, James works in the antenna and passive microwave department, where he provides technical leadership on programs for commercial/government satellites, manned spaceflight and launch vehicles. Since joining Boeing, he has supported dozens of space programs, solved numerous anomalies, performed difficult tests, managed complex technical designs and developments and set many programs on the right course in design reviews. Read more here
Giulia Federico, Co-Founder, Space Products and Innovation GmbH (SPiN)
Giulia co-founded Space Products and Innovation GmbH (SPiN), a German-based startup that enables satellites to be built like legos through a universal plug-and-play adapter. SPiN’s universal adapter, MA61C, transforms incompatible off-the-shelf components to plug-and-play, reducing design costs by 50%, production costs by 30%, and integration time by a year.In November of 2019, Giulia won the NewSpace Europe competition and led the SPiN team to become a portfolio company of the Techstars acceleration program for Allied space. While serving at SPiN, Giulia also works as Member States coordinator for the Outreach Office of the European Space Agency (ESA). She is described by her colleagues as possessing a can-do attitude and friendly smile capable of handling all types of challenges, from large event management to talking to high-level investors to discuss business, even with prime large satellite companies such as Airbus. Read more here
George John, Associate, Hogan Lovells
George’s space obsession stemmed from his frustrations with the insufficient connectivity options available to his family in India and the resulting limited interactions. Researching potential solutions revealed some eye-catchers: nearly three to four billion individuals lack access to basic broadband internet, and perhaps only satellites can meaningfully close this digital divide. What later sealed the deal was his viewing of the Leonardo DiCaprio-narrated Hubble 3D and Whoopi Goldberg’s Journey to the Stars. Both stories featured the endless possibilities for space-based technologies bettering lives on Earth. At Hogan Lovells, George now supports myriad space-related ventures, including helping companies obtain National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration remote sensing licenses and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) radiofrequency (RF) licenses for broadband and Internet-of-Things connectivity, meteorological and land surface monitoring, hosted payload, and on-orbit satellite servicing solutions. Read more here
Pierre-Alexis Joumel, Business Growth Manager, Airbus Defence and Space
Pierre-Alexis joined the Airbus Group in 2011 after completing a Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business. He began as a Strategy Manager in the Innovation Department in France before going on to become R&T Manager in Canada, where he led the creation of the Airbus Innovation Center in the country. Pierre-Alexis then joined the Intelligence Division as a KAM in Canada and as Future Programs Manager in Germany, where he developed business cases and partnerships for the next generation of radar satellites. He recently joined the Sales & Marketing Department as a Business Growth Manager for Space Systems and is now responsible for the Asian and North American regions. As part of this shift in focus, he completed an Executive MBA at ESCP Business School in 2019. Before joining Airbus, Pierre-Alexis worked at the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), where he contributed to the organization of a global space conference in China, and at Thales, where he worked as a consultant for the Contract Department. Read more here
Adnan Al Muhairi, Deputy Chief Technical Officer, Yahsat
Adnan has more than 15 years of industry experience in leading end-to-end delivery of satellite systems. He has led the development of advanced communication solutions for a wide variety of verticals and geographies. Adnan received an MBA from the Global Executive Program at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a Bachelor’s of Science in Avionics/Engineering Management from the Higher College of Technology in Dubai. He also completed an intensive course in satellite systems engineering in South Korea and a masterclass training in frequency coordination at RPC Telecommunications before joining Yahsat. Adnan is described by colleagues as a leader that everyone looks up to, who always finds time in his busy schedule to respond to others in need of guidance. He has instilled his own enthusiasm and passion in those around him, resulting in Yahsat’s Technology Division becoming a well-knit and highly productive unit, in spite of comprising members from many nationalities and backgrounds. Read more here
Dr. Tobias Niederwieser, Research Associate, BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado Boulder
