‘There's a Lot More Left for Me to Do’ — Mynaric CCO Tina Ghataore is Just Getting Started

Tina Ghataore, Mynaric’s chief commercial officer and president of the company’s U.S. division, won the 2021 Satellite Executive of the Year award on the back of Mynaric’s impressive deal flow. Tasked with commercializing the company’s laser communication terminals after joining Mynaric in August 2020, Ghataore quickly signed on a host of government and commercial customers during one of the most uncertain and challenging times for the industry.

Ghataore sat down with Via Satellite to dig into the challenges and opportunities of commercializing laser communications. Ghataore is confident in the technology and her understanding of customer requirements that backs up the sales pitch. She will gladly "go head-to-head on tech and price” with competitors and asserts that Mynaric terminals will fly on a large-scale constellation — it’s a matter of when, not if.

With her decades-long career in the industry, Ghataore has been a part of large companies like Boeing and Yahsat, yet she thrives in the startup environment where she has had a chance to hand-pick her team and play a role in building company culture. “I don’t know if I would have this opportunity in a bigger company,” she says. I’ve thrived here because of the size of the company, the latitude I was afforded, the support I've had, and an incredible team.”

VIA SATELLITE: Congratulations on your Satellite Executive of the Year win. What does this award mean to you personally?

Ghataore: I didn't realize that I’d been in the industry for 25-plus years. To get this recognition, was one of those moments where I think "Someone was paying attention." That feels really good on a personal level.

Professionally, it reinforces that I didn't have to mold myself into someone I'm not. I’m an aerospace engineer, and this is how I look. When I started my career, there were some norms that were expected. Someone at a panel said it really well — women tend to stovepipe themselves. We don't talk about the fact that we're married or we have a child. All those thoughts were running through my head the last few weeks.

Getting this professional recognition by peers in the industry, in a company where I have been afforded the latitude to do what I can do without much interference, I really appreciate that. I have a broad runway, there isn't a box around me. I think there's a lot more left for me to do. Was this too early to win the award?

VIA SATELLITE: Mynaric has signed a lot of customers over the past two years. How have you gotten these customers to invest in an emerging technology?

Ghataore: The easier part for me and my team on the sales and business development side is to open the doors. We have the network, we can open doors. The harder part is convincing people to incorporate new tech.

We have an amazing founder and CTO in Joachim [Horwath] and he has a way of explaining how laser communication can add value to people's networks, in such simple terms that all of the physics become irrelevant [compared] to how he describes how this technology has turned into real products. In my early days of the company, every meeting that I had, making calls to large prime contractors, we were attached at the hip in terms of how we were pitching.

The trick is to really explain the product and the technology by understanding the use case for the customer. [Understanding the customer] is all the market development effort we did before you go in and close deals. The trick was to get the RFIs and RFPs in-house. But before you get those in house, it's all market development.

VIA SATELLITE: Who was more difficult to bring on — government or commercial customers?

Ghataore: I think commercial. Government, at least in the U.S., has paved the way and the adoption of this technology. I can't thank the Space Development Agency enough, and what Derek Tournear is doing, incorporating tech into their proliferated LEO [Low-Earth Orbit] tranches.

Commercial operators are coming on board with the tech. OneWeb Gen 2 is talking about it, Telesat is talking about it, and SpaceX has it on their satellites. It’s all about economics. But once they understand that their customer is also the U.S. government, or other governments, and they may need to incorporate interoperability across their networks — then you get those RFIs from the commercial side.

VIA SATELLITE: How critical have the Space Development Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [DARPA] been as partners and customers validating this technology?

Ghataore: They have been and continue to be very critical to our growth, because they are pushing the envelope. We're pushing them in terms of what the realm of the possible is with the tech, but we present it in a manner that is useful within their networks.

DARPA, for example, through Telesat Government Solutions, was our first win with our Condor Mk2 terminal. We're hoping that it will launch with the DARPA Blackjack program this year. Right on the heels of that is the SDA tranches. We are part of the Tranche 1 program through Northrop Grumman.

