New Horizons Summit (NHS) 2024
Event description
Purpose:
We are forging a self-sustaining lunar supply chain, transforming the Moon into both a habitat and a launchpad for deeper solar system exploration.
Aim:
The summit's objective is not just to expand awareness of the impending horizons but to empower attendees with a clear understanding of their pivotal role in the essential supply chain that will bring this vision to fruition. The meticulous orchestration of this supply chain around a defined goal offers distinct advantages:
- We seamlessly integrate startups, SMEs, and both local and global enterprises in panel dialogues, fostering immediate business development opportunities and eliminating entry barriers.
- Investors gain a front-row seat to these strategic discussions, enabling them to identify and nurture promising ventures.
- Support entities, like consultancies, can pinpoint the precise services the industry demands, aligning their offerings to facilitate industry growth and realization of its overarching mission.
History:
Since our 2021 inception, our summit has become a cornerstone in the space industry, featuring over 50 top organizations, including Rolls-Royce, Blue Origin, NVIDIA, Woodside, Lendlease, Lockheed Martin, Relativity Space, and Gilmour Space Technologies. Embracing a hybrid model from 2022, we've consistently welcomed 200+ attendees annually, fostering a more inclusive, global community. The event is a key meeting point for over 300 influential decision-makers yearly, driving industry innovation. Participants range from startups and investors to executives and experts, offering a rich blend of business opportunities, innovative pitches, and the latest in space technology. It's more than an event; it's a platform shaping the future of space through collaboration and dialogue.
New Horizons Festival Overview:
We are hosting two summits, and you are welcome to join us for both. Below is a macro-level overview of our schedule. For specific details about the event you are showcasing at, please visit the respective event pages.
VRChat Space Jam
Dates: April 12th - 26th
Location: VRChat
Attendees: Over 1 million visits and counting
Element Summit
Date: May 9th, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: KPMG, Three International Towers, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Attendees: 150
New Horizons Summit
Date: May 10th, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: KPMG, Three International Towers, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Attendees: 150
The Event Horizon (Celebratory gathering for all summit attendees and various interest groups, in collaboration with Stone & Chalk)
Date: May 10th, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: The Collider, 477 Pitt St, Haymarket, NSW 2000, Australia
Attendees: 250
Livestream:
New Horizons Summit Schedule:
As of now, we have our panel topics confirmed, and we are announcing our presenters as they are confirmed. To get an idea of the calibre of our past exhibitors, please take a look at our last summit.
Special thanks to our advisory board — Blue Origin, NVIDIA, Lockheed Martin, Australian Space Agency, Optus, and the Department of Enterprise, Investment, and Trade of New South Wales — for their assistance in creating the following schedule:
| 8:30:00 AM | Registrations | |
| 9:00:00 AM | Welcome Address | KPMG, Jacob Hacker, Director |
| 9:10:00 AM | The Horizon | National Space Society, Isaac Arthur, President |
| 9:20:00 AM - 10:08:00 AM | Keynote Speeches | |
| 9:20:00 AM | United Effort | United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), Steven Freeland, Vice-Chair, Space Resource Activities Working Group |
| 9:32:00 AM | NASA Gateway | NASA, Sean Fuller, Gateway International Partner Manager |
| 9:44:00 AM | Moon to Mars: Trailblazer program | ASA, Arvind Ramana, Director, Technology Uplift, Office of CTO |
| 9:56:00 AM | IAC Sydney 2025 | SIAA, Lisa Vitaris, Director, IAC |
| 10:08:00 AM - 11:23:00 AM | SESSION 1: Initial Preparations - Earth to Lunar Orbit | |
| 10:08:00 AM | Moderator | Space Research Student Committee (SRSC), Co-president, Keira Chrystal |
| 10:13:00 AM | Advancements in Hybrid Rocket Technology and Launch Infrastructure: The development of hybrid-propulsion launch vehicles and the strategic selection and construction of launch pads, enhancing the safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of space missions. | Gilmour Space Technologies, David Jervis, Head of Sales |
| 10:25:00 AM | Space Suits: Designing and manufacturing suits for human operations on the Moon. | Axiom, John Hunt, Deputy Program Manager, AxEVA Suits Program |