Tobias has received degrees in aerospace engineering all the way up to the doctoral level from universities across the world, including Germany, Israel and the United States. During and after completing his studies, he has put his knowledge to use in developing different types of complex hardware for the International Space Station (ISS). Tobias was responsible for key elements of the development of the Space Automated Biproduct Lab (SABL), of which three are currently operational onboard ISS and have been for over five years. These smart incubators are hosting on average over 12 experiments per year to for example search for novel pathways as potential cures and preventative measures for osteoporosis and cancer, as well as for cardiac cell and stem cell research. Tobias also took a leadership role in the development of the Animal Enclosure Module-ECLSS (AEM-E), a life support system for Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft to allow the transport of up to 40 rodents as part of NASA’s resupply flights towards the ISS on a regular basis. Read more here
Joost van Oorschot, Founder and CEO, Maana Electric SA
Joost is a serial entrepreneur with more than eight years of experience in the software and space industry. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Economics from the University of Utrecht and later pursued a Master’s degree in Space Studies at the International Space University. While still studying for his Bachelor’s, Joost founded his first company at the age of 21, a company that developed music algorithms for analyzing music preferences in groups. From there, he went on to found another company focused on Artificial Intelligent heat mapping of cities utilizing satellite imagery. Joost worked for a space venture capital firm while studying for his Master’s at ISU, and using his experience there, he went on to found his newspace company Maana Electric in 2018. Maana Electric uses In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies to produce fully functional solar panels using only locally available resources. Read more here
Melissa Orlick, Director of Maritime Communications, Isotropic Networks, Inc.
Melissa Orlick joined Isotropic Networks, Inc. (Isotropic) in 2011, and is the driving force behind the converged communications provider’s maritime division. Being dedicated to providing the best customer service, from sales to technical support, Melissa has always been ever focused on understanding the unique requirements of her clients in the seafaring community. Within two years of joining Isotropic, Melissa was able to use this mastery to quickly build a network of cross-functional relationships with numerous businesses and dealer partners across the maritime industry. These relationships continue to contribute to Isotropic’s ability to always meet all clients’ needs, and allow Melissa to create tailored service plans that are uniquely both flexible and affordable. Melissa then leveraged her network of industry partners to form Isotropic’s yachting division. In the seven years since she created the division, Isotropic’s maritime market has grown from a handful of vessels to more than one hundred in operation. Read more here
Nicholas Puschman, Associate, Bird & Bird LLP
In his career to date, Nicholas has worked in roles that have allowed him to learn and be actively involved in the space sector and advise on the impact of law and regulation on industry decision-making. In his current role as an Associate in the London office of international law firm, Bird & Bird LLP, Nicholas has worked with both commercial and government clients on complex areas of law and regulation, from compliance with satellite and telecoms regulations, assisting in contract negotiations to advising governments on the creation of national space laws. In addition to recently being seconded to a global satellite operator — and gaining an invaluable insight into the needs of the satellite industry from the inside — Nicholas’ legal experience has also included working with organizations in sectors related to space and satellite, including telecoms, aviation, aerospace and defense. Prior to Bird & Bird, Nicholas worked in a specialist consultancy firm in London, advising space and satellite clients on policy and regulatory matters, including spectrum licensing, the implications of Brexit and export control. Read more here
Sahith Reddy Madara, Aerospace Research Engineer — Cube Satellite Lab, Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST), University of Sharjah (UoS)
Sahith has brought his passion for connecting and empowering individuals to advance the future space economy to many organizations in his years of study. He began as a Graduate Engineer Trainee at Collins Aerospace (A Part of United Technologies Corporation), then went on to become an Aerospace Research Engineer Apprentice at Masdar Institute (iEnergy) at Khalifa University, a Production/Design & Quality Engineer Apprentice at Hydro Middle East (Oil & Gas), an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Apprentice at Air India Engineering Services Limited, and an AME On Job Training at Emirates Aviation Services before taking on his current position as an Aerospace Research Engineer in the Cube Satellite Lab at the University of Sharjah. Sahith is a B. Tech Aerospace Engineering graduate (Gold Medalist) from Amity University in Dubai, UAE, and is also currently pursuing an Advanced Master’s in Aerospace Systems Engineering at the ISAE SUPAERO (National Higher French Institute of Aeronautics and Space) in Toulouse, France. In his current role, he is working on the development of Sharjah’s 1st 3U Astronomical Cube-Satellite named Sharjah-Sat-1 — for observing solar coronal holes and bright X-ray sources in our galaxy in collaboration with the Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. Read more here
