Welcome to
ARIZONA SPACE Congress™

SHAPING THE SPACE FRONTIER: A HANDS-ON SIMULATION

Shaping the Space Frontier: A Hands-On Simulation will take place in downtown Phoenix on April 28, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Arizona. This immersive, limited-capacity session presents a bonus pre-day experience for ARIZONA SPACE Congress delegates, deploying a real-world simulation of strategic decision-making for the emerging space economy.

EXCLUSIVE WELCOME MIXER
Sponsored by Arizona Commerce Authority

Kick off the ARIZONA SPACE Congress™ in style at this private mixer reserved exclusively for speakers, sponsors, organizers, and community partners. Connect with fellow space leaders and set the stage for collaboration before the official congress begins.

CHECK-IN

Location:
Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix
2nd Floor Atrium
122 N 2nd St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Map

WELCOME REMARKS

Brett Mecum, Chairman, Arizona Space Commission

KEYNOTE ADDRESS I TRUSTED ORBITS

Charlie McGillis, CEO, 2 Polaris & Beyond, LLC

BUILDING ARIZONA’S GLOBAL SPACE RISE

Global leaders explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the space economy.

MODERATOR
• David Ariosto: Founder, The Space Agency

PANELISTS
• Greg Autry: Space Czar, University of Central Florida
• Howard Chang: Executive Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia
• Namrata Goswami: Professor, Johns Hopkins University
• Bryce Kennedy: Executive Director, Space Valley Foundation, International Telecommunication Union

SPACE EXPO // NETWORKING BREAK

BUILDING ARIZONA’S SPACE ECOSYSTEM

Local leaders share what’s needed to strengthen Arizona’s space ecosystem, from workforce and technology to infrastructure and energy resilience.

MODERATOR
• Colleen McLeod Garner: Marketing & BD Capture Manager, Paragon Space Development Corporation

PANELISTS
• Jim Cantrell: CEO and Co-Founder, Phantom Space
• Dr. Tomas Diaz de la Rubia: Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships, University of Arizona
• Mark Greeley: President, CEO, Paragon Space Development Corporation
• Shruti Gurudanti: Partner & Director of Corporate Transactions & Space law, Rose Law Group
• Shawn Linam: CEO, Qwaltec

LUNCH // SPACE EXPO

ARIZONA SPACE 2030 I DEEP DIVES

Choose from four focused strategy sessions tailored to your interests, where participants collaborate on the key challenges and opportunities defining Arizona’s future in space.
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1.

TECHNOLOGY → Driving Space in Arizona and Beyond
Location: Phoenix Ballroom

MODERATOR
• Charles Adelman: CEO/Co-Founder, XRDNA

PANELISTS
• Zaheer Ali: Space Paladin, University of Central Florida; Partner, Space Outcomes
• Jeremiah Pate: Founder, CTO, Lunasonde
• Tina Waddington: Director of Government Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, Lawrence Semiconductor
• Worth Wray: CSO, Phantom Space
• Jason Yocum: Senior Director, Space Infrastructure, Viasat Inc.

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2.

POWER SYSTEMS → Fueling the Future Frontier from Arizona
Location: Hanson Ballroom

MODERATOR
• Lisa Godzich: Founder and CEO, ASTRO Strategy Group

PANELISTS
• Elliott Bryner: Associate Professor and Chair, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Ubaldo Ciminieri: Chief of Staff, CisLunar Industries
• Troy Howe: President, Howe Industries, LLC
• Lee Steinke: Chief Operating Officer, CisLunar Industries

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3.

INFRASTRUCTURE → Building Arizona’s Space Backbone
Location: Cowboy Artists Ballroom

MODERATOR
• David Beck: Principal, Space Technologies Limited

PANELISTS
• Damon Feltman: CEO, Space Force Association
• Seema Phull: Founder and CEO, ForeOptics
• Douglas Nicholls: Mayor, City of Yuma

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4.

