Satellite constellation bandwidth requirements can be greatly reduced using innovative approaches to Earth station architectures. With several new constellations approaching implementation, what role can intersatellite communications (optical, laser or otherwise), ground/terminals and high-speed terrestrial ground station interconnection play in optimizing operations? With worldwide networks involving thousands of satellites, what’s new in the area of distributed systems networks and how can the market be expected to grow in the near future?
Chris Stott
Chris Stott is the founder, Chair and CEO of ManSat, the world’s first, and now largest, commercial satellite spectrum firm and was also key in founding the multi-billion dollar space and satellite industry on the Isle of Man. He is presently Chair of the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), the largest professional association in the global space and satellite industry. He was named Celton Businessman of the year in 2010.
A founder of the International Institute of Space Commerce, he is also a passionate activist for STEM & STEAM education serving as faculty at the ISU and on the University’s Main Board and with the Conrad Foundation, Challenger Centers, and the United Space School. At ISU he teaches entrepreneurialism, networking, and other business topics and is a past Co-Chair of the School of Management and Business. He also teaches on the TED Fellows program.
Chris is also a co-founder of the Manna Energy Foundation and Geeks Without Frontiers, focused on bringing clean energy, clean water and clean telecoms (the ‘worldwide well’) to the developing world via sustainable enterprise, and recently completed the world’s first IEEE Certified Open Source 80211s Mesh Networks protocols with the support of Google, RIM, Microsoft, Laptop Per Child, Global Connect, and Nokia.
Chris serves on the Board of the AMAR US Foundation, having worked with Baroness Nicholson on AMAR in the early 1990s when AMAR was first founded. Chris was then working in the House of Commons for Emma when she was a Member of Parliament, having come to this position from interning and volunteering in the US Senate and on at a senior level on two US Presidential Campaigns.
He is a published author and produces the occasional movie, with three projects currently under work. His work has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Financial Times, Le Monde, the BBC, and Wired Magazine. A fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Member of the Reform Club, and the International Institute of Space Law, Chris is also a TED’ster and TEDx Curator (ISU, Douglas, and Sugarland).
After working in executive positions with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Chris left Lockheed Martin in 2000 to become an entrepreneur in the space industry before it was trendy.
Born on the Isle of Man, Chris is a now an American Citizen by choice (having read way too much Jefferson). He resides in Houston, Texas with his wife, retired NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott, and their son. He is a keen shot (skeet, trap, pistol and rifle), SCUBA diver, and is currently working on his Rotor (Helicopter) pilot’s license.
Rob Call
Rob is Director Business Development in the Satellite Management Services division of SSC Space US, Inc. Prior to joining SSC, Rob was one of the earliest employees at Pumpkin (2008), where he evangelized the elevation of CubeSats from kits to turnkey spacecraft for sophisticated government customers.
He is versed in spacecraft design, manufacture, launch and operations, as well as ground station services. Rob managed Pumpkin’s programs for the government, as well as Pumpkin’s 6U SUPERNOVA-Beta mission, which was launched in 2015.
Rob began his career at Bain & Company in Palo Alto, Boston and Moscow offices. While in the former Soviet Union, Rob developed large, highly profitable consumer products businesses.
He brought his pioneering energy to space, challenging convention and business models. His interest in space, his interest in Russia, and in international cooperation all stem from one event: Apollo-Soyuz.
A graduate of Stanford University, he completed dual majors in Economics and Russian Literature. He later earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Rob is driven by units which are measured in dollars rather than in milliamps or micro-radians and believes that human capital, not technology, is what makes the world better.
He holds a current amateur radio license and SCUBA certificates as well as expired sky-diving credentials. He speaks fluent Russian and is a fan of Mariinskiy ballet. Rob and his wife lives in the Bay Area and enjoy frequent travel to friends around the world.
David Gelerman
Mr. Gelerman is a visionary engineer, innovator and businessman with over 40 years of experience. In 1988, Mr. Gelerman founded Advantech Wireless Inc., serving as President and CEO for the last 30 years. Steering the company from start-up to becoming a dominant global player in the satellite ground communication business, both in radio frequency and networking. Through organic growth and acquisition, the company became one of the largest exporters in Quebec.
In 2018, after the acquisition of the radio frequency business by Baylin, Mr. Gelerman carries on forward with the Satellite Networking business, keeping in tradition and with continued strengths as a best-in-class industry leader, leading the pace of innovation with one of the most advanced VSAT satellite network platforms.
