Key People

Dr. Jason Held is the CEO and founder of Saber Astronautics.

With over 25 years of experience in space, Dr. Held has worked in both civil and military programs. Before founding Saber Astronautics, he served with U.S. Army Space Command and deployed internationally during wartime. 

He also served as an engineer at the Army Space and Missile Command Battle Lab. As a civilian, he wrote flight software for the Hubble Space Telescope and conducted testing for the International Space Station. 

Dr. Held has also lectured for the IRS Space Station Design Workshop, the University of New South Wales, and the International Space University. He led a research expedition in the high Canadian Arctic and founded the Wolfpack Space Hub, Delta-V Startup Accelerator, and the University of Sydney’s Space Engineering Laboratory.

In 2016, Dr. Held played a pivotal role in advocating for the establishment of an Australian space agency. He was part of the government-appointed Expert Reference Group that helped design the Australian Space Agency, which was founded in 2019. 

His efforts have significantly contributed to advancing Australia's presence in the global space industry. 

Dr. Held's passion for making space accessible to everyone is evident in his efforts to lower the barriers to entry into the space industry and foster bilateral trade between nations.

Aude Vignelles is the Director of Vignelles Space, providing expert professional services and solutions for space governments and industries across all aspects of space programs. 

Until April 2024, Aude served as the inaugural Chief Technology Officer of the Australian Space Agency, where she was instrumental in developing the civil space strategy's technical roadmaps, scoping and managing the Agency’s space programs and delivering on domestic and international activities. She brought extensive knowledge of the national and international space industry, along with program management expertise and a breadth of space science and systems engineering skills. Prior to this role, Aude was the Executive Manager of Satellite & Fixed Wireless Operations at NBN. 

Aude is a space and aeronautics engineer, graduating from ENSICA (now ISAE-SUPAERO) in Toulouse, and began her career at the European Space Agency (ESA) in the Netherlands. She became a key expert in the test campaigns of scientific programs, including the Rosetta mission, and was appointed Test Manager for the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM), ESA's largest scientific space program at the time.

She then moved to London where she started a career in the broadcast industry and successfully integrated the first digital terrestrial broadcast centre in the world (ONdigital). She continued in this field in Australia with Foxtel and Austar, and later became Vice President of Technicolor, overseeing all programs in the APAC region.

Having lived in Australia for the past 23 years, Aude has significantly contributed to the Australian space community and the establishment of the Australian Space Agency through White Papers, conference events, collaboration with the growing start-up community, and promoting Women in Space and Engineering at universities.

Darin is an experienced director who has over 30 years of experience in defence, space, international and political studies, and large-scale transformation projects both in Australia and the United States.

As the Executive Director of the iLAuNCH Trailblazer, Darin is responsible for a $180m program to build Australia’s enduring space capability through commercialisation of projects, a fast-track accelerator, and programs to build the workforce of the future. Darin most recently was the Director of Space for the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) which saw him formulate and execute the State’s space strategy to build an enduring space industry for South Australia. 

Prior to that, he managed the virtual warfare lab for Phantom-Works (International), the self-disruptive arm of Boeing. He is a military veteran of more than 25-years, working on operations including Iraq and East Timor, strategy, and capability development for the Air and Space domains.

His extensive space experience also includes: Chief of Australia’s Space Operations Centre (AUSSpOC), Chief of Strategy to the US Executive Agent for Space / Secretary of the Air Force within the Pentagon, and staff officer in Australia’s joint Defence Space Coordinating Office.

Darin holds separate Masters’ degrees in: Philosophy, Arts, and Science; and a Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace). He is a graduate of the US Air Force’s prestigious School of Advanced Air & Space Studies (SAASS), Canadian Forces Aerospace Systems Course (ASC), the International Space University (SSP10), Australian Command and Staff Course (ACSC), and the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). 

Michael is involved in a wide range of organisations across engineering, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, environmental sustainability, the space industry, academia, and the nuclear industry.

