SmallSat 2026: NASA Speaker Schedule and Event Agenda
SmallSat 2026 brings together NASA experts, researchers, engineers, and space industry leaders to discuss small satellite missions, launch opportunities, science payloads, technology development, and mission operations.
Meet NASA experts and hear their insights in the exhibit halls at booths 635, 835, 641, and 940. The complete NASA SmallSat 2026 agenda is listed below.
Monday, August 24, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Jose Nuñez |
| BlytheTech’s Small Satellites in Numbers: 2026 | Fletcher Franklin |
| Supply Chain Observation | Bruce Yost |
| Lack of Technology | Rudy De Rose |
| SPARCS Camera and Early Scientific Observations | Caitlin Ashcroft |
| JPL: Skyfall | Tim Canham |
| Restart SWIFT LINK | Bo Nurse |
| Opportunities for Flight: Hosted Orbital Ecosystems, Basic Robot Flight, and Challenges for Space Robotics Researchers | Anh Nguyen |
| From Rideshare to Dedicated Launch: SmallSat Options with NASA LSP | Kaylee Burke |
| You Bring the Mission, We Bring the Lab: Partnering with MSFC | Rush Elkins |
| NASA Ames Mission Design Center: Imagine the Next Generation of Spaceflight Missions | Matthew Napoli |
| Engineering Challenges and Best Practices for Successful Launch Cycles | Brad Williams |
| HIAD Payload Return Solution for SmallSats | Jo Del Corso |
Monday, August 24, 2026 | 3:25 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Moderator | Bruce Yost |
| RTMD NASA | Greg Stover |
| SMD HPD ADF | Asal Naseri |
| HSMD CSLI/CLPS/Commercial Space Access (CAtS) | Pete Wilczynski |
| CARA: Best Practices for Connectivity Assessment | Laurie Newman |
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Moderator | Kari Reinert |
| SMD Panelist 1 – Solicitation | Ally Mendoza Hill |
| STMD Panelist: CATALYST – I-Corps | Maggie Yancey |
| SBIR/STTR – Launchpad for Innovation | Richard Pisarski |
| Agency-Level Technology Transfer | Jose Nuñez |
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Moderator | Ally Mendoza Hill |
| SMD – APD Pioneer | Pablo Saz Parkinson |
| SMD – Science as a Service: What SmallSat Providers Need to Know | Beth Weinstein |
| SMD-HPD | Asal Naseri |
| ESCAPADE (HPD): Innovative Exploration Method | Skyler Kleinschmidt |
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Moderator, FO Panelist | Daniel McCulloch |
| NASA CSLI, VADR Panelist | Norman Phelps |
| CLPS Panelists | Angela Melito |
| Rideshare Panelists | Ally Mendoza Hill |
| SLS | David Hitt |
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
| Session | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Welcome / End Presenter and Moderator | Sam Pedrotti |
| JPL Mission INCUS | Benjamin “Benji” Donitz |
| SMD – Biological and Physical Science Payload Concept for Future Small Satellite Missions | Matthew Rella |
| SMD APD – SWIFT Reboost Highlights | David Morris |
| SMD ESD – Mission Highlights | Sachidananda Babu |
| SMD HPD – TRACERS Mission Highlights | Skyler Kleinschmidt |
| SunRISE (SMD HPD) – Maximize Science Uptime Across the Constellation | Carson Schubert |
| STMD USTP Overview | Mike Gance |
| STMD Mission CAPSTONE 02 | Sam Fan |
| STMD R5 Spaceship Series | Sam Pedrotti |
| STMD GPDM | Nehemiah Williams |
| STMD Mission DiskSat | Roger Hunter |
Explore the full SmallSat 2026 program to learn more about NASA small satellite missions, commercial launch services, space robotics, technology transfer, science payloads, and emerging opportunities in space exploration.
Source: science.nasa.gov