| 10:37:00 AM | Refuelling: Ensuring the spacecraft has adequate fuel for the journey, exploring in-space refuelling techniques. | Astroscale, Dr. Clare Martin, Executive Vice President |
| 10:49:00 AM | Innovations in Space Hospitality: The latest developments in space hospitality, focusing on innovative habitation designs that enhance human comfort and enable long-term orbital stays. | Voyager Space, Abby Dickes, Chief Marketing Officer |
| 11:01:00 AM | Space Domain Awareness: Navigating the Crowded Skies: The critical role of Space Domain Awareness in ensuring safe and sustainable space operations, focusing on the detection, tracking, and management of space objects to prevent collisions and protect space assets. | Saber Astronautics, Jason Held, CEO |
| 11:13:00 AM | Q&A | |
| 11:23:00 AM | Refresh and Refuel: Morning Tea | |
| 11:53:00 AM - 1:08:00 PM | Session 2 - Lunar Touchdown - Resource Identification & Extraction | |
| 11:53:00 AM | Moderator | Lunar Outpost Oceania, Henry Lourey, Project Engineer |
| 11:58:00 AM | Lunar Prospecting: Verifying areas rich in resources on the lunar surface. | Fleet Space, Jeremy Aubert, Exploration Manager, Space & Defence |
| 12:10:00 PM | Communication & Connectivity: Setting up communication lines within the Moon and back to Earth. | Amazon/Project Kuiper, Hannah (Dibb-Holland) Williams, Head of Asia, Pacific and Japan (APJ) |
| 12:22:00 PM | Energy Systems: Setting up consistent power sources. | Rolls-Royce, James Montgomery, Chief Design Engineer – Novel Nuclear |
| 12:34:00 PM | Navigational Systems & Onboard AI: Setting the course using AI and advanced navigational tools. | Advanced Navigation, Dr. Alex Arriola, Photonics Team Leader |
| 12:46:00 PM | Lunar Landing Zones: Scouting and deciding on the optimal landing sites. | Exploration Architecture Corporation (XArc)/ Astroport, Sam Ximenes, CEO |
| 12:58:00 PM | Q&A | |
| 1:08:00 PM | Replenish and Network: Lunch | |
| 2:08:00 PM - 3:23:00 PM | Session 3 - Infrastructure Development - Making the Moon Habitable | |
| 2:08:00 PM | Moderator | Cicada Innovations, Alex Shapilsky, Head of Space |
| 2:13:00 PM | Resource Extraction: Harvesting lunar regolith and sub-surface ice. | AROSE, Michelle Keegan, Director Resources & Space, Deputy Chair (and founder) Resources Advisory Board |
| 2:25:00 PM | Resource Transportation: Efficiently transporting extracted lunar materials. | OffWorld, Jim Keravala, CEO & Chief Architect |
| 2:37:00 PM | Processing & Refinement: Converting raw lunar materials into usable forms. | Interlune, Nina Hooper, Business Development Manager |
| 2:49:00 PM | Habitat Design: Developing shelters specifically designed to withstand lunar conditions, offering protection and comfort to inhabitants. | Hassell, Xavier De Kestelier, Head Of Design |
| 3:01:00 PM | Habitat Construction: Utilizing processed materials to construct habitats that provide safe, sustainable living spaces for humans on the Moon | ICON, Ryan Timoney, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Off-Planet Robotics |
| 3:13:00 PM | Q&A | |
| 3:23:00 PM | Recharge & Relay: Afternoon Tea | |
| 3:53:00 PM - 5:08:00 PM | Session 4 - Establishing a Self-Sufficient and Sustainable Pathway for Lunar Operations | |
| 3:53:00 PM | Moderator | Element Robotics, Tenzin Crouch, Founder |
| 3:58:00 PM | Resource Cycling, Waste-to-Food Systems: Transforming waste into food to ensure a sustainable and self-sufficient lunar habitat. | Woodside, Jason Crusan, Vice President New Energy Growth & Solutions |
| 4:10:00 PM | Lunar Agriculture: Exploring innovative approaches to producing food and medicines on the Moon to support long-term human habitation. | ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants For Space, Professor Mathew G. Lewsey, Node Leader |
| 4:22:00 PM | Hardware and solutions accelerating AI for space applications, including edge-based medical application and other critical services. | NVIDIA, Johan Barthelemy, Senior Developer Relations Manager - Strategic Researcher Engagement |
| 4:34:00 PM | Autonomous Systems for Lunar Operations: Using AI for strategic lunar base planning and management. | AWS, David Freeman, Principal Partner Sales Manager, Space and Satellite - APJ |
| 4:46:00 PM | Strategic Mission Planning for Long-term Lunar Operations: The Role of Science and Industry Collaborations | ispace, Sophia Casanova, Lunar Exploration Scientist |
| 4:58:00 PM | Q&A | |
| 5:08:00 PM | End of Day Wrap Up |
Contact:
If you’d like to be in contact with us regarding being a speaker or a sponsor, feel free to email us at:
operations@nssa.com.au.