Spaceports
Dr. Jeff Foust
Senior Staff Writer
SpaceNews
Moderator
Jeff Foust is a senior staff writer for SpaceNews, joining the publication in 2014. He covers civil and commercial space topics, ranging from NASA programs to developments among entrepreneurial space companies. He has extensive experience writing about space policy, commercial space, and related topics. In 2003, he started The Space Review, a weekly publication of longform articles and commentary on a wide range of space topics that continues to operate to this day. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999 and a B.S. with honors in geophysics and planetary science from the California Institute of Technology in 1993. He received the Press Award from the National Space Club and Foundation in 2018.
Nalaka Kahawatte
Director
Blue Origin​
Nalaka is a Director on Blue Origin’s New Glenn program. He’s currently leading engineering and program management on the 7-Engine Stage 1 (GS1) reusable booster.
Previously at The Boeing Company, Nalaka held various leadership roles across multiple commercial and defense programs (737, 787, 777X, KC-46 Tanker, VC-25B “Air Force One”, Ground-based Midcourse Defense, etc.) in functions spanning engineering, manufacturing, supplier quality, and program management.
Nalaka earned an MBA and SM in Civil and Environmental Engineering through the Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2020.
Mandy Vaughn
Board Member
Revolution Space
Mandy is one of the most innovative and influential leaders in the US space industry. She founded GXO in 2021 to drive innovation, unlock new opportunities, and address emerging threats.
Prior to founding GXO, at Virgin Orbit, Mandy worked on the LauncherOne program for government and commercial customers—including NASA and OneWeb. She served as president and CEO of VOX Space (a Virgin Orbit subsidiary) with a specific focus on the national security launch market.
Additionally, Mandy has worked within General Dynamics Mission Systems, the Air Force as an active duty officer , and Kinsey Technical Services to advance next-generation innovations in GPS, satellite communications, defense, and security. Mandy holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics, both from MIT.
Colonel Eric J. Zarybnisky
Acting Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space Access
USSF
Colonel Eric Zarybnisky is the acting Space Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space Access, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. He is responsible for the acquisition, integration, development, production, operation, and sustainment of the $13.5B National Security Space Launch, Rocket System Launch, Launch and Test Range System, and Space Access and Servicing, Mobility, and Logistics programs. Col Zarybnisky leads government and contractor personnel at Patrick SFB and Cape Canaveral SFS in Florida, as well as at Los Angeles AFB, California, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, Hill AFB, Utah, and Peterson SFB, Colorado to execute these programs.
Col. Zarybnisky earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2001 where he spent a semester on exchange to the U.S. Naval Academy. His previous assignments include Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, launch vehicle engineering and analysis, satellite architecture analysis, command of a launch squadron, and graduate studies in Operations Research focusing on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle tasking, maintenance scheduling, and combinatorial optimization. He also deployed to Southwest Asia supporting OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM for the U.S. Air Forces Central, U.S. Central Command. Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Zarybnisky was the Director, Office of Space Launch, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia.
