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SpaceOps 2023 is a unique opportunity to meet east and west world-class scientists, practitioners, engineers and leaders in space industry to discuss the hot research topics and state-of-the-art technologies and innovations in the space sector. All of this and more are present in this event organized by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).

This international forum is a valuable opportunity for our distinguished delegates to explore all aspects of space mission operations, including areas such as robotics, human, earth-orbiting, and deep space aspects of space operations. It also allows them to learn about the latest technologies and opportunities in this sector, and how advanced space technologies can contribute to finding solutions for the future of humanity.

Registrations are now closed !

 

You are working on a Cubesat project and attending the SpaceOps 2023 ? The cubesat workshop will be the perfect opportunity for you to share your work in front of a passionate audience ! To apply, click on the button below :

CALL FOR PAPERS IS NOW CLOSED !

Activities

Space Operations for Constellation of CubeSat/Nanosatellite Workshop

Date: 5 March 2023

Time: 09:00 – 16:00
Location: Dubai World Trade Centre

Do you want to learn how to carry out space operations for Constellation of CubeSats/Nanosatellites? Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) is collaborating with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to host the workshop in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It will be held in conjunction to the SpaceOps 2023 conference. During this one day event, students and young professionals will have the opportunity to learn about different approaches to space operations as well as to hear about  international peers working on cubesat/nanosatellite constellations projects.

During this workshop, participants from around the world will learn about the different philosophies behind cubesat/nanosatellite operations. Two Participants or group of participants will also have the opportunity to showcase their project.

After the lectures by each representative, all participants will have a chance to engage in discussions via a panel discussion.

The workshop is open to students and young professionals. If you aspire to work for a company, an international space agency, or if you are interested in starting your own satellite operations company, then this one day workshop is a great opportunity to learn about the challenges and excitement of space operations.

Registration Costs: Workshop Registration is free.

 

Agenda Outline

 Time  Agenda  Details

 09:00

Registration Check-in

 Registration Required (no fee)

 09:15

Welcome

 SGAC Workshop- Chair : Chiara Cocchiara

 Opening message : Fatima Ahmed Al Marzouqi (MRBSC)

 Welcome message : Viqar Abbasi (CSA)

 09:45

Participant Introduction

  Ice Breaker

 10:15

SYP Presentations

“SolSat: A Low-Cost 3-U CubeSat System for Space Weather applications – Yousuf Mohammed Faroukh

Sharjah-Sat-1 mission objectives and overview” – Mohammed Bin Ashour

Overview of AlainSat-1: an international student collaboration space mission” – Hassan Al-Ali and Abdullah AlSalmani

 11:30

Lunch

 

 13:00

Technical Presentations

“Design and Development of a CubeSat-scale Robotic Arm Test Bed to be Deployed to the International Space Station” – Jin S. Kang Ph.D, Associate professor in Aerospace Engineering Department (USNA)

“Ressources/Services/Demands relationship on. a federated cubesat constellation system operation perspective.” – Carlos Gomes Batista, Space Systems Engineer (IEEE)

“Italian first deep space missions to the Moon and beyond: ArgoMoon and LICIACube” – Simone Pirrotta Ph.D, Head of the Robotic Exploration Office (ASI)

 14:30

Coffee Break & Group Photo

 

 14:45

 Panel Discussion

Panelists: 

Mohammed Bin Ashour, Student – Sharjah University  

Simone Pirrotta Ph.D, Head of the Robotic Exploration Office (ASI)

Maryam Obaid Al Nabooda, Communication Unit, Space Engineering Department, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)

Moderator :

Ahmed Abdulla Alshehhi, Senior Engineer – Space Payload & Instruments Section, Space Engineering Department, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)

 15:45

 Closing Remarks

  SGAC Workshop Chair

 

*Note: More details coming soon*

Speed Mentoring Event

Date:7 March 2023
Time: 20:00- 21:30
Location:
Sheikh Maktoum Hall C, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)

The Speed Mentoring Event is a great chance to kick-start connections that build over time, create chance meetings and to meet with students, early stage professionals, experienced mentors and even possibly a future employer in the space operations industry.