I have to give credit to Bulent [Altan] — he and Joachim have had a seat at the table with the SDA to develop the optical communication standard, without which we wouldn’t be seeing this market penetration. When I say a seat at the table, it's really defining the products that would operate within these parameters. You've got companies like Mynaric that are innovating on our own dime in our own time, and want to do higher throughput, etc. But we can see where other companies aren't quite there yet. The SDA has to come up with a standard that works for all. We will continue to push for more tech and more capability, but we know that others have to come up to that level. We are on the [test] table, inviting others to work with us from an interoperability standpoint. We set up labs in Germany, as well as here in California to do that.

VIA SATELLITE: What can laser communications enable in the future for proliferated, multi-orbit defense constellations?

Ghataore: In LEO, you’ve got the Earth observation community that takes great imagery in different spectrums. They are sitting on a bunch of imagery that they are unable to move, whether they need to process it and move it down. You throw on board one of our terminals, and now you can move that raw data down to the ground with an optical ground station on the ground.

The same group of companies can then move their data to a data relay system. This is where partners like SpaceLink come into play. So, you've got LEO and MEO [Medium-Earth Orbit] engaged. A GEO [Geostationary] spacecraft is great, because it's positioned over a particular region. You can now start seeing a connection between the orbits in terms of how data is moved. Our vision is connecting all the nodes. We've got airborne products and ground products. When you look at the defense sector, it's not just in the space realm, it's in the airborne realm. On the ground, it's both fixed and mobility vehicles. Where we want to go next is to help connect these nodes. That's the vision of how, through laser communication, we can connect the nodes, high throughput comms, security that’s really the value. Launch your constellations faster, you don't have to negotiate spectrum anywhere.

VIA SATELLITE: As this is a dual-use technology, talk to me about what types of businesses you are targeting in the commercial sector and what is different about the value proposition.

Ghataore: I think the commercial operators, at least in LEO, are starting to accept the need for this tech because they really want to pack in as much capacity on their birds because they're up against terabit GEO [capacity]. On the commercial side, we are looking at every constellation that is being talked about, whether it be a communication constellation or Earth observation constellation. We are focused on that sector.

It’s hard for small companies to say “no” to other creative missions that need laser communications, whether it's a lunar mission or a Mars mission, where we could deploy one of our products, but it might take a large team two to three years to work on. I don't know how our shareholders are going to feel about that. We're really focused on the volume. The volume doesn't have to be hundreds, it can be tens. I also believe there's room for multiple players. This is where interoperability is key. I will go head-to-head on tech and price with anyone, but let's get the product out there.

VIA SATELLITE: Will we see Mynaric on one of the large-scale, LEO constellations?

Ghataore: It's not a matter of if — it's when. We just have to polish our product. We believe we have a great product. We have aggressive pricing. We've invested our own dime, and we’re different there. I don't know of too many people who went public, then took a chunk of that money and put it to work in innovation and scaling our factories before we won orders. This is a risk you take, but it’s a calculated one when you believe in your product and team, and know you can build volume products. We’re seeing the results of that now.

VIA SATELLITE: Will lasers play a role in bridging the digital divide? Or do lasers make more sense for enterprise use cases?

Ghataore: Yes, it does [make more sense for enterprise]. It is the backbone of moving data and dropping it to points where you need it immediately. I like to describe it as a network backbone. Some of the newer constellations say that your handset can connect to a satellite. I would like to put my laser terminals on those networks to move traffic where they've got any congestion and then drop the traffic where they need to. But it's not a B2C proposition yet.

There is a B2B2C proposition we’re exploring in which you can put a laser terminal on a mobility platform like a cruise ship, that doesn’t have GEO capacity over it, and have ship-to-shore comms using lasers.

VIA SATELLITE: When will the first Mynaric terminal go to space?

