Via Satellite Rising Stars of 2024

While high-level deals and investment rounds often make the news, it’s the work happening behind the scenes every day that lays the groundwork for success — developing solutions, educating customers, and building consensus.

Via Satellite recognizes the young professionals doing that work in a new feature, Via Satellite Rising Stars. These 25 young professionals nominated by their colleagues are making significant contributions to their companies — whether that’s in engineering, business development, procurement, and more. It also shows that companies are intentionally investing in and making space for the next generation of leaders.

The 2024 cohort of Rising Stars was selected based on specific contributions to their companies and the space and satellite industry at large. These Rising Stars are 35 and under and represent a diverse group of young professionals from a range of companies, job functions, and countries.

FNU Ashram, Technical Program Manager, Micro-Ant, 28

A mechanical engineer by training, FNU Ashram is quickly making an impact in antenna engineering in his role as technical program manager at Micro-Ant. He is trusted with leading the development of Micro-Ant's first electronically steered airborne antenna. In his first five months at the company, Ashram identified incongruencies in the integrated assembly of a design and quickly resolved with practical solutions — surpassing what would be expected of someone with years more experience.

Micro-Ant’s leadership has taken notice of how Ashram brings a fresh perspective to the RF industry. “Ashram is brilliant, hard-working, capable of synthesizing complex concepts and working successfully with people well his senior in age and experience,” Micro-Ant CEO James Francis and Chief of Operations Patrick Smith wrote in Ashram’s nomination.

John Beutter, Flight Software Engineer, Scout Space, 29

As a flight software engineer for Scout Space, John Beutter led the design and deployment of the Sparrow flight demonstration mission, a space-based SDA and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) payload. Under John's leadership, Sparrow was designed, built, and deployed in under six months. He spearheaded the software, hardware, and systems engineering for Sparrow's initial payload design, handling everything from writing flight software to environmental testing. Additionally, he led the systems and flight software engineering for Sparrow's flight version. John’s nominator Trisha Navidzadeh, vice president of marketing & PR, says he is an up-and-coming young engineer with a passion for the space industry.

Claire Brantley, RF Systems Engineer Lead, York Space Systems, 33

Claire Brantley is a name to watch in engineering circles. She has been leading York Space Systems' Link 16 testing, development, and on-orbit demonstrations. Link16 is a critical, jam-resistant technology that significantly enhances the United States' military capabilities by enabling secure, real-time communication across all branches of the U.S. military, NATO, and allied forces. Claire has been the driving force behind achieving the first-ever successful Link 16 connection from space to ground.

“By successfully integrating Link 16 into space, Claire has helped create a game-changing capability that strengthens America's own ‘blue’ kill chain,” says York Space Systems CEO Dirk Wallinger, who nominated Claire. “Her work on Link16 exemplifies a tangible achievement that has far-reaching implications for the space and satellite industry, setting new standards for secure, global military communications.”

Matías Francisco Campos Abad, CEO, Astralintu, 28

Matías Francisco Campos Abad’s colleague commends him for a remarkable combination of youth, ambition, and visionary leadership. At just 24 years old, Matías founded Astralintu Space Technologies, Ecuador's first commercial space services company, focused on both space missions and developing an Equatorial Ground Station Network in order to bring more opportunities to emerging ecosystems in the region. Beyond his role at Astralintu, Matías is the founding Coordinator of the E.11 International Astronautical Federation Symposium on Emerging Space Ecosystems, which will be held later this year at International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

His nominator and Astralintu colleague Daniela Mera says that Matías is playing a pivotal role in advancing space capabilities across Latin America. “Matías is not just participating in the space industry; he's actively shaping its future, ensuring that it becomes more inclusive and representative of the global community.”

Konark Chopra, Lead Propulsion Engineer, Astrobotic, 26

As lead propulsion engineer for Astrobotic, Konark Chopra is leading the development of the propulsion system for the Griffin lunar lander, the upcoming lander to target the Moon’s south pole. Konark has formed the technical, budget, and schedule targets for the propulsion subsystem, which has involved overseeing 10 critical suppliers and collaborating with each of them to solve production problems, evaluate risks, and look for schedule efficiencies.

“In only several years, I’ve watched Konark develop from a young engineer to someone running point for the most critical system on our lander,” says Astrobotic Senior Propulsion Engineer Daniel King. “Watching how he cultivates relationships with suppliers to deliver results in the face of technical and programmatic challenges gives me no doubt he’ll succeed in this industry.”