Share a table with top  managers and experts to ask questions, seek advice, and learn more about  their personal experiences which shaped their professional careers.

This event is energizing for both students and young space professionals as well as the senior mentors, providing both groups with a unique networking opportunity.

Registration Costs: Event Registration is free.

Seats are limited. Applications will be evaluated by the event Organising Committee and candidates will be notified via email on the outcome. Apply ASAP!

How it Works

Each Student or Young Professional (Mentee) sits at one of the tables with one Mentor. Each Mentor gets 10 minutes at the table to talk about their personal career background, advice on how to develop a career/life path, and answer questions (Examples: “what was one difficult challenge you faced in your career and how did you overcome it?; What are 3 tips you learned over the years that you wish you knew earlier as a student or young professional?). After 10 minutes, the mentor must rotate to the next table and meet a new set of Mentees!

A networking event will take place after the speed mentoring event and will allow all the participants to further network and follow up on discussions with the mentors.

There is no registration fee, although places are limited, so book your participation at the SpaceOps Speed Mentoring session today!

 

Mentors

   

Alice Bowman (APL)

Alice Bowman is a member of the Principal Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. She is the Space Mission Operations Group supervisor and the NASA New Horizons mission operations manager (MOM).  She supervises approximately 50 staff members who operate deep space and Earth-orbiting spacecraft, including NASA’s TIMED, STEREO, New Horizons, Parker Solar Probe, and recently DART. Ms. Bowman’s experience also includes national defense space operations, systems engineering, program management, space systems, and space instrument development.

Ms. Bowman has a degree in chemistry and physics from the University of Virginia and has more than 30 years of experience in space operations. Asteroid 146040 Alicebowman, discovered by Marc Buie in 2000, is named after her. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers – which recently presented her with its prestigious Resnick Challenger Medal – as well as an AIAA Associate Fellow, and has served on the International SpaceOps Committee since 2009.

 

 

Andrew Monham (EUMETSAT)

Andrew Monham has 37 years’ experience in the space industry, having graduated with a Master of Engineering in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Southampton University in England. Andrew had a leading role in the operations preparation of ESA’s first European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1) and subsequently led the flight operations system preparation for ENVISAT. He performed consultancy to EUMETSAT as System Manager on the European Polar System / Metop mission, following which he joined the management team of a Belgian space company, developing the business, as well as Project Managing contracts with ESA. Andrew then moved back to EUMETSAT where he is responsible for Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Operations and space situational awareness activities, including the strategy for EUMETSAT’s role in supporting space weather services and optimisation of mission lifetime in the space debris environment.

 

 

Jillian Redfern (SwRI)

Jillian Redfern is a Senior Program Manager at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the Manager of the Mission Operations section at SwRI in Boulder Colorado. She has managed the operations team of the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) constellation since launch in 2016. Jillian is the Ground System Lead for PUNCH, a constellation of 4 satellites which will launch in 2025. She has worked on many different missions: New Horizons, Juno, TWINS, IBEX, IMAGE, UARS, and SORCE since she entered the aerospace industry in 1999. She has a BS in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), based in San Antonio, Texas, is an independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical science research and development organization with over 3000 employees. The Solar System Science & Exploration Division’s goals are excellence in space research and the expansion and deepening of SwRI’s space research efforts.
 

 

Maria Th. Wörle (DLR)

Maria Th. Wörle is the deputy head of the Mission Planning group within the Mission Technology department at the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) of DLR (German Aerospace Center). She holds a diploma in Mathematics and started at GSOC as a software engineer in 2010. She still supports the development and maintenance of the generic planning and scheduling tool portfolio as well as the compound project-specific planning systems for various missions, e.g. TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X or EnMAP for Earth observation, or EDRS for link management of the geostationary communication platforms, but in the meantime is mainly engaged in the group management as well as the acquisition and ground segment design of new missions. Furthermore, Maria participates in the standardization activities of the CCSDS MO MP&S working group. Within SpaceOps, she supports the Technical Program Committee.