Ghataore: The DARPA mission was scheduled for December last year, so we're at the mercy of when that program is ready to go. It is scheduled later this year, from what my team has said. We are also committed and publicly stated to deploy our first commercial Condor Mk3 terminal on the Capella Space program.

The great thing about working with a team like Capella is that culturally, we're a closer fit. They're nimble, they're agile. We are doing some early risk reduction activities with them by delivering a modem that they can incorporate into their satellites that they're manufacturing in San Francisco. Before the end of the year, we will deliver a flight model to Capella. Soon after that, we will have the deliveries of our terminals for the SDA Tranche 1 program.

There are other opportunities we're looking at to deploy our previous generation terminal to unique “things” that fly. We are looking at demonstrating space-to-air, so watch this space. And we are looking to enable comms on future human habitats. That’s just because I want to go up to a space station. That’s my secret mission.

VIA SATELLITE: That is a very exciting secret mission!

Ghataore: I'm going to put a terminal in a human habitat so I can go up there and communicate with all of you. Maybe one of these days we'll deliver the message to one of the billionaires and I could be a payload in space. I am going to take every public opportunity I can to talk about the fact that I am volunteering to be a payload into space!

VIA SATELLITE: What are the biggest barriers to the commercialization of laser terminals?

Ghataore: We're a German company with a subsidiary in the U.S., but look at my contracts. The U.S. is my big market. But I have that other big role that I'm supposed to look at things globally. Our challenges are breaking into other global markets, but the U.S. paving the way is really helping. We’re lobbying the European Commission to [implement laser terminals] with its security constellation. The challenges are opening new markets, not because we don't have the technology. I'm starting to see traction in Japan and Korea. They're all talking to us.

I think having a fair seat at the table, whether it's Mynaric or other companies of our size is key so that the contracts are not all awarded to the large traditional primes, because we can certainly do it cheaper and faster.

VIA SATELLITE: Let’s shift gears and talk about your career as an executive. How did Mynaric, a startup with an emerging technology, get you to come on board after you had worked for many years at established companies like Boeing and Yahsat?

Ghataore: I had known about the company when it was previously called Vialight [Communications], six-plus years ago. The chairman of the board is someone I've known since I was in my early 20s. He referred me to someone who took Mynaric public in Germany. We met six years ago and stayed in touch. He said, "I really want someone to help take this company to the next level. We've got great tech, great people, but we're not sure how to move this company into a particular direction."

I understood the tech, but when I looked at the company there were so many PhDs that, frankly, I was very intimidated. How am I going to fit in? And so, I said, "I don't think you're ready for me yet." I was also in the middle of another program initiative, so I was tied to that program for a period of time. He stayed in touch with me and sent me updates.

[He also connected me with] Bulent Altan, and we just clicked. That gentleman is a connector. He was trying to create a management team that would really propel the company to a true commercial company.

VIA SATELLITE: You spoke on a panel at Space Symposium about recruiting through your network. You mentioned that third-party recruiters don’t understand the cultural fit. How would you describe Mynaric’s culture?

Ghataore: A “get-it-done” attitude. Everyone's opinions are heard. Respecting the experiences that people bring are very important to all of us. We have many veterans, and I learn so much from their direct experiences and situations they were in. New graduates come in with ideas that we don't want to put a cap on. The culture is to get it done, and everyone is welcome around the table.

Our CEO interviews every new employee that comes in, and he does that because he wants to remain connected. That's the same thing that I want, I want to remain connected to somebody on the manufacturing floor, a sales assistant, or HR person.

VIA SATELLITE: What have you learned over the past two years while standing up Mynaric’s U.S. subsidiary?

