2023 Australian Space Domain Awareness and Space Traffic Management Conference

Director Force Generation, Defence Space Command

GPCAPT Henry joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1995, and graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts (Information Systems and Geography). After several postings as an Air Battle Manager, GPCAPT Henry posted to the 2nd Space Warning Squadron (2SWS), Buckley AFB, CO, to operate the Space Based Infrared System (2003 – 2005).

After the 2SWS, GPCAPT Henry was an Overhead Persistent Infra-Red Operations Analyst at Defence Science and Technology Group (2006), and later posted to HQ Joint Operations Command (2008 – 2011), where he established the precursor to the Australian Space Operations Centre and deployed to the Middle East.

GPCAPT Henry earned a Master of Strategic and Defence Studies at the Australian Command and Staff College in 2015 before taking up an exchange position with the U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon (2016 – 2017) where he assisted in the development and application of U.S. Defence space policy, particularly focused on SDA, STM, and the formation of the US Space Force.

In 2018 – 2019, GPCAPT Henry held an SDA capability development role at Air Force Headquarters and was the Air Force Liaison Officer to the Australian Space Agency. Next, he commanded the Surveillance and Control Training Unit (2020 – 2022) where he developed the Space Fundamentals Course for Defence. He completed a Master of Space Operations through UNSW in 2020.

In his current role as Director Force Generation at Defence Space Command, GPCAPT Henry is responsible for the preparedness, training, exercising, and assurance of ADF space forces.

GPCAPT Henry is married to Kellie. His 18-year-old twin sons (Matthew and Jacob) have flown the coop; his 7-year-old daughter, Sophie, insists on living at home so she can run the place.

Radio Frequency Engineer, CSIRO

Ken is a senior Radio Frequency (RF) engineer working in the Antenna and Receiver Technologies Group at CSIRO. His current role involves leading the Space Object Tracking efforts as the acting SSA lead at CSIRO. In addition, he manages a team focused on Low-Noise Amplifiers and Electromagnetics.

Ken completed a Masters of Space Engineering at UNSW Canberra in 2021 and has worked on a number of CSIRO Space Technology Future Science Platform (Space FSP) projects. Including; Radio astronomy technologies for space situational awareness, Satellite ground stations for space & Earth observation scientific research, and High-speed satellite communication links based on terahertz technologies.

With over twenty years of experience in antenna and microwave measurement, Ken is a resident test engineer responsible for overseeing CSIRO Space and Astronomy's antenna measurement facilities.

Deputy Director - Mission Specialists, Australian National University Institute for Space

Dr. Cassandra Steer is Deputy Director - Mission Specialists, of the Australian National University Institute for Space (InSpace). She is also Chair of the Australian Centre for Space Governance. Globally recognised for her expertise in space governance, space law, and space security, she has published widely on these topics, including the application of the law of armed conflict and use of force in outer space. She has consulted to the Australian, Canadian, and U.S. Departments of Defence, the Australian Space Agency, and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on these issues. She has taught space law and space security at McGill University, the ANU College of Law, the National Security College, and the Australian Defence College.

Dr. Steer is multilingual and has lived and worked in five countries, in a range of educational, non-profit, and public institutions. She holds degrees in philosophy, civil law, international law, international criminal law, and has training in common law, comparative law, and space law. Dr. Steer is a member of the Australian Space Agency's Technical Advisory Group for Space Situational Awareness, a member of the Space Traffic Management Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, and a member of the International Institute of Space Law.

Chief Technology Officer, Australian Space Agency

Aude Vignelles is the Chief Technology Officer of the Australian Space Agency. As part of the senior executive team, Aude supports the Australian Space Agency with strategic technology advice and program delivery to grow a trusted and respected Australian space capability, using advanced insight and engagement with the Australian and international space sector.

Her office sets strategic priorities by developing and updating technology roadmaps across the Agency's seven priority areas. She identifies, develops, and delivers domestic and international space programs, represents the Agency at international technology forums, maintains awareness of the state of the art for the space sector as the Technology Authority for the Agency, and sustains strong engagement with the local industry and scientific community.

