ISDC 2026: June 4-7, 2026

Conference Speakers

Featured Speakers

Aarti Holla-Maini

Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

01 Holla-Maini, Aarti

Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt

Apollo 17 NASA Astronaut

02 Schmitt, Harrison H. “Jack”

Michael López-Alegría

Chief Astronaut, Axiom Space

03 López-Alegría, Michael

Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Director, Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley

04 Elkins-Tanton, Lindy

Jeffrey Manber

Special Representative to the Chairman and CEO, Voyager Technologies

05 Manber, Jeffrey

Bill Diamond

CEO, SETI Institute

06 Diamond, Bill

David Brin

Astrophysicist and Novelist, Caltech Distinguished Alumnus

07 Brin, David

Gerry Griffin

Apollo Flight Director Mission Control

08 Griffin, Gerry

Robert "Hoot" Gibson

Former NASA Chief Astronaut

09 Gibson, Robert “Hoot”

Susan Kilrain

Former NASA Astronaut

10 Kilrain, Susan

James L. Green

Former NASA Chief Scientist

Green, James L.

Dr. Steven Hawley

Former NASA Astronaut

Hawley, Dr. Steven

Conference Speakers

We extend our great thanks to the speakers whose insights and expertise significantly enrich the International Space Development Conference. Their contributions, fueled by deep knowledge and passion for space exploration, broaden perspectives and inspire our community. We are deeply appreciative of their involvement and the impactful knowledge they share.

Caitlin Ahrens

Assistant Research Scientist, NASA GSFC/UMD

Ahrens, Caitlin

Stevan Akerley

Space Ambassadors Program Director National Space Society

Akerley, Stevan

Zaheer Ali

Space Paladin, Director of the Space MBA Program, University of Central Florida

Ali, Zaheer

Lee Anderson

Growth and Strategy Leader, Independent

Anderson, Lee

Isaac Arthur

President, National Space Society

Arthur, Isaac

Nishchal Baniya

CEO, Everest Sustainability Foundation

Baniya, Nishchal

Gary Barnhard

CEO, Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships, Inc

Barnhard, Gary

Larry Bartoszek

Owner, Bartoszek Engineering

Bartoszek, Larry

Dr. Jim Bell

Professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University

Bell, Dr. Jim

Dr. Sherry Bell

Dean of Psychology, Kepler Space University

Bell, Sherry

Maryann Benny Fernandes

Graduate Student, Duke University

Benny Fernandes, Maryann

Zsófia Biró

Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi

Biró, Zsófia

Kathleen Brett

Program Analyst, Space Security & Stability, Secure World Foundation

Brett, Kathleen

Stephanie Brick

Founder, Licensed Architect, Salutogenic Design & Consulting Group

Brick, Stephanie

Alastair Browne

Author, selfpublishing.com

Browne, Alastair

Chris Cochran

Field CISO and VP of AI Security, SAN Institute

Cochran, Chris

Mark Cochran

Lead Researcher, Public Capital Foundation

Cochran, Mark

Reef Collins

Student Intern, Mars Institute and University of Central Florida

Collins, Reef

Keith Cowing

Editor, NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com

Cowing, Keith

Michela Cutigni

Aerospace Engineer, Sapienza University of Rome/Thales Alenia Space

Cutigni, Michela

Avery Davis

Secretary/Treasurer, TL5SS, Tucson Chapter of the NSS

Davis, Avery

Burt Dicht

National Space Society Director of Membership

Dicht, Burt

David Dillon

Founder & CEO, Electromagnetic Launch, Inc.

Dillon, David

Dr. Amanda Fetch

ML/AI Working Group Chair, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation

Fetch, Dr. Amanda

Bernard Foing

President SRI, CEO LUNEX EuroMoonMars

Foing, Bernard

Ayden Frey

Student Researcher, Wolfpack CubeSat Dev Team

Frey, Ayden

Mordy Friedman

CEO, World Space Elevator Competitions

Friedman, Mordy

Douglas Gage

Principal, XPM Technologies

Gage, Douglas

William W. “Bill” Gardiner

Lab Director, Analytech Div. of Laboratory Consulting Sources, Inc.

