Having heard earlier in the day from our Constellation Briefs, the panel will discuss the challenges of operating fleets of many satellites and the new, off-the-shelf tools that address these challenges. This includes space traffic management and collision avoidance; satellite operations and scheduling software; ground-based and space-based communications networks for downloading data; responsive launch services to get replacement satellites into orbit quickly; and de-orbit capabilities. This is an area that has seen rapid development but it’s rarely spoken of as one cohesive unit. Usually it is broken into many different sessions. Today a satellite company could be built from entirely off-the-shelf services and hardware but few people appreciate this fact.
Randy Segal
With 25 years’ experience in the satellite industry, including 18 years as in-house general counsel, Randy Segal brings an individual perspective to every matter she handles. As co-leader of the Space and Satellite practice, Randy has handled many types of transactions, from day-to-day matters to the most complex international transactions for industry operators, investors, and technology providers. She has been involved in taking companies public, advising on investments, acquisitions, divestitures, and complex cross-border joint ventures, as well as large satellite system development, deployments and funding. Her practice has expanded to reflect the breadth of innovations and newspace participants in the space industry today, as well as teaming arrangements between traditional and newspace players and advising the new mega-constellation operators, launchers and customers. Randy is a frequent speaker and writer in areas of space innovation and joint venture arrangements, and advises extensively on the same, coast to coast and globally.
Gregg Burgess
Mr. Burgess is the Vice President of Technology and Engineering for SNC’s Space Systems located in Louisville, Colorado. Space System’s technology portfolio spans the Dream Chaser lifting body space station Commercial Resupply Services 2 program, advanced spaceflight systems, commercial and US government satellite programs, electromechanical, solar power, environmental life support subsystems, and liquid rocket engines. Mr. Burgess has worked in the Space Community for 34 years, with a particular focus on Space Superiority and unmanned space proximity operations.
Richard Davis
Richard Davis is the Managing Member of ArgoSat Consulting, a boutique advisory firm specializing in the space industry. Richard is a dynamic, proven strategist, with astute leadership skills developed in operational and financial roles over a nearly 20-year corporate finance career. With experience in Investment Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital, Richard brings a wealth of experience in corporate strategy, M&A and project finance across multiple technology sectors. To date, he has invested over $450 million in technology companies ranging from pure startups to large public corporations and advised on another $6 billion in transactions. He has extensive knowledge of the private and public markets, and sound business judgment.
As a private equity investor, as an executive and at ArgoSat, Mr. Davis has written, evaluated and executed dozens of satellite business plans. He has developed proprietary tools and algorithms to better define the business models and run sensitivity analyses to ensure compliance with financing requirements. Importantly, because of his background, he understands the needs of financial institutions not only for evaluation of credit quality but also for generating sufficient returns to attract capital.
Karen Jones
Karen L. Jones is a senior project leader and technology strategist with The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy. She has over 25 years of experience and expertise in the disciplines of technology strategy, market assessments, and commercialization — spanning both commercial and public sectors.
She has extensive experience with program evaluation, regulatory and policy analysis, telecommunications, and go-to-market strategies for new technologies. She has worked across multiple industries including the space and satellite industry, telecommunications, information technology, renewable energy, petroleum industry, and environmental industries. Prior to joining Aerospace, Ms. Jones was an executive with IBM Global Services where she focused on e-business and pervasive wireless strategies. Previously she worked as a management consultant for Arthur D. Little where she worked across a range of projects involving competitive strategies and market assessments, technology assessments, and international privatization. Ms. Jones also spent five years in the oil patchworking as an exploration petroleum geologist in Texas before obtaining her M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management.
Noel Rimalovski
Noel Rimalovski is a Managing Director at GH Partners, an independent New York-based investment banking firm. Mr. Rimalovski leads the firm’s representation of mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, debt financings, and strategic advisory services to domestic and international clients. At GH, Mr. Rimalovski specializes in the telecom, media, technology, space and defense sectors.
Prior to joining GH, Mr. Rimalovski was with Macquarie Capital, Wasserstein Perella, and Lazard Frères.
Mr. Rimalovski graduated from Tufts College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.