Prior to founding the company, Mr. Gelerman held various management and design engineering positions at Nortel Networks, in the Transmission Networks Division, where he led teams that developed several multibillion dollar microwave terrestrial radio systems.
Mr. Gelerman holds a Master’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE), specializing in Wireless Communications and Broadcasting.
Shayn Hawthorne
Mr. Shayn Hawthorne works in the AWS Region Services Division as the Colorado Lead, Space Technical Lead, and General Manager of the AWS Ground Station service. In this role, Shayn works backward with commercial and Government space customers around the world. Shayn is focused on developing services and features that disrupt how space and intelligence operations are conducted and enabling space customers to share, fuse and leverage space data to improve their missions and products.
Prior to AWS, Shayn worked at the MITRE Corporation. In his last role, Shayn served as the Technical Director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), responsible for directing the engineering activities of MITRE engineers in support of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Program, Command and Control Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) System, the Ballistic Missile Defense Overhead Persistent Infrared Architecture (BOA) and the Midcourse Tracking System (MTS) and many other programs.
Previously, Shayn led the MDA Space Knowledge Center as the Technical Director, which performed independent technical assessments and evaluated experiments related to MDA space programs. In previous MITRE work efforts, Shayn has led Advanced Development efforts for Air Force space situational awareness, missile warning, and missile defense sensors, as well as the Command and Control (C2) systems and correlator/tracker systems responsible for detecting and tracking air, space and missile threats to the United States and Canada.
Additional MITRE efforts include developing the Satellite as a Sensor concept and leading the start-up of the Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting System. Shayn was personally requested to support DoD Space System Vulnerability analyses that led to the National Security Space Protection Policy. He also played a critical role in starting the Space Radar program, focusing on theater tasking and Ground Moving Target Indicator data.
As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Shayn volunteered to mobilize in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) and fielded a satellite protection system while leading the Defensive Counter-space Testbed (DTB). Shayn supported the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and Electronic Security Command (ESC) as an Active Duty Air Force Officer.
Shayn received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy and Master of Science Degree in Astronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Katherine D. Monson
Katherine Monson is the Head of KSAT USA for Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT). KSAT is a world-leading provider of ground station services for satellites, rocket launchers, and experimental spacecraft – supporting over 96% of commercial satellites launched into NGSO during the last two years. With over 50 years of experience, KSAT’s networktoday spans over 180 antennas at 20 ground station locations across the globe (including Pole to Pole coverage from Antarctica to the Arctic), and is constantly expanding. KSAT is proud to be the behind-the-scenes bridge back to earth, supporting the vast majority of space companies, agencies, and start-ups.
Katherine began her career in aerospace as an early member of Spire Global. During her tenure at Spire, Katherine led the Ground Station department, building out a global network of infrastructure to download data from the constellation of over forty spacecraft.
Prior to her work in aerospace, Katherine was a consultant for C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies, specializing in high-stakes negotiations and high-impact strategic partnerships. Her recent clients include The Coca-Cola Company, Deloitte, Thomson Reuters, and GlobalFoundries. Katherine began her career as a Fellow at the U.S. Department of Defense, where she supported International Negotiations around joint research and development efforts.
Katherine is an avid hiker, and enjoys learning new languages and exploring new places. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Steve Richeson
Steve Richeson joined Mission Microwave in 2017 and is responsible for the company’s global sales and marketing. He has over 30 years of Satellite and Radio Frequency (RF) experience in engineering and executive roles across the wireless and satellite communications industry including positions at: Harris Corporation, EchoStar, Scientific-Atlanta, GTE Spacenet International, Radiation Systems SATCOM Technologies, and Schlumberger. As a Schlumberger Field Engineer Steve launched the LOGNET service in the Gulf of Mexico with a portable VSAT terminal on a semi-submersible drilling platform – in 1986. This was the first commercial mobile VSAT system. Steve is a Senior Member of the IEEE and a Registered Professional Engineer. He earned his engineering degree at Georgia Tech and an MBA at Georgia State University.
Thomas Van den Driessche
Thomas Van den Driessche holds a Master’s degree in electronics and marketing from the University of Ghent. Thomas started out as a Product Manager in the broadcast and AV market and was awarded several times by leading organizations such as NAB, Infocomm, and Vanguard.
Over the past 18 years, he has been active in the broadcast and satellite markets. Thomas Van den Driessche has been with Newtec for eleven years and has held various positions. His latest roles include Sales and Business Development Director Europe, VP Market Strategy and Chief Commercial Officer. Since January 2017 Thomas is the CEO of Newtec.