 

 

Alexi Glover (ESA)

 

Alexi Glover leads space weather service development and coordination activities as part of the European Space Agency’s Space Safety Programme. She has a PhD in solar physics and has worked in the area of transitioning research results into space weather applications and services since 2001. She is currently responsible for a diverse network of more than 50 institutes, academic groups and industrial entities who collaborate in order to deliver high quality space weather information to more than 3000 end users. Alexi is the SpaceOps topic co-chair for Safety and Sustainability of Space Operations. She is also an active member of the COSPAR community through the panel on space weather and panel on capacity building.

 

 

Simone Pirrotta (ASI)

Simone Pirrotta is the head of the Robotic Exploration Office at the Italian Space Agency. He was in charge of the technical management of some Italian instruments of ESA “ExoMars”, for which is the Deputy Italian Delegate at the ESA Rover Instrument Steering Committee. He was the system engineer for the ASI “LARES” scientific mission, until the launch on 2012. Recently, Simone acted as Project Manager for several ASI missions, mainly based on small satellites: “IKUNS” released from Kibo International Space Station (ISS) module, “LICIACube” that took part in the NASA “DART” mission, “LARES2” successfully launched on board of the ESA VegaC at its maiden flight, “ArgoMoon” that participated in the NASA Artemis1 mission. He is the Italian Delegate at the ESA Exploration and Utilization Board and at the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), he also is the PoC for the NASA SSERVI – ASI Associate partnership.

Simone has a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Materials Engineering. He also acted as ASI Manager of the Broglio Space Center, the ASI Ground Segment located in Kenya and was involved in stratospheric balloons’ missions in arctic regions.

 

 

Christophe Belzile (CSA)

Christophe Belzile is a Satellite Operations Engineer with 20 years of experience.  He began his career at Neptec, a small company that produces systems for space robotics operations, providing space operations support and on-vehicle testing.  For the next 10 years, he was responsible for training astronauts, cosmonauts and flight controllers on the International Space Station (ISS) robotics systems.  In the next phase of his career, he worked on assembly, integration and testing of Radarsat Constellation Mission and participated in the launch and early operation phase of the satellite constellation.  He was a member of the team that operates Radarsat Constellation Mission for three years.  He now does project management for new missions in the satellite operations group.

Mr. Belzile’s pastimes includes photography, cycling and skiing.

 

 

Nathalie Corcoral (CNES) 

Nathalie Corcoral is the deputy head of the Cnes Operations Department. At the present time, this department operates 14 satellites in LEO orbits and prepares more than 10 new missions for national purposes or international cooperations. Before joining operations, Nathalie was involved in Monitoring and control activities (Head of M&C Office) as well as System Engineering and MBSE activities. She also was System Manager for a French and Chinese mission, mission manager in Operations department and responsible for Earth Terminal Development. Before joining Cnes, she spent some years in Airbus Defence & Space in Assembly Integration and Test department and was involved in Cassini Mission through the development of FPGA for one of the payloads.

 

 

Eugene Avenant (SANSA)

Eugene Avenant holds the position of Chief Engineer at the South African National Space Agency’s Space Operations unit. He has been with SANSA since its inception in 2011 and before that at SANSA SO’s precursor The Satellite Applications Centre a centre of the CSIR. His responsibilities include the upgrade and establishment of new TT&C, Image download stations and other satellite monitoring systems. He has also been involved in development of a GNSS augmentation system for South Africa leading from projects with the European Commission in their Frame Programmes 6 and 7 and the UK Space Agency Industrial Participation Support Programme.  Additionally, he is involved in several working groups around space strategy for government departments and leads a team in SANSA that is producing the feasibility study for the Space Infrastructure Hub, a national strategic infrastructure project that aims to build infrastructure that will support a space value chain to address the needs of the country and region through space technology in a sustainable way.