Manny Shar, Head of Analytics, Bryce Space and Technology
Manny Shar is the Head of Analytics at Bryce Space & Technology, leading consulting engagements for government and commercial clients. As Bryce’s first international employee, he has built up Bryce’s European presence into a successful, revenue-generating business. He has managed and executed numerous space and satellite projects, providing business and technology analytics to a wide variety of clients throughout the space industry. Manny provides expert guidance on a range of space and satellite topics with extensive international experience, bringing a deep understanding of how government and commercial markets are shaped, drawing on an interdisciplinary understanding of and specialty in satellite applications, spaceflight and launch markets, strategy development, and regulatory and policy issues. In addition, Manny has been involved with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), having represented Bryce at the IAF General Assembly, Spring Meetings, and is an appointed member of the IAF Entrepreneurship and Investment Committee. Read more here
Dr. Jeffrey Stuart, Technologist/GNC Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jeff joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) after completing his Ph.D., Master’s of Science, and Bachelor’s of Science at Purdue University. In his current role, he has taken on the position of Mission Design and Navigation (MDNav) lead for NASA’s upcoming heliophysics smallsat formation mission SunRISE. Jeff was chosen for this role in spite of only being at JPL for six years at the time due to his demonstrations of competence, dependability, and integrity in both technical contributions and teamwork. The SunRISE mission involves a coordinated formation of six cubesats in GEO, forming a space-based radio interferometer. The aim of the mission is to characterize the formation and evolution of coronal mass ejections in order to better understand and predict hazardous space weather events. Jeff delivered critical mission designs, reference trajectories, orbit determination schemes and deployment and station-keeping strategies for the mission early on, which helped JPL win the mission proposal and led to his being named lead. Read more here
Derek Thompson, PhD, Lead Propulsion Systems Engineer, Phase Four
Derek is an experimental plasma physicist, who has completed more than a decade of energy and aerospace plasma physics research. In his current role at Phase Four, he works to optimize the company’s compact, high-performance radiofrequency thrusters (RFTs) for use with next-generation propellants, such as air and water. These propellants push the boundaries of what is possible on Earth and in space and unlock a range of new mission possibilities, like atmosphere-breathing spacecraft that can refuel in low orbit indefinitely. Before joining Phase Four, Derek conducted research on plasma turbulence, novel diagnostics and plasma-material interactions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Chicago, a Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Ph.D. in Plasma Physics from West Virginia University. While working on his Ph.D., Derek was awarded the Oleg D. and Valentina P. Jefimenko Fellowship for advancing physics research. Read more here
Fatmah Al Yammahi, Senior Engineer, Yahsat
Fatmah received her degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from RMIT University in Australia. After graduation, she began working for Yahsat in 2013 as the first Flight Dynamics Engineer from the Middle East, where she quickly gained experience and in-depth knowledge of flight dynamics by maintaining Yahsat’s satellites within their orbital positions. In her current role as Senior Engineer, Fatmah is responsible for calculating the satellites’ orbits, ensuring they are a safe distance from other satellites and planning maneuvers to ensure the longest possible satellite lifetimes, focusing on optimum propellant usage. She also manages flight dynamics system design, development and testing for Yahsat’s next generation of satellites. Her colleagues are consistently impressed with her quick thinking, exemplary leadership skills and generous spirit, as she is always available to help and support them, as well as train junior engineers in her department. When Yahsat launched its third satellite, Al Yah 3, into orbit, Fatmah played a critical role in ensuring successful delivery from the beginning to end of the project. Read more here