[Satnews] For a thorough immersion in the smallsat market segment, consider attending the upcoming, two-day and extremely important SmallSat Symposium. This highly informative symposium will be conducted on Tuesday, February 23, and Wednesday, February 24, 2016. The event will occur at the Hogan Lovells Conference Center in Silicon Valley, California, and is organized and sponsored by Satnews Publishers. 

Pertinent topics in day one that will be addressed are:

• No Longer Small—Differentiating Miniature Satellites, Growth of the sector
• Risks & Regulation In Small Sat Launches—What are the dynamics?
• Financing New Small Sat Operations
• Launch Provider Roundtable—Efficiency, Innovation & Trends
• Cost Savings & Budgetary Considerations in Small Satellite Alternatives

Steve Jurvetson, Partner, DFJ Keynote Speaker Day 1

Day Two offers many topics, such as Structuring Financial Alternatives...

Growth can be obtained either organically or through targeted acquisitions—which best suits the small satellite company.  Which funding vehicle is most likely to invest in small satellite companies to supply risk and/or working capital?  Which financial innovation will accelerate growth?  Choosing a financing option from various alternatives such as SBA loans, banks, online lenders, crowd funding, venture capitalists, angel investors, exchange-traded funds, hedge funds to private lending institutions etc.  Core investor interests—how to structure your offering and present your leadership and partner options.

• Moderator: Chris Stott, Chairman & CEO, ManSat LLC
• Speaker: Amir Blachman, Managing Director, Space Angels Network
• Speaker: Armand Musey, Financial Advisor and Turnaround Consultant, Summit Ridge Group, LLC
• Speaker: Dr. Marco Villa, President and COO, Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems

For additional details and to register

Earth Observation 

With close to 400 Earth observation satellites planned for launch by 2025, the coming decade of growth in observation satellites is enormous.  Companies such as Spaceflight Industries, BlackSky Global, UrtheCast, PlanetiQ, BlackBridge, OmniEarth, Planet Labs, Satellogic, Skybox Imaging, DigitalGlobe, Airbus and others are all planning networks.  From agriculture and mining to traffic observation, mapping and weather, small satellites crack open a new opportunity to observe our planet in considerable detail. They also offer a range of solutions to meet the immediate needs of emergency responders, and help civil protection as well as aid in disaster recovery in harsh environments and remote locations.  As programs become more developed, commercialization of Earth observation data is more likely to bring a return on investment as the majority of revenue (expected manufacturing revenue over $36 billion during the next decade) in the commercial data market relates to high resolution. 

• Moderator: Adam Keith, Managing Director of Euroconsult Canada, Euroconsult
• Speaker: Jason Andrews, Board Member, President and CEO, Spaceflight Industries
• Speaker: Dr. Lars  Dyrud, CEO, OmniEarth & Draper Laboratories
• Speaker: Richard Rocket, CEO, NewSpace Global
• Speaker: Joe Rothenberg, Director of Engineering and Operations, Skybox Imaging
• Speaker: Dr. Alex Saltman, President and CEO, GeoOptics Inc.

John Paffett, CEO, Surrey Satellite Technology US Keynote Speaker day two.

Structuring Financial Alternatives

Growth can be obtained either organically or through targeted acquisitions that best suits the small satellite company.  Which funding vehicle is most likely to invest in small satellite companies to supply risk and/or working capital?  Which financial inovation will accelerate growth?  Choosing a financing option from various alternatives such as SBA loans, banks, online lenders, crowd funding, venture capitalists, angel investors, exchange-traded funds, hedge funds to private lending institutions etc.  Core investor interests—how to structure your offering and present your leadership and partner options. 

• Moderator: Chris Stott, Chairman & CEO , ManSat LLC
• Speaker: Amir  Blachman, Managing Director, Space Angels Network
• Speaker: Armand Musey, Financial Advisor and Turnaround Consultant, Summit Ridge Group, LLC
• Speaker: Dr. Marco Villa, President and COO, Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems

Defense and Government: Policy and Regulation—What are the Considerations?