Gardiner, William

Nick Georges

Space Entrepreneur, Central Wyoming College and Astra Nova

Georges, Nick

Alex Gilbert

VP of Regulation, Zeno Power Systems, Inc.

Gilbert, Alex

Aolani Gonzalez

Undergraduate Student, Yale University

Gonzalez, Aolani

Dr. Gretchen Green

Astronaut, Explorer, Educator, The Expert Resource

Green, Dr. Gretchen

Steven Griggs

President, Space Railway Corporation

Griggs, Steven

Loretta Hall

Author, Freelance

Hall, Loretta

Michael Helton

Consultant, Helton Associates

Helton, Michael

Grant Henriksen

Policy Committee Chair, National Space Society

Henriksen, Grant

Joannes Paulus Tolentino Hernandez

Associate Professor of Nursing, Helene Fuld College of Nursing

Hernandez, Joannes Paulus Tolentino

Paula Hill-Collins

Vice President and Clinical Director, St. Mary's Health Wagon DBA Health Wagon

Hill-Collins, Paula

Jeremy Wain Hirschberg

Research Specialist, Weill Cornell Medicine

Hirschberg, Jeremy Wain

Dr. Giuseppe Iaria

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Calgary

Iaria, Dr. Giuseppe

Holger Isenberg

Independent Researcher & Founder, areo.info

Isenberg, Holger

Fredrick Jenet

National Space Society Board of Directors

Jenet, Fredrick

Susan Jewell

CEO, Mars-Moon Astronautics Academy and Research Sciences

Jewell, Susan

Haig John

Doctor of Chiropractic, Board of Directors, Odyssey Charter School

John, Haig

Richard Kacik

Aerospace Engineer (Ret.), NSS Contest Judge

Kacik, Richard

Dr. Nick Kanas

Professor Emeritus (Psychiatry), University of California, San Francisco

Kanas, Dr. Nick

Robert Katz

CEO and Executive Director of the World Innovation Network

Katz, Robert

William Kemp

CEO, Aethon Space, Inc.

Kemp, William

John Knapman

Director of Research, International Space Elevator Consortium

Knapman, John

Ajay Kothari

President, Astrox Corp

Kothari, Ajay

John Kross

Senior Contributing Editor, Ad Astra

Kross, John

Bryan Kuklinski

Executive Vice President, Orbital Construction Pioneers Inc.

Kuklinski, Bryan

Julia Lantos

Research Assistant, Sophomore, Saint Mary’s School

Lantos, Julia

Joe Latrell

CEO, Quub, Inc.

Latrell, Joe

Dr. Pascal Lee

Planetary Scientist, Co-founder and Chairman, Mars Institute

Lee, Pascal

Rachel Long

Student, Aerospace Engineering, Mars Institute and UC Davis

Long, Rachel

Dr. Alla Malko

NSS Awards Committee

Malko, Dr. Alla

John Mankins

President, Mankins Space Technology

Mankins, John

Muhammed Marzooq

Student, University of Calicut

Marzooq, Muhammed

Gerald Mclaughlin

Co-Manager, NSS Live in a Healthy Space Contest, NIH (Ret.)

Mclaughlin, Gerald

Joseph Meany

President, Interstellar Research Group

Meany, Joseph

Bryce Meyer

NSS Space Ambassador, Space Farms, St Louis Space Frontier

Meyer, Bryce

Christian B. Meza

CEO and Director of Exothermic Films

Meza, Christian B.

