To the Stars through the Cloud! Data, Innovation, and Women at the Space Symposium
Sandy Carter
Chief Operating Officer l ex-AWS l ex-IBM | Board of Directors | AI Expert l Blockchain Expert l Cloud Expert
This week I got the experience to attend the Space Symposium.?It’s an amazing event about everything space from multiple spacefaring nations: space agencies; commercial space; military, national security and intelligence; cyber security; federal and state government agencies and organizations; research and development; think tanks; education; space entrepreneurs and private space travel providers and media that inspire and educate the general public about space.
Here’s my big 3 Learnings from the Conference:
1.????Data has gravity and data from space helps us on earth.??Rapidly evolving satellite data provides opportunities for people and businesses around the world. I learned how satellite data is being used for innovative applications enabling faster and better decision-making. I had to learn a whole new vocabulary and acronyms like SAR - Synthetic-Aperture Radar (SAR) technology and how it can be applied for generating highly actionable information for governments, organizations, and businesses.?Another term used a lot at the conference was LEO or Low Earth Orbit (LEO). LEO is commonly used for communication and remote sensing satellite systems, as well as the International Space Station (ISS) and Hubble Space Telescope. AWS’s booth emphasized the power of data.?For example, AWS Ground Station helps companies democratize space data with ML capabilities. Open data was discussed as well. When data is shared on AWS, anyone can analyze it and build services on top of it. Organizations are using space data in innovative ways and redefining how we research, make decisions, and see our world. As we work more effectively in space, this also improves our lives here on Earth by discovering more ways to protect wildlife and preserve environmental resources.
2.????Space Entrepreneurs are innovating– and fast. Some of the fastest growing industries are using the cloud to innovate faster, test new ideas to up-level customer experiences, and to completely transform their businesses.??Space is no exception to that rule.?Our Space Startups are just one set of entrepreneurs moving at the speed of light!?Three of our cohort companies, HawkEye360, D-Orbit, and Orbital Sidekick successfully launched satellites during the accelerator program as part of the SpaceX Transporter launch.?Lunar Outpost has been selected for the first Rover Mission on the Lunar South Pole. LeoLabs and New Zealand Space Agency designed the world's first dedicated regulatory platform: the Space Regulatory and Sustainability Platform. The regulatory platform offers a ground-breaking set of capabilities to empower the New Zealand government to meet its stated mission of encouraging a sustainable space environment for future generations.
3.????Women in space is driving impact.?Did you know that only 566 people have ever travelled to?space,? about 11.5%, are women? Of the?65 women that?have flown in?space it included multiple disciplines like cosmonauts, astronauts, payload specialists, and?space?station participants. The?2013 astronaut class ?was?the first with equal numbers of women and men.?Only 12.5% of all aerospace?engineers are women.?One session that was impactful was Technology Drives Exploration: Paving the Next Era of Space Exploration. The diverse discussion included how to build and attract a diverse future STEM workforce through engaging opportunities and partnerships.?I had the opportunity to attend the Women of Space luncheon at the conference as well. ??We heard from a panel of accomplished senior leaders that shared their insights on the important role of women in the exploration of space.
Overall, ?the entire experience was eye opening to the possibilities of what can come from Space. We see already cloud computing playing a critical role in the next frontier of space exploration, communication, and innovation. ?I was so proud to be there to represent AWS alongside Clint Crosier.
AWS is helping in major ways.??AWS has a long history of supporting our customers in space. We help thousands of governments and commercial customers and partners around the world transform how they do business and drive innovation for their space missions to build satellites, conduct space and launch operations, and reimagine space exploration.?
?To the stars through the cloud!
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3 年Data surely has gravity.?And for us to work effectively we need an open-source of data. That is the reason why having a faster and more open network would allow more innovation.
Chief Innovation Officer | Certified AI Research Analyst | Solutions Architect | Quantum Physics | Aspiring Author | Future of Work
3 年Sandy - in one of my classes at MIT, we had the head of engineering for NASA who also helped architect Apollo give us a presentation. He said, the most common question(s) he was asked was about Apollo and why he works in space. His answer to the space question was profound and always resonates with me. He said, "We are kind of in space and there is no other way to rationalize around it." Think about that.. we think space is out there. However, we are actually a blip in what we call space. I try to wrap my mind around this when zooming out to see the big picture.
Business Process Change Management | Process Re-engineering |Sustainability and Operations Transformation | Project and Program Management |Stakeholder Management and Lean
3 年Thank you Sandy Carter for sharing this insightful experience and keeping us updated on how space is impacting earth and vice versa.
??Talks about the CLOUD with my feet firmly on the ground ?? Sales professional that enjoys providing a solve to a problem with our secure and compliant data transfer solution.
3 年Wow! Startling stats about the involvement of women in space initiatives, but so great that Amazon Web Services (AWS) is making an impact through STEM support and other programs. Thank you for the article creation Sandy Carter - the Space Symposium sounds like a lovely way to spend a day learning!