Kyle Clarke, GNC Lead Engineer, Terran Orbital, 31

Terran Orbital GNC engineer Kyle Clarke is recognized for making a breakthrough in a critical mission milestone. As the lead Guidance, Navigation and Control engineer for NASA’s CAPSTONE mission, Kyle helped ensure the CAPSTONE cubesat reached the near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. This included engineering a solution to continue the mission when a thruster valve permanently failed on orbit, causing the spacecraft to enter an uncontrolled high-rate tumble. “Kyle has a unique ability to single handedly break down and solve complex problems in a matter of weeks that might otherwise take an entire committee months,” Kyle’s manager Jeremiah DiMatteo writes in his nomination.

Christina Isnardi, Associate, Jenner & Block law firm, 30

Christina Isnardi is driven by the power of satellite communications to connect people, and has a deep-seated passion for the satellite industry she serves. As an associate for law firm Jenner & Block, she has helped numerous satellite operators navigate complex regulatory issues before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Clients and senior lawyers praise Christina’s research skills and ability to write thoughtful, informative analyses that explain complex regulations.

Jenner & Block Partner Trey Hanbury nominated Christina for this list, citing her determination to help satellite operators improve how they communicate and help humanity harness the power of satellite communications around the world. He says that Christina’s enthusiasm “drives her to stay ahead of industry trends and regulatory changes and has helped position her as a trusted advisor and advocate for our satellite clients.”

Dan Kline, Solutions Engineer, SpiderOak, 28

As a solution engineer for cybersecurity company SpiderOak, Dan Kline brings a unique excitement to his cybersecurity work. Kline has independently supported multiple white paper and proposal submissions that have led to SpiderOak winning critical work that will help show how the company can protect sensitive mission data in a future of proliferated, meshed networked systems.

According to Caitlin Marsh, vice president of Product at SpiderOak, “Dan is THE solutions engineer, dreaming up and architecting how we will make that happen. Not only is he incredibly intelligent and able to describe complex, technical topics to a non-technical audience, but he does it with kindness, patience, and excitement.”

Krupa Nanda Kumar, Climate Services Development Manager, Space4Climate, 32

Krupa Nanda Kumar is helping get the message out about how space technology can help humanity deal with climate change. She represented the U.K. space community at the Space Pavilion at COP28, ran several events at COP to promote U.K. climate services delivered from space, as well as additional workshops and events throughout the year to promote the U.K. space community and ecosystem. Over the past 12 months Krupa has crafted communications to ensure accessibility to the EO community by non-experts, introducing new sectors and new opportunities for growth.

“She is very passionate about enabling the downstream space sector to grow into successful, impactful businesses for society and the planet,” says her nominator, Donna Lyndsay, vice chair for Space 4 Climate.

Mairead Levison, Deputy Director at Space ISAC, 28

As the deputy director of Space ISAC, Mairead Levison helped build a global footprint for the center. She led work to sign agreements with global space and security agencies including Japan, France, and Israel. Mairead also pioneered the creation of the Software Bill of Materials task force and the Cyber Vulnerability Laboratory (CVL) task force at the Space Information and Analysis Center, overseeing the lab’s development from concept to completion.

The Space ISAC team of Erin Miller, Samantha DuBois, and Sam Visner nominated Mairead, who they describe as a trusted and compelling resource for the space community. “When she speaks to a room, she captivates everyone’s entire attention,” Mairead’s colleagues write. “The way she articulates arguments and causes one to think holds a weight that demonstrates she is wise beyond her years.”

Whitney Lohmeyer, Chief Technologist, Space Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 35

Known for her work as one of the earliest engineers at OneWeb, and then for being a voice of tech leadership while teaching at the Olin College of Engineering, Whitney Lohmeyer is now the first chief technologist in the FCC's new Space Bureau. In this role, Lohmeyer has helped shape the Space Bureau's Transparency Initiative to provide user-friendly information and guidance about the FCC’s space station and earth station application and authorization procedures.

Whitney’s nominator, FCC Space Bureau Chief Julie Kearney, says Whitney “is a uniquely experienced engineer with a keen understanding of the regulations and policies at the center of the global satellite and space economy. She thinks deeply about how to ensure a robust future for space and satellite communications to benefit all of humanity.”

Michael Madrid, Director of Strategic Relationships, Starfish Space, 31

Michael Madrid is on a mission to change how the Space Force and commercial industry view satellite servicing. As director of Strategic Relationships for Starfish Space, he has worked for two years to cultivate understanding and excitement around satellite servicing, and help the startup overcome technical skepticism. While the satellite servicing market has been dominated by prime contractors, Michael’s work contributed to Starfish securing key contracts with the Space Force and Intelsat.

Observing how Michael is intentionally absorbing how to build a startup, along with his experience serving the country in uniform and founding a coffee company on the side, Michael’s nominator, Starfish Space co-founder Trevor Bennett, believes he will start a company of his own in the future. “While the last couple of years have been incredible for Michael, I believe that his greatest contributions remain to come. He has the makings to change our space industry,” he says.