Eugene was the TPC Chair for the SpaceOps2020-21 Conference and Co-Chair for both the SpaceOps2018 and SpaceOps2023 conferences. 

 

 

Ahmed Salem (MBRSC)

Ahmed Salem is an expert at Space Robotics Lab, MBRSC. He started as a research assistance involved in DubaiSat-1 in 2008 (UAE’s First Earth observing Satellite). He worked on several engineering disciplines in MBRSC involving developing Electronics boards such as onboard computers and Telemetry and Telecommand Encode/decoder, FPGA chips development, Software Development for Debugging, spacecraft AIT (Assembly, integration & Test), Radio Analysis, Develop analysis tools and software to help in trouble shooting Subsystems and Spacecrafts and many more fields across Satellites developments. Developed Command & Data Handling for DubaiSat-2, KhalifaSat and MBZSAT (Earth Observing missions). He worked on C&DH for Mars Mission. Headed digital system Units, then Headed Satellite Electronic Section, then becoming the first System Engineer in MBRSC. He worked on Rashid-1 Rover UAE’s First Lunar Mission.

Technical Tour : Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)

Date : 5th March 2023
Time: 17:00 – 19:00

A technical Tour will be offered at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) on Wednesday, March 5, 2023.

MBRSC is a scientific centre specialising in space science and advanced technology contributing to the establishment of the space sector in the UAE and humankind’s quest for the planets and beyond.

Seats are limited. Applications will be evaluated by the event Organising Committee and candidates will be notified via email on the outcome. Apply ASAP!

Registration costs: Tour Registration is free.

syp_mbrsc1

Date: 7 March 2023
Time: 18:15- 19:15
Location:
Sheikh Maktoum Hall C, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)

This one-hour event will host a panel discussion carried out by inspiring women working in space operations, representing agencies and industries from all over the world. 

 

The Panelists:

Suzanne Dodd

 

Suzanne Dodd is the JPL Director for the Interplanetary Network Directorate.   She has over 30 years of experience in spacecraft operations, including project manager roles on the Voyager Interstellar Mission, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array.  Most recently she lead the Operational Missions Office of the Astronomy, Physics & Space Technology Directorate.   Suzanne worked at Caltech  for 11 years as the Spitzer Space Telescope Science Center Manager and the Manager of the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, NASA’s multi-mission center of expertise for long-wavelength astrophysics.   Suzanne as also worked in the area of mission planning and uplink on the Cassini Mission to Saturn, the Mars Observer Project, and the Voyager Uranus and Neptune Missions.   

Suzanne has a BS degree in Engineering and Applied Science from Caltech, a BA degree in Math/Physics from Whitman College, and a MS degree from the University of Southern California in Aerospace Engineering.  She is the recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Public Service Medal, NASA Silver Achievement Medal and NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.

 

Dr. Sara AlMaeeni 

 

Dr. Sara AlMaeeni heads the RF communication team and is a project scientist of the Emirates Lunar Mission (ELM). She joined the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in 2016 and worked as an expert in space communications. She worked on improving existing space technologies and developed new satellite equipment and products and collaborated with external research and development institutes to disseminate knowledge in the UAE.

Dr. Sara received her PhD from Khalifa University in Communications Engineering. For her dissertation, she contributed with a novel mathematical framework for the error rate in cooperative communications. She is also a committee member of different international technical conferences. Her research interests are in lunar exploration, space communications, and satellite image processing.

        

 

Zeina Mounzer

     

Zeina studied Aerospace engineering and started her career in Mission Analysis. At some point she was introduced to Spacecraft Operations and immediately got fascinated and totally hooked.

After working on a number of very exciting missions, she felt restless again and decided to explore the corporate side of the Operations world. She became Telespazio Germany’s CCO; a business with a passion for Operations!

