What if the technologies shaping our future aren’t on earth at all?
From safeguarding our planet to advancing global connectivity – to providing disaster response and perhaps even redefining our place in the universe – space innovation is transforming how we live, communicate and understand our world.
As space becomes increasingly essential to earth’s survival, are we ready for the risks and rewards of reliance beyond our planet?
Join us for a thought-provoking and timely discussion with expert alumni at the forefront of the sector, exploring:
- Insights into current trends, challenges, and opportunities ahead in satellites and space technology
- The implications of space innovation for society and education
- Career insights from leaders shaping the field
- Audience Q&A
The event will be chaired by Professor Jonathan Eastwood (Convening Director of the School of Convergence Science in Space, Security and Telecoms).
In addition to the panel session, Imperial founders who have launched their own ventures in the field will be giving a round of speed-pitches during the event.
Following the panel and pitches, join us for refreshments and networking to continue the discussion and get to know our panellists, founders, and the alumni community working in the fields of space, security and telecoms.
Key details
Date: Tuesday 21 October
Location: LGR – Imperial Business School, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ
Cost: £10 for alumni and their guests, £5 for students
Register: book your spot via Eventbrite.
If you are staff wishing to attend, please email alumnievents@imperial.ac.uk to secure a spot.
Panellists
- Libby Jackson OBE
(Physics 2002) – Head of Space at the Science Museum, where she plays a key role in the museum’s space-related public engagement activities and supports the museum’s curators to acquire new space technologies for the national collection. Libby is one of Britain’s leading experts in human spaceflight, having spent nearly two decades working at the forefront of the field in mission control and management roles, including as the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploring, Programme Manager for the hugely successful education programme for Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station, and as a Flight Director for the Columbus module, Europe’s laboratory on the ISS. - Nikki Antoniou CEng
(Physics 2005) – Domain Lead for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for UK National Future Space Programmes at Airbus Defence and Space. Nikki has been in the Earth Observation, Exploration & Science business unit of Airbus Defence and Space since 2006, including a decade at their smallsat subsidiary, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. Across her time in the space industry she has worked on complex ESA missions such as Solar Orbiter all the way through to 3U cubesats, and specialises in end to end mission design and spacecraft platform development. She is passionate about space sustainability and was a finalist in the 2024 Women in Defence Awards in the Innovation and Sustainability Category. - Andrew Stanniland (Aeronautical Engineering 1992) –
Managing Director of MDA UK. Andrew is an experienced leader in the space and satellite communications industry with over two decades of senior roles across major aerospace and satellite organisations. Prior to his role at MDA UK, Andrew spent five years at Thales Alenia Space as Chief Executive Officer UK. Previously, Andrew held leadership positions at Astrium Services and Paradigm Secure Communications, developing and delivering mission-critical satellite services. 
Jason Maroothynaden (Materials 1996, PhD 2000) – Managing Director of K-research.vc, providing venture capital solutions to space start ups and scale ups. Jason is a leading expert on venture and access to finance for space activities. He has a multi-decade career spanning the European Space Agency (ESA) – firstly in human spaceflight working on various microgravity platforms, and secondly, as ESA’s investment and finance relations expert for downstream applications, working with space focused venture capital firms. More recently he worked at HE Space Operations as UK Managing Director, responsible for providing space skills (including climate science) to ESA, and delivering satellite monitoring and control, and data processing services. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and has been a mentor with the Imperial Venture Mentoring service (IVM) since 2019.
(Physics 2002) – Head of Space at the Science Museum, where she plays a key role in the museum’s space-related public engagement activities and supports the museum’s curators to acquire new space technologies for the national collection. Libby is one of Britain’s leading experts in human spaceflight, having spent nearly two decades working at the forefront of the field in mission control and management roles, including as the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploring, Programme Manager for the hugely successful education programme for Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station, and as a Flight Director for the Columbus module, Europe’s laboratory on the ISS.
(Physics 2005) – Domain Lead for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for UK National Future Space Programmes at Airbus Defence and Space. Nikki has been in the Earth Observation, Exploration & Science business unit of Airbus Defence and Space since 2006, including a decade at their smallsat subsidiary, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. Across her time in the space industry she has worked on complex ESA missions such as Solar Orbiter all the way through to 3U cubesats, and specialises in end to end mission design and spacecraft platform development. She is passionate about space sustainability and was a finalist in the 2024 Women in Defence Awards in the Innovation and Sustainability Category.
