World's Space Community to Gather in Pasadena California Written 9 April 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DUANE HYLAND
703.264.7558
duaneh@aiaa.org

13th International Space Operations Conference Will Explore Innovation

April 14, 2014 – Reston, Va. – The 13th International Conference on Space Operations (SpaceOps Conference) will be held May 5 – 9 at the Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, Calif. Hosted by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the conference will bring together over 600 attendees from 20 nations in the international space community.

The theme for SpaceOps 2014 is “Explore Innovation.” The conference will feature critical dialogue on building and sustaining cost-effective space operation services, innovative ways of building and operating space systems, and efficient ways to integrate operations personnel into missions and programs. Additionally, the conference will explore the links between innovation in space systems and a thriving global economy.

“The discussions that will occur at SpaceOps, among representatives of the world’s space operations community are critical for fostering both innovation and international partnerships, which will be necessary to continue humanity’s exploration and utilization of space,” said David Nichols, organizing chair and assistant director for engineering, at JPL. “We are pleased to offer this opportunity for representatives of academia, government and industry to come together. The organizers are confident that the presentations here will help move space exploration along to another age of exciting discoveries in space and understanding of our own planet.”

Highlighted speakers for the conference include: William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, human exploration and operations, NASA; Jean-Luc Froeliger, vice president, satellite operations and engineering, Intelsat; Jeff Norris, manager, Mission Innovation Office, JPL; Yongseung Kim, executive director, Satellite Information Research Laboratory, Korea Aerospace Research Institute; Michael Moses, vice president, operations, Virgin Galactic; and Gerhard Thiele, head, Strategy and Outreach Office, Directorate of Human Spaceflight and Operations, European Space Agency. Welcoming remarks will be provided by Charles Elachi, director, JPL.

Space Ops 2014’s plenary panels will discuss the future of mission control center operations; small satellite operations; and the future of commercial space. Concurrent technical panels will explore a wide variety of related themes including affordable mission design, orbital debris, and deep space exploration.

For more information on SpaceOps 2014, visit www.spaceops2014.org or contact Duane Hyland at 703.264.7558 or duaneh@aiaa.org. Media registration for credentialed members of the press is complimentary. The Space Ops Conference, a technical forum of space operations community held biennially since 1990, addresses state-of-the-art operations principles, methods and tools. The event attracts technologists, scientists, managers and experts from space agencies, industry and academia, fostering managerial and technical interchange on all aspects of space mission operations, including robotics, human, earth orbiting, and deep space. The SpaceOps Organization is a spacecraft operations oriented international association consisting of representatives from most of the space-faring nations. For more information about the SpaceOps Organization, visit www.spaceops.org.