2023 ASCENDxTexas brings together the space community to share best practices, innovative strategies, and opportunities to succeed in today’s global market and our off-world future. Agenda highlights include outcome-focused conversations, updates on signature space programs, along with multiple on and off-site networking opportunities.
DISCOVER the evolving partnerships between all stakeholders for streamlined collaboration to achieve the common goal.
IDENTIFY solutions to barriers, and create enhanced strategies for successful partnerships.
EXPLORE new players and partners that will be a part of tomorrow’s space ecosystem.
LEARN how commercialization will advance, enable, and support space ecosystems, future capabilities, and long-term exploration.
DEVELOP the pathways forward—help start, build, and be a part of the process toward new and expanded outcomes.
Attendees will gain insights about Artemis, CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services), CLD (Commercial LEO Destinations), and other signature programs, along with how these programs are forging a new future in space. With the space ecosystem and activities increasing exponentially, meet key global stakeholders in Texas, and learn how they’re accelerating our progress towards a sustainable off-world future.
Throughout the year, the ASCENDx Series accelerates momentum toward the fall ASCEND apex event. ASCENDxTexas is an open summit bringing together a broad community of stakeholders from NASA, industry, academia, government, and private entities to help build connections into partnerships, engage in continuous discussions on strategy, development, and implementation of our off-world exploration, national security, and commercial activities. As with all our ASCEND events, ASCENDxTexas will focus on impactful outcomes and identifying opportunities holistically as a mission rather than a solution.
We all want to get into action. But where to start? Futurists suggest starting by forecasting the future(s) and then backcasting to the present. This session shares 10 tips for how futurists build pathways toward plausible futures possibilities using a forecasting and backcasting approach.
For the future to become reality, we need to be honest with the facts vs the fiction of space exploration. The barriers to success in space is multi-dimensional and interdependent with physics, politics, and capital (human and funds) the most pressing. This panel will frame our checklist for the success we seek.
Jason Kalirai
Mission Area Executive for Civil Space, Space Exploration Sector, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Sponsored By
How do we take lessons learned to move toward the future, without inhibiting our potential? How do we let go of the past that’s holding us back?
Growing the LEO commercialization market demands a broader stakeholder community, while managing a smooth transition from ISS to privately-owned space station. The transportation and utilization investments must be maintained to assure access to LEO for future market development and to meet important NASA LEO mission objectives. For NASA to be one of many customers in LEO, what must NASA and current stakeholders do to attract stakeholders that benefit from the growing space economy?
Sam Gunderson
Partnership Development Lead, Business Development and Technical Integration, NASA Johnson Space Center
Global cooperation has played a critical role in accelerating space exploration and commercialization. From the International Space Station to joint scientific missions of discovery, countries and organizations have joined forces to share resources, knowledge, and expertise. These collaborations facilitate the exploration of our universe and promote global understanding. As we look toward the future, international collaboration will be critical and we must build off past lessons learned to refine and evolve how we collaborate. This conversation will reflect on lessons of the past and identify new challenges for future collaboration that will likely move even more toward commercialization.
Akihiko Hoshide
Mission Specialist, STS-124, Flight Engineer, Expedition 32, Commander, Expedition 65, JAXA
Sponsored By
Sponsored By
As we focus on defining the next steps to remove barriers and expand on the approaches for success, it will take resilience and persistence from the entire industry to overcome challenges. As innovation and markets evolve continuously, how do we keep the momentum going and ensure progress for the whole space ecosystem?
Hear the latest on the status and trends of the space exploration markets, including current global market and economic impacts, and challenges and opportunities for the future.
As key NASA programs are now evolving into more non-traditional business models, what are the recent key advancements, and the needed goals and achievements to continue progress? What are current challenges regarding further evolution and collaboration of these business models, and how can they be turned into opportunities and sustained for the long term? What lessons do we take with us, and what are the go-forward business challenges? This panel will address industry requirements and support needed from government to work together toward building a cislunar space economy.
Dan Tani
Director, Business Development Operations, Human Exploration & Operations, Northrop Grumman
In this fireside chat, NASA technology leaders will discuss collaboration mechanisms across government and the private sector, how these critical partnerships accelerate technology maturation, and provide specific examples.
Nick Skytland
Chief Technologist and Director, Business Development & Technology Integration Office, NASA Johnson Space Center
Sponsored By
The space industry is rapidly evolving with new markets and competition, making it critical to approach challenges with resilience and flexibility. Steve Cook, a seasoned veteran of the industry, will share his experiences on how he blends his lessons learned from NASA and DoD programs to accelerate and sustain the space ecosystem. He will address where the industry needs to start collaborating to overcome barriers in the near future and beyond, while creating an environment to foster innovation, collaboration, and success in space.
These interactive discussions are designed to discover creative concepts, and stimulate dialogue on pressing business challenge and solutions in an intimate, collaborative group setting. Each group will share and deliberate on the latest industry challenges, identify strategies and tasks to remove barriers, and expand solution sets required. How do we effectively frame requisites more constructively for partners to raise capital on developing solutions to address these needs?
Sponsored By
Discover the latest updates and progress from Artemis, CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services), CLD (Commercial LEO Destinations), and other signature programs. What are the recent challenges, potential solutions, and the opportunities in the next five years?
Catherine Koerner
Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA
Christopher Hansen
Deputy Program Manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA
Amit Kshatriya
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development, NASA
Sponsored By
For registration questions please contact sandrat@aiaa.org or 703-264-7508.
You are entitled to receive a refund of your registration fee less a $50 processing fee if you are unable to attend 2023 ASCENDxTexas until 16 March 2023. Registrants who cancel beyond this date or fail to attend the event will forfeit the entire registration fee. All cancellations must be in writing to sandrat@aiaa.org. Please call 703-264-7508 if you have any registration questions.
Location: South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center, 2500 South Shore Blvd, League City, TX 77573, United States
Safety & Wellness: Your well-being is our priority Full health & safety information
Parking: Parking is available at South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center.
Travel: Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) is 20 miles from the venue. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is 47 miles from the venue.
South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center (SSHR)
2500 South Shore Boulevard
League City, TX 77573
Phone: 281.334.1000
Book Your Hotel Room
Rates are valid until the room block is sold out.
Primary Room Block – $150
Government Rate Room Block – $109
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