Subhransu Mishra

Founder, AstroMind AI

Mishra, Subhransu

Claire Nalda

BA/MAIR Candidate, Johns Hopkins University

Nalda, Claire

Dr. Claire Nelson

Chief Ideation Leader, Space Futures Forum

Nelson, Dr. Claire

Thomas Andrew Olson

Board Chair, Center for Space Commerce and Finance

Olson, Thomas Andrew

Haroon Oqab

Co-Founder and President, Kepler Space University

Oqab, Haroon

Ayse Oren

Architect, DesignArt

Oren, Ayse

Doug Owens

Founder and Managing Partner, Space Outcomes LLC

Owens, Doug

Dr. Shawna Pandya

Director of Medical Research Orbital Assembly Corporation

Pandya, Shawna

John Parks

Founder & Ecologist, ExoScientific

Parks, John

Dr. Anthony Paustian

VP of Marketing National Space Society

Paustian, Anthony

Joseph Pelton

Chair, Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space (ACES Worldwide)

Pelton, Joseph

Jim Plaxco

President, Chicago Society for Space Studies

Plaxco, Jim

Rod Pyle

Ad Astra Editor-in-Chief, Author, Host of "This Week in Space"

Pyle, Rod

Lev Reznikov

CDI Leader, Sagittarius Space

Reznikov, Lev

Andrew Rivkin

Principal Professional Staff, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Rivkin, Andrew

Jennifer Rochlis

CEO, Advancing Frontiers, Inc.

Rochlis, Jennifer

Dr. Wolfgang Rohde

Executive Director of Innovation & Strategy, Aisune Foundation

Rohde, Dr. Wolfgang

Jules Ross

CEO, Joules Space Technology

Ross, Jules

Ken Ruffin

Founder, Didymos Consulting LLC (dba Ruff-in-Space)

Ruffin, Ken

James Schier

Chief Architect for Space Communications and Navigation, NASA (Ret.)

Schier, James

David Schuman

Attorney-Adviser, NASA Office of General Counsel (ret.), University of Vienna

Schuman, David

Erik Seedhouse

Associate Professor Space Operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Seedhouse, Erik

Varadaraya Shenoy

Acting Instructor & Cerebrovascular Fellow, Neurological Surgery, UW Seattle

Shenoy, Varadaraya

Leo Shiina

Student, Stanford OHS

Shiina, Leo

Camisha Simmons

Attorney | Principal | Managing Member, Simmons Legal PLLC

Simmons, Camisha

Dale Skran

COO/SVP, NSS

Skran, Dale

Dr. Logan Smith

Psychologist and Independent Researcher

Smith, Logan

Jerry Stone

Freelance Space Presenter & Developer of Island Zero, Spaceflight UK

Stone, Jerry

Ben Sullivan

Chemical Engineer

Sullivan, Ben

Dr. Peter A. Swan

Chief Architect, International Space Elevator Consortium

Swan, Peter A.

Phil Swan

Director of Infrastructure, The Atlantis Project

Swan, Phil

Bill Tarver

Physician, NASA (Retired)

Tarver, Bill

Madhu Thangavelu

Dept of Astronautical Engineering, Viterbi School

Thangavelu, Madhu

Sandy Therrien

Founder and CEO, Blue Moon Space Operations LLC

Therrien, Sandy

Luis Torres

Founder & CEO, Torres Orbital Mining Inc

Torres, Luis

Sindhoora Vemula & Ananya Ram

High School Students, North Texas Chapter National Space Society

Vemula & Ananya Ram, Sindhoora

Harsh Verma

Student, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology

Verma, Harsh

Erick Villa

Science Communicator, Kenya Space Agency

Villa, Erick

Travis Wicks

CEO, Pegasus Online

Wicks, Travis

James Anthony Wolff

Partner, Greenspoon Marder LLP

Wolff, James

Nancy C. Wolfson

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Wolfson, Nancy C.

Dennis Wright

Vice President, International Space Elevator Consortium

Wright, Dennis

Aimei Helen Yang

Strategic Communications Leader in AI & Space Systems, Independent Researcher

Yang, Aimei Helen

Melodie Yashar

Space Architect, Founder, AENARA

Yashar, Melodie

Jennifer Young

Associate Professor, University of the Cumberlands

Young, Jennifer

Robert Zubrin

President, Mars Society, Pioneer Astronautics

Zubrin, Robert
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