Following our participation in the Space Sustainability Plenary at SpaceOps 2025, we continue the conversation at our headquarters.
Speakers:
Dr. Ruth Stilwell
Kevin M. O’Connell
Stewart Bain.
Live Broadcast:
May 29th | 11 am – 12 pm EST
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Space sustainability in the dual use space era
In a rapidly expanding Space sector delivering Security with Economic benefits, how do we work towards space sustainability?
The pace of change in the space economy is as fast as ever, with no sign of slowing down. That puts tremendous pressure on how to sustain the space environment to properly support increasing activities related to security and economic expansion.
The world is shifting dramatically with direct impacts on security, space, and the demand for growing defense aspects of space — including GOLDEN DOME — that bring great expectations for the space economy.
We are moderating the Space Sustainability plenary at Space Ops 2025, in Montreal on May 29th at 8:30am and we are continuing this discussion with our expert panel as part of our Our Future in Space series hosted at our headquarters.
Dr. Ruth Stilwell 
Dr. Ruth Stilwell is the Executive Director of Aerospace Policy Solutions LLC, adjunct professor at Norwich University and served as Senior Nonresident Scholar at the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University. She is one of the leading authorities on integrated space and aviation policy and governance. Her current work focuses on the policy and regulatory frameworks for Space Traffic Management, the integration of commercial space launch in civil airspace, and the development of cooperative traffic management for aviation and space operation in airspace above 60,000 ft. Among her publications, she is a contributing author in reference books including Global Space Governance: An International Study (2017) and An Introduction to the Spaceport Industry: Runways to Space (2020).
Kevin M. O’Connell
Kevin M. O’Connell is a recognized expert on space commerce, the global space economy, and US national security. For almost four decades, he has focused on space commercialization and technological competitiveness and how to advance them in global markets. He has also focused on how these innovations impact US and allied national security.
Mr. O’Connell serves as the Chairman, US Board, NorthStar Earth and Space within his role as the CEO of Space Economy Rising, a firm that provides advisory services to high-tech companies and stakeholders in the space economy. Mr. O’Connell previously served as the Director of the Office of Space Commerce, US Department of Commerce (2018-2021) as the principal advocate for the US commercial space industry within the US government. He has testified before Congress on eight occasions about US space policy and regulatory issues, US space competitiveness and the growth of space commerce. He was also awarded the Vice President’s Dedicated Service Award for his support to the National Space Council.
Mr. O’Connell is a regular author and commentator on developments within the space economy.
Stewart Bain
Stewart Bain is an innovator, entrepreneur, aerospace engineer, and the driving force in the development of NorthStar, the world’s first comprehensive Earth & Space Information services platform that will pioneer space-based SSA (Space Situational Awareness).
Stewart has been spearheading the commercialization of disruptive aeronautical and space technologies for over three decades. He was part of the original engineering design team for RadarSat 1 & 2, created the optical systems centre of excellence in Canada that delivered breakthrough fully-autonomous star tracker systems for spacecraft attitude control as well as precision optical intersatellite link technologies. Stewart led an international team of scientists from USA and Japan that developed high temperature asymmetric phenylethynyl terminated imide (PETI) oligomer composite material that won a NASA R&D 100 award.
Stewart’s current energies are devoted to realizing NorthStar as an enterprise to provide concrete solutions for some of our planet’s most pressing challenges with tools that will enable a safer and more sustainable environment in Space and on Earth for generations to come.
Stewart holds an MBA from Queen’s University and a Master of Engineering from Carleton University. He is a classical trained actor from the National Theatre in London and founder of the Ottawa Shakespeare Festival in 1992.