He is extremely well connected with Australia’s manufacturing, industrial and political leaders, as well as the country’s top universities, including activities in the nuclear and AUKUS spheres.

He is the Chief Executive Officer of the AUKUS Forum and has a personal contact base of over 100,000 people across Australian industry, with more than 32,000 members of the AUKUS Forum and 34,000 LinkedIn connections, with many more built over his time on projects for infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and research activities. He has an extensive range of industry networks assembled over the last three decades.

Widely regarded as one of the most connected people in Australian industry, with a strong focus on business transactions, Michael is focussed on transformation – helping countless businesses to access new export opportunities and enter adjacent markets such as traditional engineering firms entering the space and defence industries.

This gives him an unrivalled ability to connect with key decision makers, to facilitate contacts between Australian and overseas manufacturers, establish joint ventures and establish supply chains. Several major US corporations have reached out to him recently to find local suppliers.

Michael has vast experience in politics, industry and manufacturing, having served as the National Director for Industry at the Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre; and Chairman of the HunterNet Co-operative, a very successful industry cluster based in the Newcastle area of New South Wales.

Michael is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders; a Fellow of The Royal Society for the Arts, Manufactures & Commerce; and has completed courses in Leadership at the Harvard Business School.

Robert Long serves as Space Florida’s president and CEO, leading the state’s aerospace finance and development authority to advance the aerospace industry and solidify the state as the premier global and interplanetary capital for aerospace commerce. He is a proven leader with more than 25 years of experience overseeing large organizations across the aerospace spectrum from launch operations and mobility to logistics and spaceport operations. Long has spent his career improving and enhancing the transportation to, from, and in space, managing complex aerospace programs, leveraging innovative technologies to improve both government and private sector outcomes, and developing new business models and operating concepts to create value for the commercial aerospace industry.

Long has nearly two decades of experience crafting defense industrial, aerospace,  and fiscal policy and strategies, which included key roles advising the Defense Department’s Chief Technology Officer and senior Defense Department space leaders. He has a long track record of building partnerships across and within government & industry toward mutually beneficial outcomes.

Long most recently served as the Commander for Space Launch Delta 30 and Western Launch and Test Range, Vandenberg Space Force Base. In this role he managed $8.4 billion in assets, a $280 million annual budget, installations spanning more than 118,000 acres, and oversaw 11,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel.

Long received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and has master’s degree from the College of Naval Command and Staff, the School for Advanced Air and Space Studies and the Eisenhower School. He retired as a colonel from the United States Space Force in July 2023

Ms. Erin M. Miller is the Executive Director of the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC). Space ISAC serves as the primary focal point for the global space industry for “all threats and all hazards.” Stood up at the direction of the White House in 2019, Erin led the Space ISAC to open its operational Watch Center, alongside its Cyber Malware and Analysis Vulnerability Laboratory in Colorado Springs, CO, USA. Under Erin’s leadership, Space ISAC’s headquarters facility is already serving several countries to achieve its mission of security and resilience for the global space industry. Each year Space ISAC puts on the Value of Space Summit (VOSS), co-hosted with The Aerospace Corporation at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. 

Erin has over a decade of experience building meaningful tech collaborations and has formed hundreds of formal partnerships between government, industry and academia to solve problems for warfighters and national security. 

As a serial entrepreneur in the non-profit space, she thrives in launching new programs and new organizations from stand up through building and scaling operations.

Erin was the Managing Director of the Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization (C-TRAC) and brought three USAF-funded programs to bear at the Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation (www.catalystcampus.org). Her expertise in brokering unique partnerships using non-FAR type agreements led to the standup of the Air Force’s first cyber focused (#securebydesign) design studio, AFCyberWorx at the USAF Academy, and the first space accelerator, Catalyst Accelerator, at Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs - in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX.

In 2020 Erin was a recipient of the Woman of Influence award. In 2018 Erin was recognized by the Mayor of Colorado Springs as Mayor’s Young Leader (MYL) of the Year Award for Technology. She is also the recipient of Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Award for Young Female Leader in 2018. 