HUMAN FRONTIERS → Shaping Arizona’s Space Talent and Discovery
Location: Ellis Ballroom

MODERATOR
• Michael Vargas: Strategic Partnerships Lead Air and Space STEM Outreach, Griffiss Institute

PANELISTS
• Omar Alam, RF Communication Engineer, Blue Origin
• Erika Hamden: Professor & Director, UA Space Institute, University of Arizona
• Amanda Hendrix: Director & CEO, Planetary Science Institute
• Laurie Leshin: University Professor of Space Futures, Arizona State University
• Michelle Lucas: Founder & CEO, Higher Orbits

SPACE EXPO // NETWORKING BREAK

ARIZONA SPACE 2030 I SOLUTIONS

An interactive solutions sprint to define Arizona’s priorities for the next four years in the space economy. Participants will collaborate, generate ideas, and vote on the most critical actions to drive statewide success.

FACILITATED BY ARIZONA SPACE CONGRESS™ SCHOLARS

STUDENT LEAD: Imron Bouley, ASU
Nina Medanic, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Chloe Billet, Astronomy, U of A
Mae Carrington, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Madison Rix, Aerospace Engineering / SESE, ASU
Ulugbek Tillaev, Astronomy, U of A
Nick Woo, Political Science, ASU
Zach Booth, Mechanical Engineering, ASU
Hailey Osborne, Electrical Engineering, Embry-Riddle
Sadie Cullings, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Alex Jacapraro, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Mason Davis, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Dhruv Rebba, Political Science, ASU
Gabriel Garcia, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Ysabella McAuliffe, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Priscilla Munoz, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Sophia Skiba, Astronomical/Planetary Sciences, ASU/CGCC
Mia Ruiz, Aerospace Engineering, ASU
Sydney Waschler, High School Student


LOCATIONS

Technology I Phoenix Ballroom

Power Systems I Hanson Ballroom

Infrastructure I Cowboy Artists Ballroom

Human Frontiers I Ellis Ballroom

The Marquee Finale of ARIZONA SPACE Congress™

The on-stage and virtual, ASTROpreneurial collaboration-competition created and produced by Robert S. Katz, CEO & Executive Director of World Innovation Network (WIN).

SPACE TANK™ FINALISTS

OrbitScape
Nick Nguyen

MovaMicrowave, LLC
Arrian Movahedi

AEON Space
Karla Dembik

Torres Orbital Mining (TOM)
Samuel Apesin

Taranis (KĀLIX Systems)
Devyansh Shrivastava

TITAN JUDGES

Nancy Conrad
Founding Chairman, Conrad Foundation

Devin M Patterson
Director of Engagement, Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC)

Rick Tumlinson
Chair of the Board of Directors/Senior Managing Partner, SpaceFund
Founder. New Worlds, Space Cowboy Ball
Founder, EarthLight Foundation
Co-Founder, New Worlds Faire

Stephen Fleming
Founder, Boostphase
Founder, Arizona Space Business Roundtable

Jack Roosa
CEO, CM, Laser Technologies
President, General Hypersonics
General Partner, Crescent Edge Consulting

Bob DeLean
Chairman and Executive Director, Arizona Tech Investors

Palak Jauhari
Ventures Associate, Plug and Play Tech Center

STATE AWARDS & NATIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Founders compete for the inaugural Arizona Space Congress™ Innovation Impact Medal, a hallmark of excellence and recognition, which will be awarded at the Supernova Gala. Space Rising prides itself on accelerating access to priceless support across Arizona’s rich statewide ecosystem, ensuring every innovator continues to soar well beyond the stage. The top ASTROpreneurial Team advances to the Space Tank™: National Final Championship on December 4 - 6, 2026, at EarthLight Foundation’s New Worlds Faire in Houston, featuring planned programming with NASA Johnson Space Center.

LOCATION
Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix
2nd Floor Atrium Stage

WELCOME RECEPTION

Supernova Gala brings together leaders across the space ecosystem for an inspiring evening dedicated to the future of space. As a signature fundraising event, it supports multiple space-focused STEM nonprofits, investing in the next generation of space-ready talent.

Beneficiaries
• Arizona Science Center
• Higher Orbits
• Space Force Association: Space Professional Society

Location
Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix
2nd Floor Atrium
Map

Formal Attire

DINNER SERVED

ARIZONA SPACE COMMISSION AWARDS

KEYNOTE + SPACE TANK™ AWARDS

Robert S. Katz
CEO & Executive Director
World Innovation Network (WIN)
Building global innovation ecosystems for critical technologies.

CLOSING SOCIAL HOUR