Australian Space Domain Awareness & Space Traffic Management

Brigadier Ashman is Director General Space and Cyber Capability Development Branch, where he is responsible for delivering Australia’s space and cyber capabilities. Brigadier Ashman is a Signals Officer by background, with a career spanning tactical communications, Electronic Warfare, Signals Intelligence, and Strategic Planning. Since 2016, he has undertaken multiple roles in the cyberspace operations field.

He was promoted to Brigadier in 2025 and assumed command of the Cyber Forces Group, having served as Chief of Staff Cyber Command previously. From 2020 to 2024, he served as the Director Joint Cyber and Influence Projects, managing the delivery of cyber operations capabilities to all ADF and Defence cyber units. This program achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in September 2024 and introduced first-of-type capabilities for defensive cyber operations missions, including virtual training environments developed in conjunction with the United States’ Department of Defense.

He served as the Army Liaison Officer to the United States’ Army Combat Capability Development Command in 2018–2019, acting as the principal Army liaison for science and technology, C4I, electronic warfare, and cyber across numerous US Army and Department of Defense agencies.

Brigadier Ashman is a graduate of the Australian Technical Staff Officer’s College and the Australian Command and Staff College. He holds an undergraduate degree in Information Systems and Master’s degrees in Information Technology and Defence Capability Planning and Acquisition. His operational experience includes deployments to the Australian Headquarters in Iraq (2003–2004), as Deputy Chief of the Combined Theatre Electronic Warfare Cell in Qatar (2008–2009), and supporting capability implementation in Timor-Leste (2001).

Hamish is married to Vanessa and has two adult children, Emilia and Darius.

David is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Remix Astronautics, a company developing operational software for Space Domain Awareness, launch, and re-entry operations. His work focuses on turning complex data into practical tools that improve operational planning and decision-making.

David is also a Space Operations Officer with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, serving with No. 62 Squadron, New Zealand’s first dedicated military space operations unit. His background includes multinational SDA operations and collaboration with international and commercial partners. Prior to transitioning into the space domain, David served as a C-130 Loadmaster, deploying on military air mobility operations across a range of operational environments. 

He is now applying that operational air mobility experience to the development of re-entry planning and support systems, bringing established aviation operational principles into the emerging re-entry domain.

Matt Dilkes is a space operations professional with Bluestaq Australia and currently supports Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) as a DoK Weapons and Tactics Specialist and Advanced Operator.

His work focuses on operational Space Domain Awareness, including commercial SDA integration, provider engagement, operational analysis, procedure development, training and capability improvement. His experience includes rendezvous and proximity operations, satellite manoeuvre assessment, launch activity, counterspace events, and the development and refinement of operational processes supporting timely and accurate decision-making.

Prior to joining industry, Matt served for 15 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, bringing extensive Defence experience and an operational perspective to his work in the space domain.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with Honours and is completing postgraduate studies in space operations and space engineering. He works across Defence, industry, academia and international partnerships to improve SDA operations and strengthen the integration of commercial capabilities into operational environments.

Kruger White obtained his PhD in experimental physics at the Flinders University of South Australia. He has worked for 30 years in the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) conducting research and development of multi-sensor fusion capabilities in support of various surveillance and tactical systems in the air domain. Since 2020 Kruger has focussed on integration and processing of data and information from multiple sources to support development of Australia's Space Domain Awareness and Space Control capabilities. He works closely with the Australian Space Agency.

Bio coming soon. 

Dr Evie Kendal is an emerging technology bioethicist and public health scientist whose work focuses on reproductive biotechnologies, health communication and media, and space ethics. She is Associate Professor of Health Promotion at Swinburne University of Technology in Victoria, Australia and the head of the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Emerging Technologies (ELSIET) research group at the Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute. Evie’s research interests include artificial womb technology, ethical issues in aerospace medicine, planetary defence, and public health education.

With 30 years of experience as a senior officer in the Australian Defence Force, Ian Langford has had the challenge and opportunity to lead large and small teams in complex and ambiguous environments. Ian has held a range of appointments in the Army and Special Forces throughout his career. Ian commanded the 2nd Commando Regiment and multiple Special Operations Task Groups in Afghanistan, Iraq, and on domestic counter-terrorism duties. Ian has also led at the strategic level, responsible for the Army’s future strategic investments, future concepts and capabilities, major capital acquisitions, and critical sustainment systems, as the Head of Land Capability on two separate occasions: in 2019/20 and again in 2022.  

Ian Langford’s operational service includes deployments to Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the South-West Pacific. Ian has been awarded several Australian commendations for his service and the Distinguished Service Cross on three occasions. In 2019, he was appointed as an Honourary Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. He was also, until recently, the patron of the Defence Entrepreneurs’ Forum, an internationally recognised innovation pathway for young leaders within a global defence innovation network.

