Keynotes

Keynote 1

ARTEMIS Mission Update

Stephen D. Creech, Technical Deputy to the Deputy Associate Administrator Moon to Mars (M2M) Program, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), NASA Headquarters,USA

Stephen D. Creech is Technical Deputy to the Deputy Associate Administrator for the Moon to Mars (M2M) Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), located at NASA’s Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Mr. Creech previously acted as Deputy Associate Administrator (ADAA) for the Artemis Campaign Development Division (ACDD) within ESDMD.

Before that role, he served as the deputy manager and then manager for the Spacecraft/Payload Integration and Evolution Office within the Space Launch System (SLS) Program, overseeing development of spacecraft and payload interfaces for America’s deep-space rocket for human and scientific exploration. Prior to that he served as the Program’s assistant manager for strategic development, leading business development, collaboration, and partnerships for future payload and capabilities.

He previously served as the Ares V integration manager and managed the Engineering Cost Group in the Office of Strategic Analysis and Communications at Marshall. He has served in a management role on several space flight programs through his career, including the Space Launch Initiative Program, the X-33, the X-34, and the Reusable Launch Vehicle Projects Office at Marshall.

Mr. Creech holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial engineering from Mississippi State University. Honors include NASA’s Medal for Exceptional Service and Distinguished Performance Award and the agency’s prestigious Silver Snoopy, awarded by the Astronaut Office for professionalism, dedication, and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success.

Keynote 2

Communication and navigation services for lunar missions: the ESA Moonlight program

Pietro Giordano, Radio Navigation Department, ESA, The Netherlands

Lunar communication and navigation services are more critical than ever before, as we prepare for an unprecedented surge of lunar missions in the next decade. Over 200 missions are currently planned to explore the Moon, from scientific research to human exploration and institutional missions to commercial ventures. However, relying on dedicated communication relay missions for each lunar mission is not sustainable. Developing a robust communication and navigation infrastructure on the Moon is essential to support these missions and unlock the full potential of lunar exploration. This keynote will present the ESA Moonlight programme which aims to provide communication and navigation services, by means of a dedicated lunar satellite constellation. Moonlight will unlock the potential for future Lunar missions, enabling more data through high-rate low latency communication, better and safer landing and navigating capabilities and less on-board complexity.

Pietro Giordano is in charge of multiple activities related with space GNSS receivers and space PNT concepts at ESA. Pietro worked in Thales Alenia Space Italy before joining ESA/ESTEC in 2009. He worked several years within the Galileo project covering many roles, from user segment to operations. He is now working in the ESA technical directorate as overall coordinator for spaceborne GNSS and space PNT technologies. He has been in charge of the definition and coordination of the European technology harmonisation roadmap for on-board radio navigation receivers, he is involved in multiple missions such as Galileo, Copernicus/Sentinels, Proba3 and GOMX-5. He contributed in the development of new concepts such as real-time on-board autonomous POD (P2OD concept), LEO PNT payloads, definition of new spaceborne GNSS receiver components (e.g.: AGGA family ASIC) and use of GNSS signals for lunar autonomous navigation. He is currently the technical lead for spaceborne GNSS receivers for lunar applications and the navigation chain lead for the navigation services within the ESA Moonlight programme.