In her previous roles she developed and managed intellectual property portfolios, technology transfer strategies, export control/ITAR, secure facilities, and rapid prototyping collaborations.

Erin serves on the advisory board of CyberSatGov, CyberLEO and is a board member for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC. She has guest lectured at Georgetown University, United States Air Force Academy, University of Colorado at Boulder, and Johns Hopkins University. She is frequently found public speaking at notable events like, Defense Security Institute’s Summits, CyberSatGov, State of the Space Industrial Base, and other forums focused on security and space resiliency and critical infrastructure. 

Anthony J. (Tony) Colucci is a strategic leader and team builder who has been responsible for more than $3 billion in transactions for communications satellites and space systems for U.S. and international governments and commercial companies. He has also played key leadership roles in three space startups which raised over $100 million aggregate investment. Over the course of his career, he has demonstrated commitment to ethical and responsible leadership and governance, with inclusive decision making, and the ability to engage a broad range of stakeholders and drive strategic initiatives. 

Mr. Colucci is focused on startups and team building, based on his foundation of business skills and technical background combined with a deep understanding of space, the aerospace industry, international business, and startup dynamics. He is a member of the board of directors of Solstar Space, and an advisor to Solstar, Space Kinetic, Flow Aluminum, Dash2 Labs, and other startups.

In 2020, Mr. Colucci co-founded SpaceLink, an innovative company that opened the market for commercial space data relay networks. As Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer he leveraged his broad professional network to build the core team and secure more than $50 million in funding. He drove strategy and managed business development, marketing & communications, and spectrum & regulatory affairs. 

Previously, at Space Systems Loral (now Maxar), and before that at Hughes Aircraft Company, he led successful market entry into Australia, China, Indonesia, and the Middle East. He was responsible for the world’s first satellite sale to a bank, and the first western satellite sale in China. He spent 20 years at Space Systems Loral in Palo Alto, Calif., where he was VP, Business Development & Strategy, and under his leadership the company became the dominant satellite manufacturer in the Australian and Indonesian markets. During that time, he was also Deputy Chairman of KACOMM, an Australian satellite broadband start-up.

Mr. Colucci brings a broad geopolitical and geo-economic perspective to business development and management activities. This strategic approach was demonstrated in his work to conceptualize and implement the satellite segment of Australia’s National Broadband Network. He maintains composure in difficult negotiations and keeps deals on track regardless of the challenges, which he has demonstrated throughout his career.

Mr. Colucci worked at Hughes for more than ten years, both at the Space and Communications Group, and at the Washington, DC office where he was active in lobbying the U.S. government. Earlier in his career he worked in engineering at Rockwell International’s Satellite Systems Division where he developed signal processing algorithms under a classified “Star Wars” contract.

Mr. Colucci earned his BS in Astrophysics from the University of New Mexico, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in New Mexico where he is a member of the New Mexico Angels, and the Expert Network for NewSpace Nexus. He has completed the Wharton Executive Education Corporate Governance program, the New Mexico Angels’ New Angel Investment Training. He is a graduate of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.

Allen Antrobus has worked in the Space Sector for over 15 years and is currently a Managing Consultant with PA Consulting, whom he joined in Feb 24. Prior to this he has held senior commercial positions with Serco and Airbus Defence and Space. 

Before joining the commercial sector, Allen worked for both the Royal Air Force and the UK Space Agency. His primary focus within the sector has been Space Domain Awareness and he was the UK’s inaugural Programme Director for the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Initiative, as well as co-chairing the programme’s Steering Committee.

Allen was Officer Commanding Operations at RAF Fylingdales between Sep 07-May 09 whilst the site was being upgraded to support the Missile Defense mission and has held appointments within the MOD and HQ Air focusing on Space Strategy and Capability Development. Additionally, Allen chairs the UK Space Security and Defence Committee and contributes to wider industrial engagement. He is also a Visiting Fellow at Plymouth University where he lectures on Space and the Maritime Domain.