Ghataore: This is my first big operational experience. I've previously run business development, sales, marketing, and product management. I wear two hats at Mynaric. As chief commercial officer, you’ve got to do sales, business development, and deliver programs. At the subsidiary, I was hired on as president, which means the traditional support functions — whether it's HR or finance, etc. I didn't go to school for HR or finance, so you hire the best, who then become your advisors on how to do the right thing. I've loved doing both. It really rounds me off as a leader. You can always stay in a sales/marketing, customer-facing role, but rounding it off with day-to-day operational experience is necessary for my next step in the future.

VIA SATELLITE: What are some of the ways you've seen the industry evolve over your career?

Ghataore: On the space side, in the early part of my career, we were chasing these big constellation programs to build satellites for, and they never materialized because they couldn't raise money. It was so disappointing to work for a year on a campaign and not see anything launch. Then I got to be part of Connexion by Boeing. A handful of us were picked to take an antenna, build a business plan around it, and put it on airplanes. Now you can have the internet on airplanes, I had a part in launching that service. Now, I don't know too many airlines that don’t have connectivity. The satisfaction is seeing something launch that you've touched and built.

Now, you are seeing the constellations flying. You have connected aircraft, connected drones, connected trains. And villages have Wi-Fi capability. I grew up in Nairobi, Kenya for the first 12 years of my life. We were the only family in our compound area that had a television and a phone, so people would come and borrow those. Now I go visit Kenya and everyone's walking around with a smartphone, and there’s the Kenyan Space Agency. I'm illustrating that because the connected world is what I'm passionate about, whether it's providing hardware or coming up with creative ways to provide the service.

VIA SATELLITE: Who have been some of the biggest influences or mentors for you throughout your career?

Ghataore: I can talk generally. Here's the thing — as a woman, I haven’t had any women mentors.

VIA SATELLITE: Really?

Ghataore: Yeah. Kind of disappointing, isn’t it? But that fuels me to be a mentor for others. I want to pay it forward. I make an effort never to make it transactional. My relationships are not transactional, whether business or professional. If I want to spend time with you, I will do it genuinely. This is just who I am.

But I've had some great mentors who have been men who have been secure in themselves to allow a young person to progress and to give them the opportunities. I had mentors in the early part of my career at The Boeing Company, who were okay that I left the company to move up and to do more. I've always sought additional responsibility to do difficult things that might be out of my own immediate experience or skill area.

At Panasonic, the senior vice president of sales and operations in that time period has been my mentor. He probably doesn’t know that. I learned a lot from him on how to be a good leader — I'm still learning. He said to me, "Don't worry about the people who are performing at 80 percent. You're a good leader if you can take the 20-to 30-percenters and bring them up." That stayed with me.

Generally, I am the only female in the room, whether it's at an executive level, or in an engineering meeting. I've been fortunate that many of the men that I've worked alongside haven't been intimidated by my drive and ambition. I hope that continues. I have a lot more to do. That's what I would tell people coming up behind me. Don't apologize for what you know, and who you are, because you can contribute in many ways.

VIA SATELLITE: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Ghataore: As long as the challenge is there for me, and I think it will be, I have a lot to do at Mynaric. It’s not just about going to market. I'm building my portfolio, learning skill sets that might stretch me in different ways. I want to keep growing. I don't know what's the perfect fit for me, in terms of size of company next. I'm passionate about creating infrastructure and the service around connecting things and people. I'll probably remain in that sector. But yes, I want the top job one day. And in the next five years, I will have it.

VIA SATELLITE: I love how open you are about your ambition.

Ghataore: I think we've got to learn to put ourselves forward. You have people talking about leaning in — I've always leaned in. You just have to give us an opportunity — that's all I seek. In the next five years, my goal is to improve myself and my skill set, become a better leader, and bring people along with me — old, young, diverse, from whatever background. That’s what makes you succeed, hiring smarter people below you and next to you. That's also a lesson I learned from my mentors. I think that as women, we really need to mentor others. Let’s not hold on to the job when we get it, but let's pay it forward.

In ten years, I don't know, maybe Moon to Mars? I might be able to afford a ticket. Destination unknown. VS