Conference Update – Downlink Issue 1
We’re excited to be rolling out this year with the SATELLITE 2017 conference program. The first change you will notice is that we are widely expanding our keynote speaking and Engineering Forum to include more than 20 single-speaker or small group presentations, in addition to the SGx program and luncheon keynote speaker, which will both return on Monday of SATELLITE week. These 20- to 30-minute keynote spots will highlight leadership efforts to solve industry-wide challenges, new technological breakthroughs and the results of the latest research and development projects. Speakers will include aerospace executives, innovators and engineers, as well as a list of end-users from enterprise and entertainment industries. Finally, we will be adding a special guest Thursday keynote speaker to introduce our annual Via Satellite Executive of the Year Winners’ Circle panel, which is our traditional closing session.
Our opening and closing general session program has also received a facelift. The Monday morning CTO Breakfast – once a ticket-holder exclusive event – is now our Monday morning opening general session, open to all conference attendees. The theme of this year’s Monday morning general session will be tech leadership from the ground segment and planning ground-based technology and infrastructure to support the new constellation fleets. Our commercial launch services panel will take place on Monday afternoon as the closing general session and will be open to all conference attendees.
Our Tuesday morning global satellite operator opening general session, open to all attendees, will now be complimented by a Tuesday afternoon closing general session featuring the leading regional satellite operators exclusively for conference badge holders. The annual Satellite Manufacturers Panel has been moved to the Wednesday morning opening general session slot, with our Government & Military Forum keynote speaker closing the conference program that day.
The SATELLITE 2017 conference program is also extending to the Exhibit Hall floor, with a brand new theater area called SATELLITE Unveiled that will host two new events, as well as our new tech demo series. Exhibit Hall Plus pass holders will now be able to access the conference and enjoy a “Shark Tank-style” Entrepreneurship Incubator, produced in partnership with the Space Frontier Foundation, on Tuesday afternoon. The incubator will feature new entrants, entrepreneurs, inventors and young professionals pitching new business and technology ideas to a panel of established professionals and investors from within and outside of the aerospace community. On Wednesday, we will host a live, small satellite design contest during which attendees can sign up to compete in a micro-satellite designing contest that will be judged by a panel of invited experts. Participants will receive advice and guidance from a group of invited engineers and experts, who will also help select a contest winner.
Finally, the new Exhibit Hall theater will also feature a series of 20-minute tech demonstrations and product launches. Following each presentation, we will conduct a live interview with the demonstrator and learn how each product works. We are currently seeking sponsors to participate in these tech demos, and interested participants should contact Michael Cassinelli for more details.
Stay tuned for the next edition for more updates on speakers, new content partners and more!