BYLINE: Dasi Danzig

Newswise — On Sunday, August 28, 2022, from 2 - 3:30 p.m. EDT, Thunderbird School of Global Management (Thunderbird) at Arizona State University (ASU) will host The Road to Artemis, a unique space panel celebrating the launch of Artemis I. This special event will take place at Space Florida (505 Odyssey Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953) and is co-sponsored by Redwire and Space Florida.

This panel is scheduled to precede the historic Artemis 1 mission. Artemis 1 will include the first launch of the SLS (the most powerful rocket ever built) that will send the Orion space capsule on a pathfinder journey around the Moon and return it safely to Earth. The Artemis program will return humans to the Moon and land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface by as early as 2025.

As part of the panel, current and former NASA administrators, educators, and space entrepreneurs will discuss the launch and how NASA, commercial, and international partners were able to collaborate, further enabling new knowledge and opportunities across the space sector, as the U.S. and Artemis partner nations make a long-awaited return to deep-space. This will be a singular panel involving top space policy leaders spanning three administrations, discussing the launch and how the New Space economy is gradually connecting to our larger economy.

Panelists include six distinguished professionals and NASA experts who span from three administrations: Charles F. Bolden Jr., 12th NASA Administrator; Jim Bridenstine, 13th NASA Administrator; Mike Gold, former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships, former Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, and Executive Vice President of Civil Space at Redwire; Dr. Scott Pace, former Executive Director of the National Space Council and chief space policy architect under President Trump; Dr. Bhavya Lal, NASA Associate Administrator for the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, and former Senior White House Appointee and Acting Chief of Staff; and Gabe Sherman, former NASA Chief of Staff and Vice President of Civil Space at Redwire.

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Greg Autry, clinical professor and director of the Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business. The Initiative will create, aggregate, and disseminate space domain knowledge through the design and development of Executive Education programs as well as customized trainings for the space industry and governmental agencies. The Initiative will host events like The Road to Artemis that bring industry leaders, influencers, policymakers, military officers, investors, and academics into conversation and action.

Autry is a firm believer in humankind's future in the solar system. As a notable space exploration and development advocate, his extensive space policy experience includes serving on the 2016 NASA agency review team to establish the moon program's current return. Autry also served as NASA White House liaison in early 2017. "The New Space economy is rapidly accelerating emergence in the global economy," he said. "We're seeing new business models being implemented by leveraging academic-commercial collaborations. The possibilities for students, industry, and humanity are boundless. It's an exciting time for new and innovative opportunities in space science and exploration."

The event serves to aid in forging collaborations between educators and commercial space stakeholders, thereby creating innovative opportunities for the New Space economy.

"Outer space offers virtually unlimited opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution," said Sanjeev Khagram, director general and dean of Thunderbird. "As the space sector grows exponentially, private companies and governments will create immense demand for future- ready entrepreneurs, investors, executives, and managers. We are delighted to host The Road to Artemis as Greg spearheads our quest to become the Thunderbird Academy of Intergalactic Leadership."

Artemis I, formerly Exploration Mission-1, will be the first integrated test of NASA's deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA's commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond.

The public and members of the media are invited to register on the Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business website. Both in-person and virtual, live-stream viewing options are available. Please note that in-person seating is limited, and confirmation of your request to attend in-person will be given closer to the event.