Aude is a space and aeronautics system engineer who started her career at the European Space Agency (ESA) in the Netherlands. She became a source of expertise for the test campaign of all scientific programs run by ESA from their early phase, such as Rosetta. She was appointed Test Manager for the X-ray Multi Mirror mission (XMM), then the largest scientific space program ever carried out by ESA. She then moved to London where she started a career in the broadcast industry and successfully integrated the first digital terrestrial broadcast center in the world. She continued this career in broadcast and media here in Australia with Foxtel and Austar. She later was appointed Vice President of Technicolor, covering all programs in the APAC region. Prior to her CTO role, Aude was the Executive Manager, Satellite & Fixed Wireless Operations at nbn.

Aude has been living in Australia for the past 22 years and has contributed to the Australian space community through White Papers, events at conferences with the growing start-up community in Australia, and promotion for Women in Space and Engineering at universities.

Damian Hall graduated from the University of Tasmania with a PhD in cosmic-ray physics in 1995. During 1995 he worked for the Australian Antarctic Division conducting research on satellite observations and remote sensing of Antarctica and undertook postdoctoral research at Shinshu University in Japan during 1996 to 1998. Damian joined the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation in October 1998 as a research scientist working on surveillance systems modelling and assessment in the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Division.

In 2002 he was promoted to Senior Research Scientist in Electronic Warfare (EW) Division where he worked in the Land and Force Level EW areas, leading the development of ground vehicle signature and vulnerability assessments, and assessment of distributed EW systems.

In 2007, Damian was promoted to Group Leader of the Distributed EW research program focussed on modelling, analysis and experimentation of distributed EW systems and electronic warfare battle management. In that role he was program manager or S&T lead in a number of collaborative EW programs with North American defence organisations and managed the successful development of EW planning and decision aid tools for the EA-18G Growler program and other integrated EW projects.

During 2018 -2021 Damian was a Counsellor Defence S&T in the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. In this role, he was responsible for strengthening Australia’s Defence cooperation and collaboration within the Defence, industry, and innovation sectors across North America, including engaging directly with the Office of Naval Research and US Naval warfare centres, the US Air Force Research Laboratories, the Office of the Under-Secretary of Defence Research and Engineering, and Defence Advanced Research Programs Agency (DARPA).

Upon returning to Australia, Damian was the S&T Program Lead for Army ISREW and has been acting as the Program Leader for Space since July 2022. 

National Manager – Space
National Security and Space
Australian Government
Bureau of Meteorology

As an engagement and strategic specialist, Zandria currently works at the Bureau of Meteorology as the National Manager for Space in the National Security and Space Program. Currently Zandria focused on the establishment of the Bureau's dedicated spaceflight service, which actively supports Australia's rocket launch and space situational awareness activities and works closely with government and industry partners. Since 2010 Zandria has held progressive roles in Federal Government, across portfolios including Environment and Industry. In 2018 she joined the Australian Space Agency in the role of International Engagement Lead, where she was responsible for building relationships and progressing international agreements with key space agencies, before joining the Bureau in 2020. 

NASA Planetary Defense Officer and Lead Program Executive

Lindley Johnson is assigned to NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate, Planetary Science Division, as the NASA Planetary Defense Officer and Lead Program Executive for the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, tasked with warning and response to any potential impact of Earth by an asteroid or comet. Prior to NASA he served 23 years of Air Force active duty, obtained the rank of lieutenant colonel and was awarded numerous military honors and decorations while working on a variety of national security space systems. After joining NASA in 2003, he became the Program Executive for NASA’s Deep Impact mission to comet Tempel 1, launched in January 2005 to deliver an impact probe to the comet’s surface on July 4th, 2005, and explore the composition and interior structure of comets. NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations program has discovered over 26,000 near-Earth asteroids and comets since Lindley became its manager, about 92% of the total known. He led the establishment of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA in January 2016. Lindley has received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for his work on comet and asteroid missions and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for his efforts to establish the Planetary Defense Program in the United States. Asteroid 5905 (1989 CJ1) is named “Johnson” to recognize Lindley’s efforts in detecting Near Earth Objects.