Defense, Government and NGO sectors require connectivity for secure, mission-critical communications, providing more choice and flexibility through integrated solutions. Advanced military architecture could focus on scalability and flexibility. Importantly, modularity and interoperability in components and buses by sharing a common standard instead of procuring yet another satellite could lead to significant savings. If US government is your customer how do you build strong constituencies in congress as well as at the executive levels besides the end customer. We will explore the multiple challenges in the policy and regulatory arenas including terrestrial competition, licensing issues, frequency allocations, market-access barriers, interference concerns and dealing with orbital debris.  

• Moderator: David Hartshorn, Secretary General, GVF - Global VSAT Forum
• Speaker: Dave Barnhart, Director, USC Space Engineering Research Center, USC
• Speaker: Ken Davidian, Director of Research, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Speaker: Tony Lin, Partner, Hogan Lovells

Two Planet Labs Dove satellites being deployed from the ISS in February 2014. Courtesy of NASA

Hosted Payloads and Shared Launches—Key differences, costs and advantages

What are the risks, costs and advantages to choosing a hosted payload over a shared launch?  What kind of platform is best suited to a specific type of satellite.  Listen to experts in the hosted payload and small satellite industries highlight key points in these critical decision making areas.

• Moderator: Chris Baugh, President, Northern Sky Research
• Speaker: Jenny Barna, Launch Manager, Spire Global, Inc.
• Speaker: Peter Beck, CEO, Rocket Lab
• Speaker: Erik  Daehler, Director Product Innovation Network and Space Systems, Boeing
• Speaker: Daniel Lim, VP of Disruptive Innovations, TriSept Corporation
• Speaker: To Be Announced

Structuring Small Satellite Ops - Efficiency, Efficacy and RiskGrowing diversity in payload requirements, customer types and strong competition continue to have an impact on the small satellite market.  Executives from organizations with their first satellites either in orbit or in construction will present their objectives and strategies. The focus will be on different development models, prototypes and early operations including the overall positioning, level of vertical integration and cooperation with other industry stakeholders.

• Speaker: Rex Ridenoure, CEO and Founder, Ecliptic Enterprises
• Speaker: Dr. Marco Villa, President and COO, Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems
• Speaker: To Be Announced

Mobile Communications—Phone and Data

Mobility is a rising star of satellite industry expansion.  Higher data rates and enhanced solutions optimized for mobile deployments are key factors enabling satellite companies to thrive in this unique environment.  From cruise ships, to commercial aircraft to high-speed trains, satellite solutions are becoming indispensable.   

• Moderator: Susan  Irwin, President, Irwin Communications
• Speaker: Daniel Fuchs, Founder and CEO, Datora Telecom, Brazil
• Speaker: Dr. Nathan Kundtz, President and CEO, Kymeta
• Speaker: Barbara Plante, VP Business Development, Boreal Space
• Speaker: To Be Announced

COTS—Their new role in space based hardware

Once known primarily as the darling of the military, COTS providers are finding a new role in space hardware as small satellites have emerged.  How are manufacturers working with these COTS providers and how are COTS providers adapting to new demands.

• Moderator: David Hartshorn, Secretary General, GVF - Global VSAT Forum
• Speaker: Doug Patterson, VP, Sales and Marketing, Aitech Defense Systems
• Speaker: Hartley Lesser, Editorial Director, Satnews Publishers
• Speaker: Rex Ridenoure, CEO and Founder, Ecliptic Enterprises
• Speaker: David Strobel, CEO and Program Manager (PM), Space Micro

The list of speakers continues to grow. Here are some of the major names:

• Jason Andrews, CEO — Spaceflight Industries
• Jenny Barna, Launch Manager — Spire Global, Inc.
• David Barnhart, Director/Co-Founder — USC Space Engineering Research Center
• Christopher Baugh, President — NSR
• Peter Beck, CEO and CTO — Rocket Lab
• Dr. Sami BenAmor, Director Product Line Managers — Thales Alenia Space
• Amir Blachman, Managing Director — Space Angels Network
• John Booher, Partner — Hogan Lovells
• Tom Boyer, Vice President — Kymeta
• Dr. Sean Casey, Managing Director — Silicon Valley Space Center
• Carissa Christensen, Managing Partner — The Tauri Group
• Craig Clark, Founder — Clyde Space, Ltd.
• Randy Culver, CEO — AMERGINT Technologies
• Erik Daehler, Director Product Innovation — Boeing Network and Space Systems
• Stuart Daughtridge, Vice President of Advance Technology — Kratos Technology and Training Solutions
• Hoyt Davidson, Managing Partner — Near Earth LLC
• Dr. Lars Dyrud, CEO — OmniEarth
• Daniel Faber, CEO — Deep Space Industries
• Dr. Shahin Farshchi, Partner — Lux Capital
• Nick Flitterman, Managing Director — Portland Advisers
• Chad Frost, Deputy Director of Engineering — NASA Ames Research Center
• Dr. Jenny Gautier, Director of Commercial Programs — The Aerospace Corporation
• Dr. Steve Goldberg, CEO and Co-Founder — Venrock
• David Hartshorn, Secretary General — GVF
• Andy Hoskins, In-Space Propulsion and Power Business Development — Aerojet Rocketdyne
• Roger C. Hunter, Associate Director for Programs — NASA Ames Research Center
• Susan J. Irwin, President — Irwin Communications, Inc.
• John P. Janka, Partner — Latham & Watkins LLP
• Steve Jurvetson, Partner — DFJ
• Keith Karuntzos, Manager, Business Development — United Launch Alliance (ULA)
• Dr. Josef Koller, Senior Advisor — Office of the Secretary of Defense for Space Policy
• Chris Kunstadter, Senior Vice President — XL Catlin
• Adam Keith, Managing Director — Euroconsult Canada
• Karl A. Kensinger, Deputy Chief, Satellite Division — FCC International Bureau
• Tony Lin, Senior Associate — Hogan Lovells
• Dan Lopez, VP of Technology — Urthecast
• Catherine Melquist, Senior Vice President, Satellite Division — Sage Communications
• Debra Facktor Lepore, VP and GM of Strategic Operations — Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp
• Hartley Lesser, Editorial Director — Satnews Publishers
• Daniel Lim, Vice President of Disruptive Innovations and the Principal FANTM-RiDE Design Engineer — TriSept Corporation
• Jeffrey Manber, CEO — Nanoracks LLC
• Dr. Clare Martin, Vice President of Programs — Surrey Satellite Technology US
• Suzi McBride, Vice President — Iridium
• Randa Relich Milliron, CoFounder — Interorbital Systems
• Clayton Mowry, President — Arianespace
• J. Armand Musey, President and Founder — Summit Ridge Group
• Sunil Nagaraj, Vice President of Marketing and Communications — Bessemer Venture Partners
• Janet Nickloy, VP Responsive ISR Programs — Harris Corporation
• Carlos Niederstrasser, Business Development & Special Initiatives — Orbital ATK
• Paul Oppenheim, Vice President Business Dev. and Contracts — Vanguard Space Technologies
• Dr. John Paffett, CEO — Surrey Satellite Technology US
• Dara A. Panahy, Partner— Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy
• Doug Patterson, VP, Military and Aerospace Business Sector — Aitech Defense Systems
• Barbara Plante, Founder and President — Boreal Space
• Will Pomerantz, Vice President for Special Projects — Virgin Galactic
• Chris Quilty, Senior Vice President, Equity Research — Raymond James & Associates
• Rex Ridenoure, CEO and co-founder — Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation
• Richard M. Rocket, CEO and Co-Founder — NewSpace Global, LLC
• Joe Rothenberg, Director of Engineering and Operations — Google
• Mike Safyan, Director of Launch and Regulatory Affairs — Planet Labs
• Dr. Alex Saltman, Senior Vice President — GeoOptics
• Randy S. Segal, Partner, Co-Lead Satellite Practice — Hogan Lovells
• Chris Stott, Founder, Chair and CEO — ManSat
• David Strobel, CEO and Program Manager (PM) — Space Micro
• Tom Stroup, President — SIA
• Al Tadros, Vice President of DoD and Civil Business — SSL
• Dr. Marco Villa, President and COO — Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems
• Michael Vinter, Executive Vice President — International Space Brokers
• Micah Walter-Range, Director, Research and Analysis — Space Foundation
• Bruce Yost, Project Manager — NASA Ames Research Center
• Louis Zacharilla, Director of Development —Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI)