“Making It In Space” The Market Potential for Commercial Space Stations – and its Long-Term Implications

Courtney Stadd is Founder/President, Capitol Alliance Solutions, LLC, a Washington, DC based management consulting firm whose clients include a wide range of pioneering commercial space actors. For nearly 40 years, Stadd’s career path has been a mix of senior government leadership and corporate executive jobs – primarily focused on encouraging the removal of policy and regulatory barriers to the emergence of a competitive American-led commercial space marketplace.Courtney has held multiple senior positions at the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of Transportation, the White House, and worked directly for three NASA Administrators, including as Chief of Staff/White House Liaison. As Senior Director of the White House National Space Council, he helped draft numerous Presidential directives encouraging a competitive commercial space industry, including commercial space guidelines which have governed executive agency use of commercial space products and services for over 30 years.

  Philip McAlister, Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Division for Space Operations, NASA

Philip McAlister joined NASA in 2005, and he is currently the director of the Commercial Spaceflight Division at NASA Headquarters where he advises NASA about issues pertaining to the design, development, and demonstration and services of commercial spaceflight vehicles, systems, and capabilities. McAlister oversees multiple programs at NASA: the Commercial Crew Program, including the Suborbital Crew project; the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Development Program, which includes private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and the development of new commercial space destinations; and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the nonprofit organization NASA has contracted to manage the ISS National Laboratory. Prior to this assignment, McAlister oversaw the successful Commercial Cargo Program (i.e., Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) which facilitated the development of the SpaceX Dragon and Northrop Grumman (previously Orbital Sciences) Cygnus cargo transportation systems.  He also served as the executive director for the “Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee” (also known as the Augustine Committee). In 2010, he earned NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal. Prior to NASA, he was a director at Futron Corporation where he managed a division that performed aerospace business analysis and technology assessments.  Before joining Futron, he served as a senior manager during a 10-year career at TRW Corporation. McAlister earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Averett University, a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Sciences from the University of Maryland.

  Olivia Gamez Holzhaus is the Founder and CEO for Rhodium Scientific, charged with advancing the company’s biotech commercialization strategies within the low Earth orbit economy. Olivia oversees science, engineering, and QA strategies at Rhodium Scientific to ensure discoveries made in microgravity translate into products utilized by regulated consumer, manufacturing, and life science industries. Ms. Holzhaus’ company is an official Commercial Services Provider to multiple national laboratories, including the International Space Station (ISS). She led the creation and implementation of Rhodium Scientific’s Quality, Industry-Compatible (QuIC) Space Process, a trade secret process ensuring industry-standard quality controls are incorporated into spaceflight missions allowing for reproducibility and standardization for biotech and biomanufacturing investigations. Olivia Gamez Holzhaus has over 20 years in research and applied life science fields, has served in Scientist and Sr. Engineering positions with advanced research organizations and Fortune 500 companies, and holds an advanced Management of Technology degree specialized in delivering high-fidelity research and programmatic results at the speed of business. Currently, she on the Board of Advisors for the Global Entrepreneurship Network-Space (GEN-Space), the International Space Safety Foundation (ISSF), the College of Science and Engineering for Texas State University, Generación STEM Workforce Advisory Council at Texas State University, and ISS National Laboratory’s Biomanufacturing in Space Working Group. For fun, Olivia serves as Rear Commodore for Galveston Bay Cruising Association (GBCA), having competed in over 30 sailing regattas and is defending class champion for the 2021 GBCA Women’s Regatta.

  Tom Shelley - President, Space Adventures

  Tom Shelley is president of Space Adventures, the only company to have arranged for self-funded private citizens to fly to space. Mr. Shelley joined Space Adventures over 15 years ago bringing his marketing expertise to the company having no prior interest or experience in the space industry. In total Space Adventures has arranged nine flights to space, with the most recent being for Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and his production assistant Yozo in December 2021. Space Adventures’ clients have spent a combined total of over 100 days on-board the International Space Station and travelled 35 million miles in space. The proud parent of twin girls, Tom is originally from England, but now resides in Northern Virginia.    

    Andrew Rush is the former President and Chief Operating Officer of Redwire. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Made In Space, Inc. In 2020, Redwire acquired Made in Space, the world’s leading space manufacturing company, delivering next-generation capabilities in orbit to support exploration objectives and national security priorities. At Made in Space, Rush oversaw strategic direction and operational management for the industry-leading space manufacturing company. Through his leadership, he expanded the company’s portfolio across three sectors: satellite manufacturing, payload development and operations, and deep space exploration solutions. This operational integration resulted in eight successful spaceflight missions with four facilities flown and operating on the International Space Station. Prior to this role, he served as general counsel for MIS. Since his appointment in 2015, MIS has expanded its operational footprint within the United States with the addition of new office locations, including a 19,000 square foot headquarters and satellite manufacturing and operations facility. Through a strategic roadmap prioritizing high tech jobs, he has increased the company’s workforce by nearly 800% in the last five years. Rush’s strategic vision has strengthened the commercial investment on ISS capabilities and resources to enable greater commercial utilization. He has also established public-private partnerships that are yielding transformational capabilities for satellite manufacturing. Rush’s extensive experience in aligning business roadmaps with emerging technologies to grow nascent markets has made him a leading voice in commercial space. Rush currently serves as a member of the Physics Advisory Group at the University of North Florida (UNF). He has also been awarded the Young Alumni Achievement Award from UNF.Prior to becoming MIS President & CEO, Rush was a partner at PCT Law Group and worked at Masten Space Systems. Rush earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of North Florida. and a Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University.