SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Powering the Space Economy in the Orbital Age

The Orbital Age is the next industrial revolution. As we begin this exciting phase of human history, Sierra Space, led by veteran NASA astronaut Dr. Janet L. Kavandi, is powering the space transportation system and its destination network to benefit life on earth. After 19 years at NASA, three Space Shuttle missions, and serving as both NASA's Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office and Center Director at the NASA Glenn Research Center, Dr. Kavandi was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2019. She is now focused on ushering in the Orbital Age as President of Sierra Space. With a vision to build a platform in space to benefit life on Earth, Sierra Space has developed the Dream Chaser, the first-ever winged commercial spaceplane contracted to fly cargo to the International Space Station beginning in 2023. The company is also developing Orbital Reef, the first commercially owned and operated space station and Life Habitat, an inflatable space structure with three floors of living and working area. As the space economy matures, Sierra Space will be at the forefront, completely redefining the human experience in space -- from enabling humans to live and work in space for extended periods of time to breakthrough innovations in human health, telecommunications, computing, advanced materials, climate change reversal, and clean energy. We sat down with Dr. Kavandi to discuss to her vast knowledge and experience, how she sees the space economy growing over the next decade, and how innovations in space can benefit life on Earth.