The Moderator :

Isi Casas Del Valle

  With a keen interest in space, a bachelor in law, minor in science, holding a postgraduate degree in air and space law, as well as a MSc in Entrepreneurial Management,  Isi is a Space Lawyer and space outreach, communications & PR consultant for various companies from around the globe. She is Community Manager at the European Southern Observatory (ESO); South America Regional Coordinator at Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC); Lecturer of Public International Law at Universidad de los Andes; an alumni of the SHSSP18, guest lecturer and CAPCOM at multiple space studies programs of the International Space University; and guest lecturer of negotiations skills, as well as air and space law in various universities from around the world.

 

SPACEOPS 2023 WEBSITE

Organisers and Contacts

 

Charlotte Flory

 

Charlotte Flory is a Spacecraft Operations Engineer with more than 6 years of experience in this field. Currently working for Eutelsat, she supports the preparation of Operations for new telecommunication satellites and is part of the team managing the day-to-day operations of the fleet.

She volunteers for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) since 2018 with both roles of Local events team coordinator (co-managing a team of 4 and supporting the various local events organized all around the world) and SpaceOps SYP Deputy Manager. She has also been part of the International Programme Management Committee (IPMC) of the IAF.

She has a Master degree from Centrale Supelec & Ecole Centrale Marseille, with a specialization in Aeronautics & Space and Project management.

Chiara Cocchiara

 

Chiara Cocchiara is a female Aerospace Engineer with more than 10 years of experience in the Space Sector. Forbes listed her as 30Under30 Leader in the category Industry. In the Space Community, she received the IAF Young Space Leaders award, and Space & Satellite Professionals International – SSPI Promise Award. Her design of a new drone technology to help saving human lives by using the Space infrastructure was recognized by the MIT Innovator Under35 and the ESNC Prizes.

In her full time job, she is a System Operations Engineer at EUMETSAT, where she supports the preparation of future Earth Observation Space Missions (EPS-SG) to monitor weather and climate.

Pushed by her dreams of becoming an astronaut, Chiara played the roles of Crew Commander (rotation) and Crew Engineer of a Mars Analogue mission with the Mars Society and experiments from NASA.

She volunteers for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) since 2015 and she currently covers the role of SpaceOps Manager. She is part of the SpaceOps Committee, where she leads the SpaceOps Students and Young Professionals (SYP) program.

She speaks five languages, has one Bachelor and three Master degrees in Aerospace Engineering, and completed her education with an MBA.

 

Young Lee

 

Ms. Young Lee is the Advanced Design Engineering Technical Group Supervisor and Project Support Lead in the Project Systems Engineering and Formulation Section in Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Over the last fifteen years, she has held many diverse leadership positions in NASA programs and projects, establishing strategic and collaborative working relationships across many organizations within NASA, including its domestic and international partners. Moreover, she has over twenty years of experience in the development and deployment of operations systems for deep space missions, focusing on operations cost reduction, user-productivity improvements and increased information throughput to support many NASA’s deep space missions. She has served on the International SpaceOps Committee since 2014. She has a M.S. in Management of Information Systems from Claremont Graduate University in California.

Gladys Magagula 

 

Ms. Gladys Magagula is the Projects Manager at the South African National Space Agency’s Space Operations directorate which is situated at Hartebeesthoek. Over the past 19 years, she has worked for a diverse range of organizations and held various positions including Software Developer, Satellite Mission Control Specialist Science Communicator, etc.

She has served on the International SpaceOps Committee since 2019. She holds a master’s degree in engineering science (M. Eng. Sci.) from the University of Stellenbosch and is currently studying for an MBA degree at the Business School Netherlands.

Saeed Al Mansoori

  Saeed Al Mansoori is the director of remote sensing department at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC). He has received B.Sc. degree in Communication Engineering from Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR), Sharjah, UAE in 2010 and the M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from American University of Sharjah (AUS) in 2016. Saeed’s research interests are in the area of image processing (super-resolution, watermarking, object detection and image classification). He is the member of the international society of optics and photonics and one of the program committee in High-Performance Computing in Remote Sensing since 2012.

Chiara Cocchiara: [email protected]

Young Lee: [email protected]

Gladys Magagula: [email protected]

Charlotte Flory: [email protected]

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