Bailey McPhee, People Operations Manager, Orbit Fab, 27

As People Operations manager and lead recruiter for Orbit Fab, Bailey McPhee is helping her company scale by hiring and retaining talented people - a critical function of any fast-growing startup. She was integral to staffing up Orbit Fab while it expanded its team in the U.S. and United Kingdom.

Her supervisor, Kelsey Friedheim, says that Bailey is “known for her proactive approach. She never hesitates to lend a hand wherever needed, without complaint.” Bailey is also credited with driving retention improvements, reducing monthly attrition from four to eight employees to less than four per quarter, achieving zero attrition for a three-month period, and increasing employee engagement.

Raven Otero-Symphony, Data Science Consultant, Quilty Space, 24

Raven Otero-Symphony is making waves at Quilty Space in her role as a data science consultant. She has created a first-of-its-kind industry data platform and debuted new social media initiatives for the business. But her colleagues recognize that her passion for the space industry extends beyond work. “She is particularly passionate about helping non-traditional space industry applicants to find their role in exploring the stars,” nominator Caleb Williams says.

Raven wants to increase opportunities for people with non-traditional backgrounds to work in the space industry in her home state of New Mexico. In 2024 she launched the pilot program for Space Collegiate Opportunities & Pathways for Excellence New Mexico, to facilitate local education and employment opportunities with college students across New Mexico.

Ariane Platell, Chief Operating Officer, QL Space, 34

Ariane Platell has quickly risen through the ranks in Australia’s growing space scene. As chief operating officer of Earth observation (EO) data company QL Space, Ariane has broadened the company’s reach by overseeing the signing of seven MoUs with Indian space partners. She also supervised the development of a partnership between Curtin University's Binar Space Program and QL Space, as part of a high-altitude balloon launch to test a novel EO payload.

Ariane was named a finalist in the 2024 Australian Space Awards for Rising Star of the Year, and spearheaded QL Space’s winning application of the government of South Australia’s 2022 “Thinking Critical Unearthed Mineral Challenge” from over 200 applicants from 40 countries. Her nominator, Raj Gautam, CEO and founder of QL Space, highlights her strength as a problem solver.

Dr. Nathan (Parrish) Ré, Principal Astrodynamics & Satellite Navigation (ASN) Engineer, Advanced Space, 33

Nathan (Parrish) Ré is an accomplished engineer who has made critical contributions to government research projects. As Principal Astrodynamics & Satellite Navigation (ASN) Engineer at Advanced Space, Nathan has successfully led nine government research contracts totaling over $12 million. Nathan has developed and demonstrated AI on the company’s satellite orbiting the Moon and led a project to develop neural networks to correct spacecraft trajectories autonomously.

He is currently the principal investigator on a space debris project, the IARPA program SINTRA, developing a full end-to-end system for tracking and characterizing millions of debris pieces orbiting Earth. Nathan’s colleague, Advanced Space CTO Dr. Jeffrey Parker nominated him, saying that Nathan “has demonstrated the ability to develop algorithms suited to project needs, rapidly innovate on prototype versions, and lead a team in executing high-fidelity flight designs.”

Brendan Rosseau, Teaching Fellow & Research Associate, Harvard Business School & Booz Allen Hamilton, 27

Brendan Rosseau is working to bring more talented people into the space industry and educate business leaders about the impact of space technology on future markets. He helped develop a popular new course at Harvard Business School (HBS) — Space, Public and Commercial Economics — a course focused on the space economy. In just the past few months, more than 80 students, many of whom had never considered a career in the space industry, are now taking part in discussions about the space industry.

Brendan is also an Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he works closely with the Department of Defense to shape and refine their acquisition strategies for military space systems. His nominator, Ben Kallas, co-founder and CEO of Searchlight, says dozens of newly graduated Harvard MBAs will enter leadership positions across a variety of industries with a keen understanding of the space economy thanks to Brendan’s work.

Alishia Sims, Research Analyst, Valour Consultancy, 25

Alishia Sims, a U.K.-based research analyst for mobility-focused firm Valour Consultancy, is making a mark in maritime connectivity and smart shipping. Throughout the course of her young career, Alishia has published a number of thought pieces, delivered a host of topical webinars and participated in multiple panels on behalf of clients and industry event organizers.

“Alishia has built a rapport with clients which is a direct outcome of delivering value through hard work, being respectful and establishing trust,” says her nominator, Valour CEO Daniel Welch. “Alishia has quickly established herself as a very reputable analyst and personality in the maritime sector.”