Ian Langford is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Company Directors Course. He has also completed the Senior Executive Leadership program at the Australian National University, as well as the Senior Leadership in National Security and Senior Leadership in Government programs at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Ian holds a bachelor’s degree in management, a Master of Arts, a Master of Defence Studies, a Master of Strategic Studies and a Doctor of Philosophy from Deakin University. He has been published dozens of times as an author, essayist and editor. He is also a regular commentator on Sky News, the BBC, and The Australian. In 2023, Ian retired from the Army as a Brigadier and has since formed his own advisory company, Burran Consultancy. He holds several Board positions, including a Listed Investment Company, and advises small and large firms across the private sector. He is also a tenured full Professor at the University of New South Wales and the Executive Director of the Security and Defence PLuS Alliance. He is also an Honourary Professor at The Australian National University.

Philip Citowicki is the Strategy & Business Development Lead for Space at Lockheed Martin Australia. In this role, Philip supports the rapidly growing and historic position of the company in Australia’s space sector and is engaged in projects and initiatives across the full spectrum of the space sector.

Philip is an Adjunct Fellow of Adelaide University’s Andy Thomas Space Centre for Space Resources and is a Director of the Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand. A publish commentator in the public policy space, Philip has contributed to respected publications, television programs, and academic institutions on foreign affairs and the space sector.

He was previously the Executive Officer of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), Australia’s peak industry body for the space industry. Philip served for six years in Australia’s federal government, including as adviser to Australia’s Foreign Minister the Hon Julie Bishop and as the Personal Political Aide to Australia’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.

Rebecca “Bec” Shrimpton is a Senior Advisor at The Asia Group. In this capacity, Bec supports TAG’s industry-leading Australia practice to help global and Australian corporations develop business strategies to unlock opportunities and overcome market access challenges. Based in Melbourne, Bec brings deep expertise on defense, foreign relations, trade, and investment to support clients across Australia’s most dynamic sectors and the broader Indo-Pacific.

Bec is a recognized expert on terrorism, insurgency, cyber, space policy, missile defense, nuclear and strategic deterrence, and advanced dual-use technologies within national security. Prior to joining TAG, Bec served as Director of Defense Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and convened the inaugural in-person Sydney Dialogue in 2023 – Australia’s premier policy summit focused on critical, emerging, cyber, and space technologies.

Bec brings over 25 years of government experience, including senior positions at the Australian Department of Defense, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade). At Austrade Bec led Australian trade and investment engagements and priorities for the defence, space and infrastructure sectors globally. Bec served as Counsellor for Defense Strategic Policy at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C. from 2015 to 2017 and later as Senior Adviser for Major Powers to the Australian Foreign Minister from 2019 to 2020 where she provided high-level policy advice on Australia’s relationships with key partners, including the United States, China, Five Eyes nations, and on emerging technologies, cyber and space.

A distinguished alumna and Fellow of the Australian War College, Bec completed the 2013 Defense and Strategic Studies Course. She holds a Master of Strategic Studies with Honors from the Australian National University and a Master of Strategic Studies from Deakin University.

Dr William (Will) Crowe is Co-Founder and CEO of HEO, a Sydney-based company that provides commercial, resolved non-Earth imaging services through proprietary software by acquiring satellite imagery from space-based sensors.

Will founded HEO in 2016, while completing his PhD in astrodynamics from the University of New South Wales, Australia. His research focused on the dynamics of spacecraft swarms around asteroids and included a prize-winning paper on satellite missions to asteroids passing through Earth orbit. After earning his PhD in 2018, Will began applying the principles developed during his research to his business.

Will quickly discovered that his research could be applied to urgent applications in space debris management and inspecting damaged satellites. Today, he leads a team dedicated to helping satellite operators and governments monitor their assets in space, ensuring Earth and space safety.

The Hon Kate Lundy enjoyed a distinguished career as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory. Since leaving Federal Parliament in 2015, Kate continues to focus her energy on technology and innovation as it relates to Australia’s strategic interests.

Kate is a non-executive director of the National Roads and Motoring Association and Electro Optic Systems. Kate is also Deputy Chair of Frontiers SI, a geospatial services company and the National Youth Science Forum.

Kate is a member of UNSW Canberra Advisory Council.  Other roles include Board Chair of Heavy Ion Accelerators (HIA), which are NCRIS-supported facilities at ANU and UoM, as well as member of the advisory board of the Institute for Space at ANU. Kate is an Honorary Associate Professor at the ANU Research School of Physics and a Distinguished Adviser at the National Security College, ANU.

In 2017, Kate was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for her contribution to information and communications policy by the Australian National University.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.