Christian Maender serves as the Director of In-Space Manufacturing and Research at Axiom Space. Mr. Maender has over 18 years of human spaceflight experience with key leadership roles in planning, design, technical integration and execution of microgravity research and technology demonstrations on the International Space Station (ISS).

He has extensive history working with a variety of customers implementing diverse strategies to expand the commercialization of the ISS and bring commercial in-space research and manufacturing services into the ISS National Lab.

Mr. Maender is the recipient of numerous awards including the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal. Mr. Maender earned his B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University.

Dr. Oren Milstein is CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of StemRad, an Israeli-American company that develops, manufactures and sells personal protective equipment (PPE) for ionizing radiation.  It is the world's only company producing PPE intended to protect users from high energy ionizing radiation and the first to employ selective shielding in its products. Dr. Milstein co-founded StemRad in November of 2011, shortly after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. Formerly, Dr. Milstein was an EMBO fellow at NYU’s Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, where his research provided basic insights into the mechanism of T cell activation. Later in his career, as an NIH fellow at the Scripps Research Institute, he discovered a novel mechanism for iron deficiency anemia. Subsequently, Oren focused his research on radiation-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Dr. Milstein received his Ph.D. degree from The Weizmann Institute of Science in 2008, where he developed novel strategies for successful bone marrow transplantation into irradiated subjects. He received his B.Sc., Magna Cum Laude, from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His research has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications and patents.

Jessica U. Meir was selected by NASA in 2013. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Brown University, a Master of Science in Space Studies from the International Space University, and a Doctorate in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UCSD). From 2000 to 2003, Dr. Meir worked for Lockheed Martin’s Human Research Facility, supporting human physiology research. During this time, she also participated in research flights on NASA’s reduced gravity aircraft and served as an aquanaut in an underwater habitat for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO). Meir most recently served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 61 and 62. Jessica was selected among 18 NASA astronauts to form the Artemis Team. This team will help pave the way for the next astronaut missions on and around the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

Dr Munsami holds a PhD in Physics, a Masters of Business Leadership, a Space Studies Program Diploma, and a Certificate in International Air, Space and Telecommunications Law. He worked in South Africa’s Secretariat for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, managed the implementation of a suite of bilateral and multilateral science and technology agreements, involved in the development of South Africa’s National Space Strategy and National Space Policy, and oversaw the establishment of South African National Space Agency (SANSA). On winning the bid in 2012 to co-host the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), the biggest radio astronomy project in the world, he became the Chief Specialist for Astronomy and African Space Science. In this role, he led the development of South Africa’s Multi-Wavelength Astronomy Strategy and the SKA Readiness Strategy for Africa.

He also chaired the African Union Space Working Group, which was tasked with the development of the African Space Policy and the African Space Strategy that was approved by the African Union Heads of State in January 2016. As of January 2017, he has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SANSA. He is currently a member of the South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA) and was the Vice President of the International Astronautic Federation (IAF). He is inducted as an academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and sits on the Advisory Boards of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and the UAE’s International Space Congress. He also Chairs the Committee of Heads of Organisations of Research and Technology (COHORT), which comprises of 21 science and technology institutions in South Africa.

Anthony Murfett is Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency. Anthony has oversight of strategy, policy and day-to-day operations and supports the Agency Head in monitoring the performance of the Agency. He ensures the Agency delivers on its purpose to transform and grow a globally respected Australian space industry that contributes to the economy.

Anthony has worked as Minister Counsellor, Industry, Science and Education at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. He has also been General Manager of the Growth Centres Branch in the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science in Canberra.

Anthony brings an entrepreneurial spirit to the Agency, valuing partnerships while drawing strength from diversity and pushing the boundaries of our knowledge.

Mr. G. Narayanan

Chairman & Managing Director

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering and holds a Master’s Degree in Machine
Design.

Joined ISRO in 1983 and served in several capacities, both at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
(LPSC).

His areas of activity were primarily related to Manufacturing, Materials, Quality
assurance and Systems Reliability of various Liquid Rocket Propulsion Engines
and Stages. He relinquished charge as Dy Director, Systems Reliability &
Quality Assurance (SRQA) of LPSC during January 2020 to assume his current
position.

Had worked in Moscow, Russia as part of an ISRO program.

Had also served as First Secretary (Space) at the Embassy of India in Paris,
France and ISRO Technical Liaison Officer for Europe for over 4 years on a
Diplomatic assignment.

Had represented India in various international fora including the United Nations
Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, UN Conference on disarmament,
UNESCO, OECD, the International Space University, etc.

He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Vikram A Sarabhai Trust
(VAST) established by the Department of Space, Government of India.
He is a recipient of the ISRO Merit Award.

He took over as the Chairman & Managing Director of NewSpace India Limited,
(NSIL) a Government of India Enterprise under the Department of Space, on
31st of January 2020.

He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India) and a Member of various
other professional bodies.

Dr. Deganit Paikowsky is a researcher and lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and a non-resident scholar at the Space Policy Institute of the Elliott School for Foreign Affairs, George Washington University. She also serves as a Vice President at the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) o  behalf of the Israel Space Agency. In 2017, Cambridge University Press published her book “The Power of the Space Club”, considered by many as fundamental reading for global space policy researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.