Vianella Spaeth, Senior Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineer, Airbus US, 30

Accomplished engineer Vianella Spaeth led the guidance navigation control (GNC) team for the Airbus US Arrow 450 Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation product line. During the past year, she has also taken the responsibility of leading requirement assessments, GNC analysis, and customer engagement. Under her leadership, the GNC team has successfully delivered the GNC products for Arrow 450 critical design reviews. Nominator Young Son, senior avionics engineering manager for Airbus US, says Vianella is the focal point of coordinating the company’s GNC technology roadmap to address the LEO constellation market. She is also an active participant in Women in Engineering in Airbus. “She's not afraid of taking on any new challenges, and she's the first one identifying the problems and coming up with mitigation and resolution,” Young says.

Lindsey Swyers, IFEC Commodity Manager, American Airlines, 23

Lindsey Swyers began her career at American Airlines in 2022, managing the inflight connectivity (IFC) program for regional and narrowbody aircraft. In just two years, she has been influential in shaping the airline’s approach to this critical technology. Last year, she sourced and executed one of the largest inflight connectivity programs in aviation history and is leading American Airlines to be one of the first airlines to install satellite connectivity on regional jet aircraft. Her nominator Christopher Shobe, manager of IFEC Aircraft Programs for American Airlines, says Lindsey is highly respected by her peers and suppliers and is an emerging leader in the IFC space.

Diego Torrejon, Principal Engineer, Computer Vision, BlackSky, 34

Diego Torrejon served as a principal researcher for BlackSky on the IARPA SMART program, a cutting-edge spatiotemporal activity program that earned BlackSky a number of headlines in industry publications. In addition to his technical prowess, Diego also has a team-first mindset — providing mentorship and growth for more junior machine learning researchers.

CJ Della Porta, BlackSky’s computer vision manager, credits Diego’s technical contributions with unlocking the ability to perform satellite broad area search at an unprecedented global and temporal scale. “Diego’s rare combination of a deep technical and applied mathematics understanding with practical skill sets, including maturity in software engineering, allows him to solve complex problems and take ideas from inception to production.”

Judson Tumas, Senior Manager, Customer Success, ST Engineering iDirect, 33

Judson Tumas is recognized for his leadership on ST Engineering iDirect’s technical assistance front end team, and how his efforts led to better experiences for customers. Judson supervises a group of engineers who respond to a wide range of technical inquiries, so he offered personalized one-on-one training sessions over the past year to improve their knowledge base. The results of his hands-on approach showed in the positive survey results from customers.

“Judson dedicates significant energy to enhancing the skills and expertise of his team members and encourages their professional development — a hallmark of effective leadership,” says Judson’s manager and nominator Ibrahim Solakli. “Witnessing his growth has been very fulfilling for me.”

Luca Uriarte, Embedded Software Specialist, Innova Space, 23

Software will be the lifeblood of satellite systems going forward and Luca Uriate played a huge role in the development of the Innova Space system. “He is a one-man band; you can ask him about any detail of any part of our satellite IoT communication system and you will get an answer,” writes Innova Space founder and CEO Alejandro Cordero in Luca’s nomination.

As embedded software specialist for the Argentine IoT startup, Luca developed and coded the on-board software for the second and third generation of satellites, the ground station firmware and software, and the user terminal firmware. He also contributed to the hardware design of devices that work with the system.

Bradley Williams, Program Executive, NASA Headquarters, 34

As a program executive in NASA’s Heliophysics Division, Bradley Williams recently led an overhaul of a mission that was facing intense technical and schedule challenges. His work led to the successful replanning and continuation of a NASA Explorers mission, and also allowed the Heliophysics Division to expand its pool of small satellite providers. Brad was not only able to quickly identify gaps and weaknesses in the mission implementation, but he also established an incremental approach to regaining confidence in the development plan.

“Brad is set apart from others by his comprehensive spaceflight mission experience and knowledge of the space science enterprise across sectors,” says Nicole Rayl, associate director for NASA’s Flight Heliophysics Division. “Brad is masterful in seeking win-win strategies that benefit both the Agency and mission integrators.”

Aquarious Workman, Head of Cybersecurity, Planetary Systems AI, 30

Aquarious Workman is carving out a strong reputation as a leader in the area of space and cybersecurity. As head of Cybersecurity for defense contractor Planetary Systems AI, Aquarious has written many AI and cybersecurity papers to the Department of Defense.

He was nominated for inclusion on this list by his CEO, Cindy Chin, who says that some of Aquarious’ work is so cutting-edge that it has influenced DoD standards. She describes Aquarious as a rising star in the cybersecurity world, with the charisma to be an industry leader in zero-trust for dual use technologies. VS