Wormhole

We’re celebrating NASA’s Parker solar probe entering the record books to become the fastest human made object of all time!!

AI is no-longer an academic curiosity. We’re now in the era where this transformative new tool is now making substantive contributions to both space exploration and how we protect our planet.  However, the shift from a cool demo to something we can trust requires a new level of rigor and engineering excellence. 

Date: Wednesday, 16 MayTime: 12 Noon New York, 5.00 pm London, 9.00 am San FranciscoWhere: trillium.tech/wormholelive

Anna works on machine learning applications for earth observation and climate research. Before her postdoc, she obtained her PhD in Physics at the University of Oxford, researching renewable energies. Throughout her PhD, Anna developed an interest in machine learning for scientific applications, which led her to joining the Frontier Development Lab as a researcher in 2019. She returned to the program as a faculty member, and helps lead various heliophysics and earth observation projects. She is passionate about increasing diversity in STEM and helping to empower the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists.

Tom has recently became one of the first Principal Investigators in NASA’s new Space Weather Centers of Excellence program, working with NASA, NOAA, and university partners to develop the next generation of orbital space weather forecasting models. He came to space weather research via a lifelong love of astronomy and solar physics, graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Engineering Physics followed by a Ph.D. in Applied Physics/Astrophysics from Stanford University. Tom also founded the Space Weather Deep Learning Laboratory, the first university facility to focus on AI/ML applications to space weather prediction.He’s been a faculty member of FDL since 2021, working with teams of FDL researchers to develop advanced models for prediction of the Low Earth Orbit environment, a critical region of space that is particularly vulnerable to extreme geomagnetic storms triggered by solar eruptions.

For the past two decades, Lika has enabled the development of Heliophysics as an integrated scientific discipline from which fundamental discoveries about our universe provide direct societal benefits. As the Lead for the Living With a Star (LWS) program for 16 years since its initiation in 2000 she made possible the flagship missions (e.g. the Solar Dynamics Observatory, Van Allen Probes, Solar Orbiter Collaboration with European Space Agency and Parker Solar Probe), many other missions, including STEREO that would revolutionize our understanding of how the Sun shapes space weather in the solar system. She has been awarded numerous national and international awards, including the Baron Marcel Nicolet Medal for Space Weather and Space Climate, “India’s Most Powerful Women” award by Business Today, India, and the American Geophysical Union Ambassador Award. Lika has championed the growth of FDL since 2017 and remains an indispensable voice in defining challenge areas and the approaches to solving them.

Erica is a major player in the field of commercial space ventures with an infectious enthusiasm for the future of space travel by ordinary people. As you know, an interdisciplinary approach is a core tenet at FDL. Erika’s interdisciplinary background includes a bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, a master's in Aeronautics & Astronautics from MIT, and a PhD in Bioastronautics from the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. At Blue Origin, Erika is in the forefront of the business of space. Erika has been at the forefront for some time having worked with the X PRIZE Foundation as the Senior Director of Exploration Prize Development and founding Executive Director of the X PRIZE Lab@MIT and as the Science Director and Executive Director of the Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program at MIT. She has served as a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation's Suborbital Applications Researchers Group, on the Board of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research, and NASA's Planetary Protection Independent Review Board. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Museum of Flight, as well as a member of the National Academies' Space Studies Board.

Steve’s story is nothing short of inspirational. From his early days, marked by an insatiable curiosity about the universe, to his rise as a key player in Silicon Valley, Jurvetson’s path has been guided by a passion for innovation and a belief in the boundless possibilities of space. Our interview sheds light on these formative experiences, offering a rare look at the man behind the visionary. As a board member of SpaceX and a major investor in various space ventures, Steve provides an insider’s perspective on the commercialization of space. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of the space industry, the role of private companies in shaping our extraterrestrial future, and his predictions for humanity’s next giant leap as he shares his visionary ideas about the future of space travel, the colonization of other planets, and how these endeavors could transform human civilization.

Our first guest is Andy Aldrin, a name synonymous with space exploration legacy and cutting-edge space business acumen. Join us as we delve into a journey that transcends mere orbits - a tale of ambition, legacy, and the commercialization of the cosmos. Andy Aldrin, son of the legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin, has not just lived under the halo of his father’s monumental lunar footsteps. Instead, he’s carved his own path in the vast expanse of space exploration and its burgeoning business side. In our conversation, Andy shares personal anecdotes, reflecting on how his father’s legacy influenced his life journey and how he forged his unique trajectory in this challenging field. Andy's story isn’t just about business; it’s about inspiring the next generation of space enthusiasts. He discusses his work in education and outreach, aiming to ignite a passion for space in young minds. He believes that the future of space lies in the hands of these young dreamers and innovators.