Managing Director of MDA UK. Andrew is an experienced leader in the space and satellite communications industry with over two decades of senior roles across major aerospace and satellite organisations. Prior to his role at MDA UK, Andrew spent five years at Thales Alenia Space as Chief Executive Officer UK. Previously, Andrew held leadership positions at Astrium Services and Paradigm Secure Communications, developing and delivering mission-critical satellite services.
Imperial founders showcasing at this event
- Astron Systems – Flexible, fast,
and affordable rides to orbit and back for small payloads with the first small-lift class 100% reusable rockets. Astron are pioneering full rocket reusability in a small-lift class size rocket for the first time, with an architecture designed for minimum operating cost and long service life. Founded by Eddie Brown, Kieran Jones-Tett, and Rafal Sokolowski (MEng Aeronautics with Spacecraft Engineering 2021). - SuperSharp –
An earth-imaging company developing unfolding space telescopes to capture high-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) images of the earth. Their technology allows a large telescope to fit inside a small satellite, making low-cost, high-resolution, and frequent earth-imaging possible. The images captured by their telescopes can be used for applications tackling climate change, crop monitoring, and maintaining global security. SuperSharp are on a mission to offer high quality affordable earth-imaging solutions to empower our world in responding to global change. Co-founded by Marco Gomez-Jenkins (MBA 2019). - Project Svarog
– A student led aerospace engineering initiative with the goal of becoming the first student team to build a spacecraft capable of leaving the solar system. To achieve this goal, Svarog develops Solar Sail technology. Over the past two years, Svarog has participated in the European Space Agency’s BEXUS program, allowing them to test their solar sail prototypes on a stratospheric balloon at 30km in altitude. Over the last year, Svarog have compressed their design into a fully integrated CubeSat, taking them one step closer to a space-ready satellite. Looking to the future, Svarog wants to aim higher, looking at participating either in the ESA REXUS program, parabolic flights or hitch ride on a private LEO (Low Earth Orbit) launch to test the solar sail in microgravity conditions. On the night Project Svarog will be presented by student team leads, including Nishant Kidangan Mathew (MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Business 2027).
and affordable rides to orbit and back for small payloads with the first small-lift class 100% reusable rockets. Astron are pioneering full rocket reusability in a small-lift class size rocket for the first time, with an architecture designed for minimum operating cost and long service life. Founded by 
An earth-imaging company developing unfolding space telescopes to capture high-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) images of the earth. Their technology allows a large telescope to fit inside a small satellite, making low-cost, high-resolution, and frequent earth-imaging possible. The images captured by their telescopes can be used for applications tackling climate change, crop monitoring, and maintaining global security. SuperSharp are on a mission to offer high quality affordable earth-imaging solutions to empower our world in responding to global change. Co-founded by 
– A student led aerospace engineering initiative with the goal of becoming the first student team to build a spacecraft capable of leaving the solar system. To achieve this goal, Svarog develops Solar Sail technology. Over the past two years, Svarog has participated in the European Space Agency’s BEXUS program, allowing them to test their solar sail prototypes on a stratospheric balloon at 30km in altitude. Over the last year, Svarog have compressed their design into a fully integrated CubeSat, taking them one step closer to a space-ready satellite. Looking to the future, Svarog wants to aim higher, looking at participating either in the ESA REXUS program, parabolic flights or hitch ride on a private LEO (Low Earth Orbit) launch to test the solar sail in microgravity conditions. On the night Project Svarog will be presented by student team leads, including About the Chair
Professor Jonathan Eastwood 
is Convening Director of the School of Convergence Science for Space, Security and Telecoms. He is also Professor of Space Physics in the Department of Physics.
He has a diverse background having worked at the University of California, Berkeley, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Jonathan’s research interests include fundamental space plasma physics, focusing on magnetic reconnection and challenge-led research into severe space weather. He combines spacecraft data analysis, the construction of space instrumentation, and computer simulations for space weather modeling.
The School of Space, Security and Telecoms
This event has been aligned with the newly launched School of Space, Security and Telecoms, designed to create a deeply integrated research and innovation community that will deliver societal impact.
The School is mission-led, shaped by some of society’s most complex challenges. Discover here some of the exemplar missions the School is exploring.