Douglas Gorman
Annika Rollock, Aurelia Institute
Annika Rollock knew she wanted to work in the space industry the first time she saw Apollo 13—not as one of the astronauts flying the mission, but as one of the engineers keeping the spacecraft’s team alive.
Eamon Lawson, Southern Launch
In 2018, Australia passed its first regulatory framework for civil space activities. Lawson was among the first lawyers to hack his way through the new legalese—and make it out unscathed, on the other side.
Darren Charrier, KSAT
“Helping our species become interplanetary seems like the best thing you can do with your life,” Charrier told Payload. “Every step of my career…kind of zigzags, but keeps going towards that.”
Nikita Shetti, Viasat UK
“It’s good to get the big picture of the satellite, both pre-launch and post-launch as well,” Shetti told Payload. “It definitely fixed the jigsaw puzzle.”
Thomas Santini, Lodestar Space
As the cofounder of Lodestar Space, Santini is building in-space, bodyguard-like technology to protect and defend UK and Western defense assets in orbit.
Europe’s Satellite Production Capacity is About to Explode
European space agencies, satellite manufacturers, and parts suppliers have spent 2025 pouring capital and concrete to boost their sovereign, high-skilled manufacturing capacities.
Inside Astrolight’s Secure Comms Network Plans
Instances of satellite jamming are on the rise, and so are optical communications solutions to defend against interference.
Frontier Preps Next Mission After Mixed Results On ATMOS
Frontier is preparing to fly a second (slightly pared-down) SpaceLab next year aboard Orbital Paradigm’s new reentry platform.
Novaspace Predicts 43,000+ New Sats to Launch by 2034
If you think space is crowded now, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
ispace is Raising Money to Cover Growing Losses
Despite two solid efforts, ispace has yet to successfully land on the lunar surface—and the company’s financial position reflects that.
SpaceX Wins the Bulk of Space Force’s 2026 Launch Contracts
The Space Force’s reliance on SpaceX remains stronger than ever.
ESA Continues to Bet Big on Quantum Comms
Ultimately, these new technologies aren’t competing with radio frequency, but working together as part of a diverse network.
The EU Space Act Raises Questions
ICYMI: This week, Payload Europe hosted its first ever webinar—all about the EU Space Act.
