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Boeing on Wednesday wrapped up its search for its next top executive, naming long-time aerospace and defense industry veteran and executive Robert “Kelly” Ortberg as president and CEO, effective Aug. 8. Ortberg succeeds Dave Calhoun who announced in March he would retire this year. Ortberg, 64, led the former Rockwell Collins for six years until...

While high-level deals and investment rounds often make the news, it’s the work happening behind the scenes every day that lays the groundwork for success — developing solutions, educating customers, and building consensus. Via Satellite recognizes the young professionals doing that work in a new feature, Via Satellite Rising Stars. These 25 young professionals nominated by their colleagues...

Space has always been a huge part of popular culture. In fact, some of the highest-grossing movies like “Star Wars” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” have space at the heart. The expanse of space provides the perfect backdrop for emotive storytelling. No matter what age we are, space fascinates us. It engages with the dreamer inside...

SmallSat Alliance, an industry group of companies in the smallsat ecosystem, appointed Dr. Angel Smith as its new executive director.  Smith is a general manager at Microsoft Corp. leading Strategic Global Enablement and is a combat veteran and retired Marine Corps C-130 pilot. Smith is also a former House Intelligence Committee staffer, where she oversaw...

Firefly Aerospace is looking for a new CEO after the launcher’s board of directors announced July 17 that CEO Bill Weber is no longer with the company.  This news comes after space media outlet Payload reported this week that the company is investigating allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Weber and a female employee.  The...

Innovative Rocket Technologies, the launch startup known as iRocket, plans to enter the U.K. market with a new member of its board of directors. Paul Stein, former chief technology officer of Rolls-Royce, has joined the company’s board of directors.  Stein is the former director general for Science and Technology of the UK Ministry of Defence...

AvL Technologies has announced changes to its executive team with the retirement of CEO Guy Clerici. The company’s owner and founder Jim Oliver semi-retired in 2022 and appointed Clerici to serve as interim CEO during this transitional period and while a new chairman of the board was selected. AVL announced July 10 the company has...

Neo Space Group (NSG) has appointed Martijn Blanken as its new CEO. NSG aims to become a new player in satellite communications in the Middle East. The company announced the appointment, July 8. NSG is a wholly owned company of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund. NSG will focus on pursuing...

MDA Space is now looking for a new chief financial officer (CFO) as the company’s CFO Vito Culmone is leaving the company. Culmone, who had been with MDA Space for more than three years, is joining sustainable architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting company Stantec.  MDA Space appointed Janet McEachern as interim CFO, effective July 2....

Planet Labs is going through another round of layoffs and will lay off approximately 180 employees, about 17% of its workforce. The company disclosed the layoffs in filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26.  Planet said the layoffs are due to “aligning the company’s resources to the market opportunity, improving operational efficiency,...