Dr. Paikowsky formerly served as a senior fellow with the Strategy and Capacity Building Division of the Israel National Cyber Directorate and Managing Coordinator of several national committees defining Israel's civil space policy. She also held the position of academic director for the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology, and Security at Tel-Aviv University, where she developed the research portfolio of Global Space Activity and Global Cyber Activity

Before becoming Governor General, Julie Payette was an astronaut, engineer, scientific broadcaster and corporate director.

From 1992 to 2013, Ms. Payette worked as an astronaut and flew two missions in space. She also served many years as CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator) at NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, and was Chief Astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency.

She is well respected for her work in developing policies to promote science and technology. From 2011 to 2013, she worked as a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., and was appointed scientific authority for Quebec in the United States. Between July 2013 and October 2016, she served as Chief Operating Officer of the Montréal Science Centre.

Ms. Payette is active in multiple facets of the community. She has produced several scientific outreach short programs on Radio-Canada and is a member of McGill University’s Faculty of Engineering Advisory Board. She has served on the boards of the Montréal Science Centre Foundation, Robotique FIRST Québec, Drug Free Kids Canada, and the Montreal Bach Festival. She has long served on the board of Own The Podium, a granting organization dedicated to high performance sport in Canada, and was recently appointed to the International Olympic Committee Women in Sport Commission. She has served as a director of Développement Aéroport Saint-Hubert de Longueuil and of the National Bank of Canada.

Ms. Payette is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and a fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics. She obtained an International Baccalaureate from the United World College of the Atlantic in the United Kingdom, a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from McGill University and a Master of Applied Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto. In addition, Ms. Payette can converse in six languages, holds a commercial pilot license and is an administratrice de sociétés certifiée (ASC is equivalent to the Institute of Corporate Directors, Director [ICD.D] designation).

The recipient of many distinctions and 28 honorary doctorates, Ms. Payette was first invested into the Order of Canada in 2010, and is a Knight of the Ordre national du Québec.

Elly joined Utilis in 2015. Before, he founded Progressive Labs and served as the CEO, providing an innovative SAAS based software solution for retailers worldwide. Elly served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Pageflex Inc., a US based company, operating from Marlborough MA, provides web based branding, document compassion engines and campaign  management solutions. Elly has a vast knowledge in Theory of Constraints having served as a consultant at the Goldratt Group. Prior to that, Elly served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Press-sense Ltd., a web-based software management systems provider.

Elly Holds a Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) from University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Wharton business school and School of Engineering & Applied Science as well as a Law degree (L.L.B) and a Business degree from the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzlia, Israel.

Gil Pelleg, Israeli Space Agency Senior Advisor on Strategy and International Cooperation.

Gil is the Senior Advisor for Strategy and International Cooperation at ISA, his team is responsible for all international cooperation on science, education as well as commercial endeavors. Gil holds a long and distinguished track record of international cooperation and diplomacy; starting from the US based Seeds of Peace high-school program, through his tenure at the Israeli Air Force as Head of International Exercises and until his commercial activities today at private and public companies. Gil Holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business with a Certificate in Public Policy and a BA in Management, Government and Aviation Sciences from the Ben-Gurion University. Gil is also an active Major in the Israeli Air Force reserve.

Simonetta Di Pippo is Director of UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), a position which sees her lead the Office’s strategic, policy and programmatic activities and advising the UN Secretary-General on space affairs. Prior to joining UNOOSA, she served as Director of Human Spaceflight at the European Space Agency, and previously also as Director of the Observation of the Universe at the Italian National Space Agency, ASI. She is an Academician of IAA and a member of WEF Global Future Council on Space Technologies since 2016 and its co-chair since 2020.  She co-founded Women in Aerospace Europe in 2009 and in 2017 became a UN International Gender Champion.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Astrophysics and Space Physics from University “La Sapienza”, and Honoris Causa Degree in Environmental Studies, and an Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor in International Affairs. Ms. Di Pippo was knighted by the President of the Italian Republic in 2006 and, in 2008, the International Astronomical Union assigned the name "dipippo" to asteroid 21887 in recognition of her efforts in space exploration. She was also featured in a publication HERstory: A Celebration of Leading Women in the United Nations, a tribute to women’s participation in the development of the UN. Among other awards, she was awarded the Hubert Curien Award in 2018 as the first woman laureate.

Chris Quilty is the founder and a partner of Quilty Analytics. Prior to establishing Quilty Analytics in 2016, Chris served as a sell side research analyst with Raymond James for 20 years, publishing hundreds of company-specific, macro, sector, and thematic research reports on the industrial, defense, space, wireless, and communications industries. Chris is widely acknowledged as a thought leader in Satellite & Space ecosystem. Chris received a BS degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1989 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1994.

Raphael Roettgen, CFA, invests in space companies at E2MC Ventures. He is also the author of “Hoch Hinaus”, an introductory book on space business, the host of the Space Business Podcast, and a contributing editor of Spacewatch. Global. Previously, Raphael has held senior roles at global investment banks and hedge funds and was also a fintech entrepreneur in Brazil. He holds degrees in finance from Wharton, machine learning from PUC-Rio and space studies from the International Space University, as well as the CFA and FRM charters.